Knox County court record for Morris and Richey vs. Ohio and Miss. Railroad, 1855

Description:	Folder 7739 in Box 147 of Knox County Circuit Court records at the Knox County Public Library’s McGrady-Brockman House contains nine documents in the case of Wm. Morris & Daniel Richey vs. Ohio & Mississippi Railroad Company. During the September, 1855 term of Knox County Circuit Court William Morris, a man of color filed a complaint against the president and director of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad Company stating that he was the owner of the described real estate in Knox County consisting of one hundred acres of land in the west corner of donation lot number 132, and as owner should be allowed the exclusive use of the land as he had entered a land deal with the railroad on December 1, 1854. Morris further claimed that the railroad had built an embankment making it impossible for him to pass from one part of his land to another. He demanded compensation of two hundred dollars damage from the railroad. Judah and Denny were attorneys for Morris.The defendants came to court and stated that Morris was not the owner of the property at the time of the complaint and that the land was owned by Daniel Ritchey, a man of color. A statement was made in court that Morris had sold the property to George Cochran and that the land had immediately entered into the possession of the railroad. Morris denied selling the property to Cochran. An amended complaint was filed by Daniel Richey against the railroad company. Richey stated that the defendant was indebted to him for two hundred dollars for damage to his property of 100 acres and that the defendant had promised to construct a road through said property. Another amended complaint was filed by Morris and Richey against the railroad. The plaintiffs stated that on September 20, 1854 they were the owners of the real estate and that the defendants came upon their land and erected a road through their lands and built a high embankment, dug deep holes and made great execution in the land and throughout the said property. Richey stated his property was injured and he had received no compensation. He was promised the railroad would pay him a sizeable compensation which he felt was two hundred dollars for the right away across his land. The defendant’s attorney, Allen stated that Morris and Richey’s demands were not valid as they had no proof of ownership. There is no conclusion as to outcome of this case in the folder. Documents consist of the complaint by Morris, two summonses, amended complaint by Morris and Richey, defendants answers, Richey’s amended complaint, defendant’s reply, and replication.
Origin:	1855
Contributor(s):	Richey, Daniel; Marris, William; Cochran, George; Judah, Samuel; Denny, William; Allen, Cyrus;
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/kcpl/id/48458
Collection:	Knox County Public Library
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Copyright:	No Copyright - United States
Geography:	Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, United States
Subjects:	Black people -- America -- History African Americans -- History Black people -- History Slave records Slave labor Slavery Slaveholders Enslaved women Enslaved men Slavery -- Law and legislation Indentured servants Indiana -- Northwest Indiana -- History Vincennes (Ind.) Knox County (Ind.)

Further information on this record can be found at its source.