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

Click here for an introduction to these petitions and instructions for acquiring copies.

Year 1853, Petition Number 23_

[The cover sheet shows that the petition was referred to the Committee on Judiciary 21st Feb. 1854. The clerk has added:

“The Committee on the Judiciary are of opinion that the Legislature has no power to grant the relief prayed for by the petitioners. J.B. Cooke[?]”]

To the Honorable General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, Now in Session:

The memorial of the undersigned citizens of Charleston, in the County of Bradley, in the state of Tennessee, and others interested.

Respectfully represent to your Honorable boday, that the greater section of land on which Charleston is located, as at the time of the opening of the Entry Taker’s Office in the Ocoee District, in the occupancy of some seventeen persons, & by virtue of their presumption right, entered the same – laid out the town into some one hundred & sixty lots, which were at public auction sold the the highest bidder – and three persons were appointed commissioners for the purpose of making titles to the lots, subsequently one of said Commissioners removed from the Country, another departed this life, and the third declined executing titles, and at this time is lying at the point of death. Many of said lots have been transferred from one to another, and no good or perfect title to the[m] has been, nor can be executed.

Now therefore your memorialist most respectfully request your Honorable body, to appoint commissioners for the purpose of executing titles to lots in the premises aforesaid – or in any manner as may in your wisdom deem best and as in duty your memorialists will pray & etc. Feb. 16th, 1854