Union-Cabarrus-Stanly County NcArchives Court.....Ruth Honeycutt V. William Simpson, 1845
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
John B. Hagler johnblair69@msn.com April 23, 2008, 8:46 pm

Source: Personal & Nc Archives
Written: 1845

My great, great grandmother who was Ruth was the granddaughter of Dempsey and 
Ruth Honeycutt of what was Montgomery that in 1841 became Stanly County. 
Ruth's parents were Mary and William Honeycutt. William, according to 
baptismal records at St. John's Lutheran Church near Mount Pleasant in 
Cabarrus County was born June 2, 1793. Mary was born circa 1807.
 
William and Mary Honeycutt had a two hundred acre farm in Goose Creek township 
in the northwestern part of present Union County.
 
In order to keep the courts from being flooded with frivolous prosecutions the 
plaintiffs were required to post a bond equal to the amount being sued for, if 
the suit was for monetary damages.
 
In August 1844, Ruth Honeycutt was seventeen years of age and in the "eyes" of 
the court was considered to be an "infant" as she had not become of age. 
Her "next friend" was her father who entered into a suit against William 
Simpson, Jr. in the amout of $2000 in damages. The charge was Trespass by 
Slanderous Words Spoken Against the Chastity of the Plaintiff. 
 
Witnesses were called and depositions taken from: Joseph Boyed, Sally 
Honeycutt, John Hagler, Jr., Mathias B. Jenkins, Charles C. (Cannon) Love and 
Reason Rushing.
 
On February 14, 1845 the defendant made oath to D.A. Covington the Clerk of 
Superior Court that Charles Hagler - the security for the prosecution of the 
suit has little or no property and would be insolvant if his debt were paid, 
and he further swore that plaintiff`s father the other security was insolvant.
 
The case against William Simpson, Jr. didn't go to trial. But what father 
would not do his utmost when a boorish person was "running his mouth" about 
the chastity of his daughter?
 
William Honeycutt died in 1848. His widow Mary, per the 1850 Union County 
census was 43 years of age and in the home was Sarah 21, William 20, Dempsey 
18, Elizabeth 10 Jane 8 and Susanna 6 years of age.
 
Living nearby according to that same census was: Hagler, Adam, his wife Ruth 
23, John Michael 11 (son by Adam's first marriage), Margaret 3, Jefferson 1 
and Drew M. 4 months of age. 
 
Ruth was age 19 when she married Adam Hagler August 13, 1846 and the person 
who performed the wedding ceremony was Adam's friend Jefferson Simpson who was 
a Justice of the Peace. My great grandfather's full given name was Jacob 
Jefferson.
 
It is interesting that William Honeycutt had children named Dempsey and Ruth 
and that a younger brother named Dempsey had a daughter named Ruth. William's 
son named Dempsey was killed in an accident by being stuck up the side of his 
head by the spoke of a wagon wheel during an affray.
 
John Blair Hagler
Raleigh, NC


Ruth Honeycutt     }
by her next friend }  Superior Court of Law
William Honeycutt  }  Spring Term 1845
     vs            }
Wm Simpson         }

William Honeycutt maketh oath that Reason Rushing will be a material witness 
for the plaintiff in the trial of this court, he expects to prove by said 
witness that the charge made by the Defendant against the Chasity of the Pltff 
is untrue - that he placed a subpoena in the hands of the Sheriff for said 
witness about the first of January last which has been returned unexecuted. He 
expects to have the benifit of his testimony at the next term and this 
application is not made for the purpose of delay but for the purpose set forth
                          William Honeycutt
Sworn to and Subscribed
before me
             D.A. Covington Clk

Ruth Honeycutt }
     vs        )
Wm Simpson     }

The defendant maketh oath that Charles Hagler - the security for the 
prosecution of the suit has little or no property and would be insolvent 
if his debt were paid and he further swears that the plaintiff __ the other 
security is insolvent
                             
                            William (his x mark) Simpson
Sworn to 14th Febry 1845
             D.A. Covington Clk

Additional information: Charles Hagler was a neighbor of William Honeycutt who 
was the father of Ruth and at the time of the case she was in the "eyes" of the 
court an infant and her father was her "next friend."


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