The original petition transcribed here, regarding the property of Margaret Noe Mayes, deceased, is held by the Grainger County Archives in Rutledge, Tennessee:
Petition
S. A. Brooks, guardian &c.
vs.
F. M. Bird & wife and others
Filed 6 Jany 1873, P. M. Senter
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To the worshipful County Court of Grainger County Tennessee:
The petition of S. A. Brooks a citizen of said county of Grainger, who sues as the Guardian of Jacob J. Mayes,
Filed against F. M. Bird and his wife Comfort, Joseph Beets and his wife Margaret, David N. Rich and his wife Mary, John Beets and his wife Martha, John Mayes and his wife Louisa and Nancy Mayes, all of whom reside in said county of Grainger.
Your petitioner respectfully represents unto your worships that he is the Guardian of the said Jacob J. Mayes, duly appointed by this worshipful court, That his said ward together with the said Comfort Bird, Margaret Beets, Mary Rich, Martha Beets, and Nancy Mayes, are the owners of a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said county of Grainger, and adjoining the lands of D. N. Heath, Thomas Stroud, Alexander Helton and others, that they derived their title to said lands through their mother, who was the former wife of the said John Mayes, and that said land has never been partitioned among them, but that they are joint owners thereof in equal shares, and entitled to the immediate possession of the same, and that the said John Mayes has relinquished to them his interest therein, and agreed that it may be partitioned among them.
The premises considered, Your petitioner prays that three proper persons including the County Surveyor be appointed as commissioners to lay off, divide and partition said lands between the parties owning the same as above set forth, and that said commissioners be instructed to partition said lands among said parties in equal shares, and return into Court a report of their proceedings together with a description of each lot or parcel of land, and Your petitioner will every pray
A. S. Tate
Sol. for petitioner
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Mr. A. Tate,
I want all the property on the place devided equelly with all the children, except the mare and she belongs to my son Jacob. There is five head of cattel som sheep and house hol furneture and farming utencils, and appoint commissioners at next court to devide the Land and all equilly.
John Mayes
John Beets & wife
Joseph Beets & wife
Jacob Mayes
David N. Rich & wife
Nancy C. Mayes
F. M. Bird and wife
commissioners
John Murry special surveyor
John Laffarty
William Tayler