Dallas County, 14th District Court Minutes, 1846 – 1855
(p. 1) Monday, December 7th, 1846
District Court for Dallas County within the 6th Judicial District of the State of Texas, met at the court house in Dallas on Monday December 7th, 1847 [date as recorded; it should read 1846.] Present: William B. Ochiltree, Judge of the Court; Thomas W. Blake, District Attorney pro tem; John C. McCoy, District Clerk; and John Hewitt, Sheriff.
John McClarty, the District Attorney failed to appear; Thomas W. Blake is appointed District Attorney pro tem.
The following are summoned as jurors at the District Court for the December term, 1846: John Newton, Hiram Wilbourn, William P. Overton, Benjamin Keefer, James Matthis, William Lennard, David Badgeley, William Hickling, Henderson Couch, Jefferson Tilley, Stephen McCommas, Elijah S. Carder, Green W. Minter, Eli Merrill, John G. Beeman, Enoch Horton, James B. Bryan, Milford F. Fortner, Caswell Overton, Joseph Prigmore, Charles Baker, Wm. W. Carver, John B. Hibbert, Calvin G. Cole, Aaron West, Abraham Carver, Jas. Miller, twenty?seven good and lawful men and house holders. Fifteen were chosen for Grand Jury: Green W. Minter, Eli Merrill, John G. Beeman, Enoch Horton, Jas. B. Bryan, Milford F. Fortner, Caswell Overton, Joseph Prigmore, Charles Baker, Wm. W. Conover, John B. Hibbert, Calvin G. Cole, Aaron West, Abraham Carver, James Miller. George W. Glover, bailiff.
(p. 2) Tuesday, December 8th, 1846
Court met. Present: William B. Ochiltree, Judge of the Court; Thomas W. Blake, District Attorney pro tem; John C. McCoy, District Clerk; and John Hewitt, Sheriff.
Joseph Mather vs Jefferson Tilley. In Assumpsit.
Plaintiff brought motion against defendant to show why judgement should not be rendered against him.
Charlotte Dalton vs Joseph N. Dalton. Divorce.
Joseph N. Dalton, defendant, acknowledged suit, but did not appear. Jurors found a verdict for the plaintiff and that Charlotte Dalton pay the costs of the suit.
(p. 3)
John Johnston vs William P. Carder. In Debt.
Defendant to show cause why final judgment should not be rendered.
John Johnston vs William P. Carder. In Debt.
Case dismissed and plaintiff to pay costs.
John C. McCoy, Clerk of the District Court, tenders his resignation. Samuel B. Pryer, M.D. appointed Clerk of said court to serve until next general election for county officers. Performance bond in the sum of $5,000 entered with John N. Bryan and John Thomas, sureties.
(p. 4) Wednesday, December 9th, 1846
Court adjourned
Thursday, December 10th, 1846
William Combs ordered to appear before the grand jury, case dismissed and he paid court costs.
Now at this time comes into open court the Grand Jury for the body of the County of Dallas sworn herein on Monday last and returned into court the following bills of indictments signed by their foreman as true bills, to wit:
A true bill against—
James B. Shannon Murder
James Riley A[ssault] & B[attery]
William Pruitt Gaming
George W. Glover Gaming
Samuel Webb Gaming
John Skurlock Gaming
D. Bradshaw Gaming
Thomas Langley Gaming
James Cole Gaming
Morris Ferris Gaming
Edward Young Gaming
N. Ward Gaming
Elijah Carder Gaming
William Masters Gaming
Andy J. Manning Gaming
A. Greathouse Gaming
William Baker Gaming
Jefferson Tilly Gaming
Jackson Huitt Gaming
Charles Troupe Gaming
John Newton Gaming
William Hickling Gaming
(p. 5)
James J. Beeman Gaming
Joseph Jackson Gaming
William West Gaming
Samuel Tucker Gaming
Henderson Couch Gaming
Samuel G. Newton Gaming
Hiram Wilburn Gaming
John Howe Gaming William Shelton Gaming
Samuel Cornett Gaming
Cornelius Vernoy Gaming
Peter Haught Gaming
Wm. W. Conover Gaming
James Byrd A[ssault] & B[attery] with intent to kill
Charles H. Durgin Gaming
John C. McCoy Gaming
John N. Bryan Gaming
James B. Bryan Gaming
Henry C. Long Gaming
Calvin G. Cole Gaming King Custer Gaming
John McGarrah Gaming
James Miller Gaming
Crawford Brown Gaming
Alfred G. Walker Gaming
William James Gaming
William Carder Gaming
Thomas Manning Gaming
Joseph Sykes Gaming
James F. Reddin Gaming
Jefferson Tilly Betting
Morris Ferris Betting
Samuel West Betting
John Thomas A[ssault] & B[attery] with intent to kill
John McCommas For challenging E. Carder
Thomas McConnol Gaming
Blackgrove H. Baily Gaming
Thomas Vernoy Gaming
James M. Patterson Gaming
Grand Jury discharged.
John McCoy as principal, and John N. Bryan, his security, put up $200 and said John McCoy is to appear before the 6th District Court of Dallas County at the next court, 1st Monday in June 1846 [should be 1847] and continue from term to term.
(p. 6)
George W. Glover served four days as bailiff and is entitled to be paid $8.
Friday, December 11th, 1846
State of Texas vs James Byrd. Assault with Intent to Kill.
Cause continued until next term of this court. Defendant to put up $1,000, John B. Hibbert & Hiram Wilburn, securities.
Ordered to be purchased at the expense of the county: “one final record book, one order or minute book, one docket, one execution book, one jury book, one judgement docket, one subpoena book, one ream cap paper.”
(p. 7)
Minutes examined and approved by W. B. Ochiltree, Judge of 6th Judicial District. Attest. Samuel B. Pryor, District Clerk, Dallas County. (Mr. Pryor certified he wrote in the transactions after the books came…)
(p. 8) 12th day of April 1847
Samuel B. Pryor, Clerk of District Court for Dallas County, State of Texas; and William M. Cochran, Clerk of County Court, of said county, William H. Hord, acting Justice of the Peace of the said county, drew from box #1 in accordance with ” An Act Regulating Juries”, the following as jurors for June term, District Court, year 1847: Thomas Mounts, Jacob Helms, David Harris, Morris Ferris, Ellis C. Thomas, Jesse Cox, J. Green, H. A. Hart, George L. Lennard, R. Bruton, Powell W. Narboe, William Morris, J. C. Harris, Isaac B. Webb, G. A. Everts, M. M. Miller, John Cook, Thomas King, Josiah S. Philps, R. Applegate, A. W. Perry, Thomas Cheshire, J. Langley, M. Perry, William B. Elam, William Cox, James Cole, Harrison C. Marsh, Alexander Thomas, A. J. Mannon, J. Leake, John Clark, Hiram Vail, A. B. Danks, Robert McCulluck, Peter Narboe.
