Chancery Court Record

Discovering Chancery Court Records with FamilySearch Experimental Labs

While recently researching Alfred Kirkpatrick, husband of Mahala Bland, I stumbled upon a remarkable record: a Chancery Court document from Jackson County, Tennessee. This find, made possible through FamilySearch’s Experimental Labs, provides invaluable insights into my Bland and Burke family lines.

This Chancery Court record involved my ancestor Henry F. Burke and his wife, Elizabeth Bland. Here’s what I learned from this incredible discovery:

• It confirms the marriage between Henry Burke and Elizabeth Bland.
• It sheds light on the death of Sally Bland.
• It supports Mahala Bland and Matthew Martin Bland as children of Sally Bland.
• It identifies an additional child, Mary Bland, who married William Maynard.
• It excludes Colin Bland and William Phelp Bland as children of Sally Bland.
• It suggests Eli Bland, presumed husband of Sally Bland, was already deceased.

This document challenges my previous understanding of Eli and Sally Bland’s family structure. Armed with this new information, I’ll need to reevaluate and reorganize their family tree.

Without FamilySearch’s Experimental Labs, I doubt I would have uncovered this vital record. If you haven’t explored the Labs yet, I highly recommend it—there’s no telling what treasures might await in your own research!

“Jackson, Tennessee, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9P3-N9H6-P?view=fullText : Jan 15, 2025), image 1246 of 1544; .

Film Number/Image Group Number: 007643260

Summarization:

In a legal proceeding before Chancellor Bromfield L. Ridley in 1840, Samuel C. Stone and Leroy B. Settle accuse Henry F. Burke of being indebted to them through multiple notes totaling various amounts, with several credits applied. The estate of Sally Bland, who passed away intestate in Jackson County, includes her children: Elizabeth (married to Henry F. Burke), Mary (married to William D. Maynard), Mahala (married to Alfred Kirkpatrick), and Matthew M. Bland. After settling her debts, a surplus is expected to be distributed to Henry F. Burke and his wife, Elizabeth.
Dates
July 19, 1836
January 1, 1837
Names and Relationships
Samuel C. Stone [orator]
Leroy B. Settle [orator]
Henry F. Burke [debtor, married to Elizabeth Burke]
Elizabeth Burke [heir, daughter of Sally Bland]
Sally Bland [deceased, mother of Elizabeth, Mary, Mahala, and Matthew M. Bland]

To the Hon Bromfield L. Ridley Chancellor of the fourth Chancery
District of the State of Tennessee setting at Gainesboro
Your orators Samuel C Stone a citizen of the County of Jackson and State
of Tennessee and Leroy B. Settle of the County of Wilson and State aforesaid , beg leave to show
to your Honor that a certain Henry F. Burke is justly indebted to them by five several
writings obligatory executed by said Henry F. Burke to them under the name and
style and firm of Sam C. Stone & co. for the sums following , to wit : One note for
$ 100 due 19th July 1836 with a credit endorsed thereon of a cash note on Zacharia
Carter for $ 100 . due 1st June 1839 – One other note for $ 71.56 dated 1January 1836 due on
day after date but not to bear interest until 1st January 1837 , on which are endorsed
the following credits October 10. 1837 . $ 26.65 . January 1. 1838 $ 9 . One other note for
$ 75.55 dated 1 January 1839 with a credit endorsed $65 in cash notes due 1 January
1839 – One other note for $ 22.54 dated 1 January 1838 due one day after date and one
other note for $ 38.14 dated January 1st 1837 due 12 months after date all of which
several notes for said several sums are unpaid and now due your orators from
said Henry F. Burke except what is credited on the same as before stated which
said several notes with the credits thereon endorsed are here exhibited marked 12
3.4 and 5 and made a part of this Bill . Said Henry F Burke is not an inhabit
ant of this State , and your orators know of no property or effects of his in this
State except as herein after stated nor do they believe that he has any other amt of
which your orators can make their debts aforesaid
your orator state that sometime in _ one Sally Bland departed this life
in said County of Jackson in testate leaving the following children her heirs and
distributers – to – wit : – Elizabeth who had intermarried with said Henry J Burke
Mary who had intermarried with William D. Maynard Mahala who had in
termarried with Alfred Kirkpatrick & Matthew M. Bland. That said Sally Bland
at her death was the owner of three or four negroes as your orators are infor
med upwards of three hundred dollars in cash and debts due her and other
property – — That at September term 1840 of the County Court of said
County of Jackson said Matthew M. Bland was appointed Administrator
of all and singular the goods & chattels , rights & credits which were of said Sally
Bland deceased – and entered upon the duties of his Administratorship
your orators state that the estate of said Sally Bland is but little in debt
and after the payment of her just debts , there will be a considerable surplus
in the hands of said administrator to be distributed to said Henry F. Burke
& his wife Elizabeth . Your orator state that said Henry F. Burke
is married to said Elizabeth and as the husband of her is joint distributed

IMAGE 1274 of 1544

with said distributers of said Sally Bland
the premises considered your orators pray that said Henry F. Burke & his
wife Elizabeth of the State of Missouri and said Matthew M. Bland of said
County of Jackson be made defendants to this Bill that they true full and per
fect answers make to the same , that copy & process issue & c — and that the distribe
utive share or portion of said estate that belongs to said Henry F. & his wife Eliza
beth , or so much thereof as will be sufficient to pay the debts due from said Henry
F to your orators be attached in the hands of said Matthew M. Bland as administrator
as aforesaid and that an attachment issue & c. that an account be taken & c. and upon
final hearing that said Matthew M. Bland be decreed to pay over to your orators
so much of the distributive share of said Henry F. & his wife Elizabeth in said
Estate as will be sufficient to pay said debts due from said Henry F. to your ora
tors and such other and further relief as your orators case may entitle them
to & c. There is now due from said Burke to your orators on said notes prin
cipal & interest to this time $ 150 . or $ 160
Quarles Solicitor
State of Tennessee
Jackson County ⎬
This day before me Thomas D. Capeth a Justice of the Peace for
said County personally appeared Sam E. Stone , one of complainants to me known
and made oath that statements in the foregoing Bill as made of his own knowledge
are true and those made from information of others he believes to be true — and that
the defendant Henry F. Burke is indebted as changed in the foregoing Bill and that
he is a non resident
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 5 day of November 1840
Thomas D. Cassell JP
Sam E. Stone
Exhibit
$ 100 Twelve months after date I promise to pay Sam C. Stone & co
or order one hundred dollars for value recd of them as witness my hand and
seal this 19th day of July 1835
Henry F. Burke P o[seal ]
Recd Zachariah Canter ‘s note due 1st June 1839 on this note $ 100.00
&71.66 . One day after date I promise to pay Sam C. Stone & co. or order the sum
pf seventy one dollars & fifty – six cents for value reced of them as witness my hand and
seal this 1st day of January 1836 no interest until 1st Jany . 1837
Henry F. Burke [seal]
Recd after taking up one other on note in price of sorrel Horse Oct. 11th 1837 $ 26.68
Recd Jany 1st 1838 note on A Hare $ 9.00

Image 1275 of 1544

3
$ 73.55
One day after date I promise to pay Sam C. Stone & co. or order the sum of Seventy
three dollars & fifty five cents for value recd of them as witness my hand and seal this 1st
day of January 1837
Test . Jas W. Settle
Henry F. Burke
Credit by one small negro which we was to sell to the best advantage & we sold
it to Alex Montgomery for $ 66 in cash notes due on the 1st day of January 1839 . this
being for the negro $ 66.00
4
$ 22.54 . One day after date I promise to pay Sam E. Stone & Co or order the sum
of Twenty two Dollars & fifty four cents for value recd of them as witness my hand s
and seal this 1st day of January 1838
Test Joel W. Little .
Henry F. Burke [seal]
5
$ 38.14 . Twelve months after date I promise to pay Sam C. Stone & co. or order the
sum of Thirty eight Dollars & fourteen cents for value recd of them as witness
my hand and seal this 1st day of January 1837
Test . Joel W. Little
Henry F Burke [seal]
A true copy of bill & exhibits as filled in
my Office
Geo M [McWhistler Clk AMC]