MAURY COUNTY, TN - COURT - Thomas Hall, Proof of Race Affidavits ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: William Allen Holmes GLOBETREKR@aol.com ==================================================================== Contributor's Notes: I would like to share these two Tennessee documents. Document number one is a Proof of Race affidavit document acquired by my Great Great Grandfather Thomas Hall, on September 19, 1835, in Maury County, Tennessee when he appeared before Justice of the Peace, James L. Crawford. The second document seems to be a certification by William E. Erwin, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and quarter session for Maury County, that James L. Crawford had full authority to issue the Proof of Race document. This document was dated October 13, 1835. On June 26, 1843, these documents were filed in Marion County at Yelleville, Arkansas. In 1850 he moved to Oregon County, Missouri and they were recorded there and filed on February 13, 1850, by J. R. Woodside, Clerk of that county. The documents were recorded again in Howell County, Missouri on May 5, 1890. at 9: o'clock A.M. by T.B. Carmical, Recorder. This was recorded after Thomas Hall's death on December 30, in 1888, in Howell County, Missouri. This was filed after his death because his children's children were expelled from school because they were dark and caused of being Negroes. There were several trials in Missouri and Oklahoma. The trials proved that they were of Portuguese descent and not Negroes. THOMAS HALL 1835 Proof of Race affidavits from MAURY County, Tennessee Recorded in Oregon County, Missouri 1850 Recorded in Howell County, Missouri 1890 Typed exactly as written: State of Tennessee Maury County this day person- ally appeared before me James L Crawford one of the Justice of the peace in and for said County THOMAS HALL and maid parob?? testomony that the said THOMAS HALL is entitled to all of the privileges of a free citizen THOMAS HALLgreat grand father on his father sid was portage an his great grand father on his mothers side was an englishman and THOMAS HALL grand father on his fathers side was of the portagee desent and his grand father on Mothers side was an irishman and his own father was of the portugee decent and his mother was a white american woman sworn to and subscribed before me this the 19 day of September 1835. James L. Crawford J.P. his PRESCOTT X REPRUM mark his LONEY X HALLS mark ========================================= State of Tennessee Murry County I William E. Erwin Clerk of the Court of please and quarter sessions for said County do hereby certify that James L Crawford is an acting justice of the peace in and for said County of Murry in the State of Tennessee duly commission and qualified according to law and that all his official acts are intitled to full faith and credit given under my hand and the seal of my office at office this 13 day of October 1835 and 60 th year of American Independence Wm E Erwin clk. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Filed February 13, 1850 J. R. Woodside Typed exactly as written: State of Tennessee Maury County this day personally appeared before me James L: Crawford one of the Justices of the peace in and for said county THOMAS HALL and made proff by private testomony that the said THOMAS HALL is intitled to all of the privileges of a private citizen THOMAS HALL great grand father on his fathers sid was a poutagee and his great grand father on his mothers sid was a inglish= man, and THOMAS HALL grand on his fathers sid was of the poutagee desent, and his grand father on Mothers sid was an Irishman and his own father was of the poutugee decent and his mother was a white american born woman. sworn to and executed before me this the 19th dayof september 1835. James L. Crawford J.P. his PRESCOTT X NUPANS (seal) mark his LONNEY X HALLS (seal) mark ====================================== State of Tennessee, Maury County. I. William E Erwin Clerk of the Court of Pleas and quarter session for said County do here by certify that James L. Crawford is an acting Justice of the peace in & for said County of Maury in the state of Tennessee duly Commissioned Commissioned and qualified occor-ding to law and that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit. Given under my hand and the seal of my office at office this 13th day of October A.D. 1835. and 60th year of American Independence. Wm E. Erwin clk. (seal).