ROANE COUNTY TENN. CHANCERY BOOK 1824-1845 State of Tennessee Monroe County Be it remembered that on the Nineteenth day of April 1830, I James A. Haire, one of the acting Justice of the Peace for the County of Monroe aforesaid, by virtue of the power in me vested by the commission hereto prefixed to examine all witnesses whatsoever as well on behalf of William Hunter complainant, as of Samuel Johnston respondent, or either of them, in a certain matter of controversy depending in the Chancery Court holden at Kingston, in the County of Roane and state aforesaid, did cause to come before me at the house of Moses McSpading on fork creek in the aforesaid County of Monroe. John McCroskey aged about forty one years Josiah Rowan aged about forty years Thomas McCray aged about forty nine. Margaret Fuquay aged about fifty eight years old. William Ainsworth about thirty fore years Moses McSpading aged about fifty four As witnesses-- on behalf of William Hunter complainant, in said cause: and the said John McCroskey Josiah Rowan Thomas McCray Being duly sworn on the holy evangelist of almighty God, and caution by me to depose the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, the said John McCroskey deposeth and saith Qust 1st by complainant Were you or were you not been a long time acquianted with Samuel Johnston the defendant in this cause where William Hunter is complainant. If so how long have you been aquianted with him and where? =Ans I have been acquianted with Samuel Johnston some ten or twenty years in the County of Blount and Monroe 2 Question 2nd by the complainant Do you or do you not know that you have heard Samuel Johnston as the def. in the aforesaid cause falting and complaining at the pauper law? Ans At the time I served a subpeana and delivered a copy of the Bill in the above named cause. I did hear him complain and express his dislike to the pauper law. Quest 3rd by the same Are you acquianted with the Jeneral carrector of Samuel Johnston the Defendaht? Ans I think I am Quest 4 by the same From that knowledge would you or would you not believe him on oath Ans I would believe him when on oath Quest 4 by the same What are the circumstances of the Defendant Johnston as to his property for some years here tofore Ans his circumstances have been and still are so far as I know vary good perhaps more so than any citizen save one, or so, on fork creek And further said Desponent saith not John McCroskey (his signature) 3 Josiah Rowan allowed after being duly sworn deposeth and saith----- Quest 1# by comp Was or was you not called on in the courthouse in the town of Tillico in the Nov Term of 1828 to testify on oath to the name of Samuel Johnston that was signed to a deed of conveyance of land that William Hunter had then and that you said on your oath that you believe or knew it-to be the hand writing of Samuel Johnston the defendant on the above cause Ans I was called on at that time to examine the signature (to some instrument of writing perhaps a deed of convey) purporting to be signed by Samuel Johnston the defendant, and that I did say I believed it to be the hand writing of Samuel Johnston the def. Quest 2 by the Defendant Did you not hesitate some what on oath in saying that the signature to the instrument above alouded to, was my hand writing Ans At first sight I did but---after more maturity examine it--and comparing it with what I know to be his hand write I did no longer hesitate Quest by complainant Is not Samuel Johnston the defendant your father in law Ans He is And further the said deponent saith not. Josiah Rowan (his signature) 4 Thomas McCray Deposeth and Saith That he has been heretofore examined on this matter and that it only remains for him to detail some matters and things which the Defendant Johnston told him which was not mentioned in his former Deposition which are as near as he can recoll in the following words. In a conversation with the defendant Johnston he told me that William Hunter came to his house in Blount County riding a very good gelding and that he the said Johnston borrowed Hunters grate cote for the purpose of detaining him until he went and got an officer and brought him to the stable where the aforesaid gildin was. And that said Hunter came in great haste to the stable and seemed so affected and distressed about his horse that he Johnston suffered him the said Hunter to keep his horse and go off and that Hunter was now complaining of being ill treated, but Johnston said if ever he had ill treated him it was then in leting him taking off his horse for if he had taken him, he Hunter was then a young man and perhaps it would have save all further trouble about this matter. The said Defendant saith that he also give the substance of the above conversation in testimony the circuit court of Monroe County in the fall of 1828 in a former suit between said Plaintiff & Defendant which suit was then and there tried and determined in favour of the Defendant Johnston And further said Deponent Saith not Thomas McCray (his signature) (By Jerry L. Johnston Swanton, OH)