Transcribed from microfilm and contributed by: Charles A. Sherrill, 1992
A project of the Bradley County Historical Society

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Petition Number 55, Year 1849_

[Cover sheet reads: “P.J.R. Edwards regarding loss of public funds. No. 63. Read & Referred to the Committee on Education and Comm. on Schools. W.J. Monroe, Clerk”. The committee’s response is noted as follows: “The Committee on Education and the Committee on Schools do not see the importance of the facts set forth in this memorial and ask to be discharged from its consideration. H.R. Hill, Ch’man.” Another line on the cover sheet is incomprehensible and reads: ” 24[?] Jay. Concurred in. Bradley County 1849. Thornbergh”.]

Cleveland, Tennessee, Dec. 15th, 1847

To the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee

The undersigned propose to inform the Legislature in as plain a way as he is capable of doing, how three thousand two hundred dollars of the public money became misplaced.

By referance to the Statutes it will be seen that of the Ocoee Lands two half Townships were bestowed upon the University at Nashville and the then East Tennessee College but it was provided that these lands should be disposed of in like manner as other lands in the same district; only that the money paid into the land office for College land should be kept separate & paid over to the said College, a quarterly of the “College land” as it was called was held, as well as other land, by Prefferences and entered under these Claims, it was not uncommon for two and sometimes more persons to have prefference Claims on the same land and when the Land Office first opened, the Entry Taker deemed it his duty to allow all to enter who presented legal claims. This practice was afterwards abandoned, but while It continued a number of places were twice Entered and in this way there were three tracts of College land twice entered each. Two were entered at $1200 each & the other at $800, making the $3200. Of course but one of the Enterers could hold the land and the defeated claimants were turned over to the State for redress. Subsequently the Legislature directed the unsuccessful Enterers Should have their money refunded by the Bank of Tennessee. No exception was made as to those entering College land, so that while the Colleges were gaining $3200 the State was Losing that amount, and this loss falls upon the common school fund.

The Undersigned was Register of Ocoee District at the time the foregoing occurrences happened, and of course was necessarily acquainted with them and having been honoured by the State with a public trust by means of which the foregoing facts came to his knowledge, deems it his duty to make the same known that Justice may be done in the end. Refference is made to the laws on the subject & the undersigned has aimed to State their substance. This is however, done from memory, not having the acts to refer to. All which is respectfully submitted.

P.J.R. Edwards