The Contest of the Will of G. G. Inman, TN, 1903

Chancery Court 1903

Reuben H. Kelly and wife Sarah E. Kelly and M. O. Swanson of Williamson county
    vs. A. A. Inman, R. N. Richardson, Exr. of G. G. Inman of Williamson and John T. Inman whose residence is unknown.

Joseph Pewitt died many years ago in Williamson County in testate owning real estate on the waters of South Harpeth in District #1 consisting of three tracts of land. Tract #1 containing 195 acres - Tract #2 adjoining the first tract and known as the land belonging to the heirs of Joseph Pewitt on which G. G. Inman resided at the time of his death containing 50 acres, it being a tract of land granted to Archibald Gray No. 1672 dated 26 June l824 - Tract # 3 being a small lot of land adjoining the above two tracts containing about 4 acres and entered by Wiley B. White, Guardian.

Joseph Pewitt left surviving him five children: a son W. Maxfield Pewttt and four daughters, Polly Givens, Adeline who married Dan C Murphy, Susan Givens, and Minerva who married Monroe Swanson. All of the heirs of Joseph Pewitt sold their share of the land to G. G. Inman except Minerva Swanson who died intestate in 1850 leaving two children: Sarah E. Kelley and M. O. (Monroe, Jr.) Swanson.

After the death of Joseph Pewitt, his widow married G. G. Inman and lived with him until she died about 1890/91. After the death of Minerva Swanson, her children were reared by their grandmother and grandfather, G. G. Inman until they were married. After the death of Minerva Swanson, her husband, Monroe Swanson conveyed his interest in the land to G. G. Inman. (Deed Book 1, pg. 43)

G. G. Inman died in Sept. 1902 leaving a will naming R. N. Richardson, Exr. Under the will, A. A. Inman and John T. Inman are claiming all of the land.

Deposition 2 June 1903 by Thomas McNeal, Lyle Station, Hickman Co., Age 23 years. I Heard A. A. Inman tell Mr. Kelly he didn't know why his pa had kept it a secret that "his papers wasn't any good".

Deposition by W. D. Poyner - I have known G. G. Inman since I was a little boy. I heard him say he intended to give Mrs. Kelley and Monroe (Jr.) Swanson a child's part when he made his will as he had raised them and felt as near to them as his own children. He spoke to me before his son, Monroe S. Inman (Buddy) who died six years ago this coming Sept. I  heard Mr. Inman say he had bought the shares of four of the children and would have the fifth if Dick Givens had not underminded him.

Deposition of Lizzie Kelley - I am the daughter of Monroe Swanson, age 45 years old on 2 April Next. I was married to R. H. Kelley 24 years ago. I do not remember my mother. I was reared by Granville Inman and my grandmother. I learned that my mother owned a share of the land after Mr. Inman's death. I have very little education. Mr. Inman told my uncle, Henry Pewitt, he intended to give me a yearling, a sheep or two and a bed that they said was my father's. My mother's name was Minerva Pewitt. I don't know the ages of all of my children.

Deposition of R. H. Kelley - Age 48 years Dec. 2 next. I was married in 1878 (in Jan.) to Lizzie Swanson. I knew her from when she was a little girl. I was told by Mr. Bill Givens, if I would search the records that I would find that Mr. Inman had never bought Minerva Swanson's share of her father's estate. I can't read very well and I walked over to Mr. Richardson's
office and asked him if he would give me the number book and page and he said he would go and read it to me. He read the deed from the Pewitt heirs and when he was about half through, Mr. Bill Givens steps in. Mr. Richardson says to me, "It's all right." I had seen the date and knew it was a mistake. Mr. Givens said, "Newt, that woman never signed that deed at all". Mr. Richardson says, "Well, there's a little trouble, I think that limitations will beat you."  Mr. Inman gave my wife and me about $10 worth when we were married. He gave her a bed that wars said to have been her father's. Lizzie's father was said to have been a pretty wealthy man. He died in 1865. He was said to have been killed. I was at his burial.

Deposition of Reuben Wilson - age 53 years, 1ives in the 3rd. district near Hillsboro. Monroe Swanson was my half-brother. He died in 1865, close of the winter. His wife, Minerva Pewitt, died in 1860. She left two children, Monroe and Lizzie Swanson. Lizzie married Reuben Kelley. Aunt Barbara Inman was the widow of Joseph Pewitt. She has been dead about 13 years. G. G. Inman had children: James S. Inman, John. T. Inman, Adam Inman, Jane Inman, Barbara Inman, Allen Inman, Monroe Inman, Clay Inman and Maxfield Inman who died in 1865. Maxfield Pewitt was a brother to Minerva. I heard Mr. Inman ask Minerva to sell him her share of the land and she told him no, but would give it to him. This was in 1865 after I came home from the War. This was the first time I knew that Inman didn't own the land. Monroe (Jr.) lived with Mr. Inman some years after his grandmother died.

Deposition of W. H. Pewitt - Age 68 years. Aunt Barbara Pewitt was my Aunt who married G. F. Inman. They were married sometime in 1840's before 1850. Uncle Grant always said he bought the land. Lizzie and Monroe (Jr.) have very little education.

Deposition of W. E. Taylor - Age 64 years. I have known Lizzie and Monroe all their life. Their mother died about 1860/61. She was Miner Swanson, daughter of Barbara Pewitt who married G. G. Inman. Monroe Swanson, the father, died 6 March 1865 about the close of the War.

Deposition of W. F. Givens, age 50 years the 24th Feb. last. I have known Lizzie and Monroe since they were about two years old. My father bought Catherine's share of the land. There Was a division made between my father and Mr. Inman.

Deposition of John R. Givens - I was born 1845. My father purchased one share of Joe Pewitt's land. I don't know when Monroe (Sr.) Swanson died. I was in Mississippi.

Deposition of Monroe Swanson. My sister is older than I am. I was small when I went to Inman's house to live. I can't
remember when. My grandmother was dead when I married and if she had lived I have no idea but what I would have been single. Grandpa Inman always treated me like he did his children. Uncle Marvin Inman and Uncle West Inman are dead. I thought as much of Inman as any child he had. He said, "I stuck closer to the pillor and post", than any of his children. Grandfather Inman married again after I was married. After Grandmother died, Bud married, then I married and then Grandfather married. I was always a dull scholar I can read and write my name. I was always hard headed and got along slow and got a whipping and Grandpa would give me one when I got home; had me scared to death, had me scared to death all the time. I thought as much of him as if he had been my own individual daddy and give him praise for everything he ever did. My wife's name is Savonah Kelly. She is a sister to R. H. Kelley.

Deposition of Mrs. Frances Harbison - Age 62 years. I live on West Piney Dickson County. I was acquainted with Minerva and Monroe Swanson (Sr). Their children lived with me about four years. It was in the spring after Monroe (Sr.) was killed when the children were taken to Inman's to live. I wou1d go to see the chi1dren but the Inmans would a1ways hide them to keep me from seeing them. I heard Monroe (Sr.) say he signed away Minerva's right to Inman. The Inmans came and got the chi1dren about 1 year after Swanson was killed. I paid Inman $100 from Monroe Swanson's (Sr.) estate for the children's support. Mr. Swanson was killed about the "winding up of the War". We were married - 8 March 1904.

Deposition of John T. Inman - 12 March 1904 - I was born in 1851. I am the son of Granvil1e G. Inman. My mother was Barbara Pewitt. She married a Pewitt the first time and then married my father. Minerva Swanson was my ha1f-sister. She married Monroe Swanson in Davidson County near Tank. I have heard a conversation about my father buying Minerva's share of the land a very short while before her death. She agreed to sell her share but before my father could get the money to pay her, she died, taken sick with yellow jaundice. My father was a gun smith. He made Mr. Swanson a gun as part of the payment of the land. He also gave him one yoke of steers. Monroe (Sr.) died the latter part of the War. The two children lived with Minerva until her death and then with Inman until their father married again. After his death, his widow kept them until she got so mean to them that my parents went and took them away from her. When my parents took the children, Monroe had blisters on both side of his butte where the step-mother had b1istered them before the fire. The children 1ived with my parents until they were married. After Monroe (Jr.) married he moved to the Alfred Hutcheson place that he now owns. My father treated them like they were his own children. He could make chairs and stock plows and do work in a blacksmith shop. Monroe always to1d me he had an interest in the place and at Grandpa's death he was going to have it. My father married his second wife in 1891, I think.

Deposition of A. A. Inman - Age 50 years. I am a son of G. G. Inman. I lived with my father until I was nearly 21 years old and went to Western Kentucky and stayed nearly a year. I returned home and lived there until I was 24 years old. My father always lived on the old home place and controlled it as his own. I never heard anyone make a claim against it. I was young when he purchased Minerva Swanson's part. I remember their coming down here in the carriage, they had a yellow boy driving and they brought the children. I played with the children. I heard my father say he had Monroe Swanson's part. This was about in 1862 or 1863. he was making a gun for Jim Swanson in the shop and I was helping him. I was blowing the bellows for him.

I was born in 1853 and Monroe (Jr.) was born in 1859. Lizzie is 4 years younger than I am. My father gave Lizzie a bed, cow and calf when she married. Monroe was given a mare which he raised, 3 or 4 mules from before he left home. i heard Monroe (Jr.) say that he had heard people say he had an interest in the land and was going to get it when my father died. Pap said he thought Monroe and Lizzie would give him some trouble over the land, that he had bought and paid for it. I heard him tell them he had bought their mother's share - right there at the fireplace. My mother died in 1887, I think.

Joseph Pewitt married Barbary Pewitt Feb. 17, 1831.

Granville G. Inman married Barbara Pewitt July 28, 1842.

Miscellaneous Records of Williamson County, Tenn. Vol. 4, pg. 91 - Dec. 1854 - Barbara Inman states she was the wife of Joseph Pewitt who died 184? and left children: Catherine who married _____ Givens, Adeline, William M., Minerva and Polly Pewitt. Joseph owned two tracts of land, one tract contained 195 acres and one tract contained 50 acres.

INMAN GRAVEYARD

On Harold Meacham Farm - First District

William M. Pewitt
B. Nov. 20, 1835
D. Aug. 17, 1865
Granville G. Inman
B. March 8, 1820
D. Aug. 22, 1902