Series 502: Court Documents and Legislative Records. 1804-1817.

Creator: Territorial Governor (RG 2).

Collection Summary: A miscellaneous collection of various court documents such as exhibits to court cases, copies of court orders and reports, and a few legislative records such as a petition, and a report compiled by order of the legislature. A calendar for these items can be found below.

Access Restrictions: Access to original materials is limited due to age and fragility.

Date(s): 1804-1817.

Volume: 0.25 Cubic Feet.

Finding Aid Created By: Colby Cox in April 2025.

Related Materials: TBD.

Record Group History: The Territorial Governor of Mississippi was the figure selected by the U.S. Congress to be the leading political figure of the Mississippi Territory. The Office of the Territorial Governor was created on April 7, 1798, when the creation of the Mississippi Territory was authorized. The Territorial Governor initially had full power over the creation of legislation until a general assembly was formed to represent the state in May of 1800. The Territorial Governor additionally served as the commander-in-chief of the Mississippi militia and was given authority over affairs with native peoples. The office was abolished once Mississippi became a full state in 1817.

Collection Inventory:

Box Content	Box Number
Court Case Materials, Legislative Materials	29406

Calendar of Documents - Territorial Passport Records

Doc. #	Date	Abstract
1	c. 1817	“Account of Fines in the Old Supreme Court”  -  a listing (in table form) entitled “Amount of Executions issued from the Late Supreme Court” with column headings for parties’ names, amount of fine, sheriff’s return and by whom collected
2	c. 1810s?	Petition, Andrew Barland and other family members (children of William Barland, deceased, and Lisey, his wife), addressed to the Senate and the House of Representatives, regarding their disabilities suffered under the constitution of the state owing to their mother being "a coloured woman;" also included are signatures of fellow citizens
3	c. 1814	Brief? – “Holt for the Appellee” – re: statute of limitations and previous decree; names also mentioned are Prosper King, Eldergill and Arthur Carney
4	[1804 –1805?]	Complaints, D. W. Breazeale and ? against Thomas Hinds, deputy sheriff for dereliction of duty.  Cases cited are:
		*Henderson v. Searcy & Gaskins
		*Thomas H. Woods & Wife v. William Fairbanks
		*John M. Alston v. Hyman & Douglass
		*Territory v. Collard
		*Territory v. McLune
		*Territory v. Holt
5	Feb. 27, 1809	Note, T. [Thomas] Rodney, regarding sitting of the Supreme Court (length of terms, and location of court)
6	July 26, 1810	Complaint, against Sheriff Montfort Calvit, by Green and Tichenor, attorneys for plaintiff in Abraham Dumoss vs. William Ivy, Adams County, regarding money due them
7	April 15, 1811	Statement, by D. P. January, clerk of County Court, Claiborne County, presented to the governor by Zacheriah Taliaferro, of causes on the docket given in support of accusations against the justices of the Quorum
8	[c. June 28, 1813]	Memorandum, P. [Peter] A. Van Dorn, clerk, Superior Court, Claiborne County, regarding Duncan and Jackson vs. Richie and Willis
9	Oct., 1814	Disposition, The Territory vs. Jno. W. Callihan, Superior Court, Adams County, certified by Theodore Stark, June 1815 (labeled “Exhibit F, No. 1”)
10	Oct.,1814	Order, Superior Court, Adams County, to Isaac Hill, in his favor to postpone sentence
11	Nov. 19, 1814	Report, Tho. [Thomas] Batchelor, clerk, Adams County Court, of money accrued to the county since 1809
12	Nov. 19, 1814	"Report made out by Daniel Burnet Esquire Commissioner appointed by virtue of An Act of Assembly entitled 'An Act to appoint Commissioners to examine and report on the State or situation of certain Offices' of Jury Taxes and Tax on Law process received by Joseph Briggs Sheriff of Claiborne County in the County Court of said County since his appointment to Office"
13	Dec. 9, 1814	Resolution, President and Select Men in General Meeting, Natchez, to the President of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, offering the City Hall for sessions of the Supreme Court
14	Oct. 21, 1815	Decree, James McClellan, Administrator of the estate of Stephen Trigg vs. Francis Boardman, Superior Court, Adams County, rendered by Geo. [George] Poindexter, in favor of the complainant
15	Feb. 9, 1816	Articles of agreement, between George Poindexter and Moses Liddell, regarding boundary between tracts of land