American Historical Ephemera & Photography

46pp, 8 x 12 1/2 in. legal document pertaining to the case of Hugh C. McIntyre vs. William Chappel (light creasing and toning, scattered marks, several top pages with small tears at ribbon binding, but pages generally clean and very legible). 

Document is associated with a case heard before Judge Robert Emmett Bledsoe Baylor (1793-1874), a Baptist minister, enslaver, politician, and co-founder of Baylor University. Baylor was appointed by Texas Governor J.P. Henderson as judge over the Third Judicial District shortly after the state attained statehood, indicating that this case was one of the earliest cases he heard in his new role. The document begins in October 1846 with the claim of petitioner Hugh C. McIntyre (1806-1890), "a citizen of Washington County Guardian of Sarah Jane McIntyre would show to you that he is entitled as Guardian as aforesd to house & possess the following negro slaves. Eliza a woman aged about twenty four & her child about one year worth one thousand dollars. Joseph, a man about twenty two years &  worth one thousand dollars. One boy William Jefferson about twelve years of age worth six hundred dollars. Girl Elena five years old & worth five hundred dollars. Your petitioner states that one William Chappell has possession of said slaves & refuses to deliver them...."

While the 1840 Federal Census does not list McIntyre as owning slaves, the 1850 U.S. Federal Slave Schedule identifies an "H.C. McIntire" of Washington, Texas, as an enslaver of 11 men, women, and children ages 4 through 50. William Chappell appears to be William C. Chappell (1808-1901) who is not identified as an enslaver on the 1850 Slave Schedule. However, William's father, Robert Wooding Chappell (1782-1860), is listed as enslaving 16 individuals in Washington County in 1850.