Kaye:
I have no direct evidence that Susannah was a daughter of Moses & Agnes
Meetch Cavitt......only secondary and indirect evidence to add to that
which you already have. All your names and dates jibe with what I have
The following document makes clear that Moses' wife was named Agnes, that
Susannah Shoemaker was his heir and daughter and that Richard, Michael
and Alexander were his brothers. I have only an incomplete transcript -
not a photocopy of the original - but the latter must exist somewhere.
I'd guess State Archives, Nashville, but possibly in Knoxville. No
telling how it would be filed.
"CAVITT v HUTCHINGS, TENNESSEE SUPERIOR COURT, HAMILTON DISTRICT, 1807
"To the Honorable Judges of the Superior Courts of Law and Courts of
Equity, etc. now sitting as Judges in Equity for the District of
Hamilton:
"Your Orators, Richard Cavatt, John Cavitt, John Hollaway and Rebecca his
wife, William Shoemaker and Susanna, his wife, Moses Cavitt, Thomas
Cavitt and Agnes Cavitt, all of the County of Knox and County of Roane in
said district, humbly represent to your honors, that heretofore about the
year 1790, a certain Thomas Hutchings, since deceased, late of Davidson
County in the district of Miro, conveyed to a certain Alexander Cavitt a
tract or parcel of land. containing six hundred and forty acres,
situated, lying and being in what is now the County of Knox, on the
waters of Sinking Creek joining the lands of Thomas N. Clark, Samuel
Fleming, Betsy Fleming, and John Love, being the same tract whereon your
Orator Agnes Cavitt now lives, and which is, as well as your Orators can
ascertain, bounded by the following lines to wit: "Beginning
......(description)....................."
"Your Orators further represent on our honor that the said Alexander
Cavitt after the aforementioned conveyance was made to him for said tract
of land, did settle and make improvements thereon until about the fall of
the year 1793 when he was attacked at his plantation, on said tract of
land by a party of Indians and together with his family unhumanly
massacred, and his house laid in ashes with its contents.
"Your Orators further state that by the burning of said house the above
named deed of conveyance from Thomas Hutchings to said Alexander for said
tract of land was consumed and destroyed, and that said deed of
conveyance was never registered in any register's office within this
Stae, so that a copy thereof might be procured to evidence the title
conveyed by Thomas Hutchigs to said Alexander, neither is there any
record or written documents to show the existence of said deed, except
that it appears by the records of the Court of Pleas, etc., for Hawkins
Conty that said Thomas Hutchings did acknowledge in open Court a deed of
conveyance from him to said Alexander Cavitt. But your Orators do
expressly state that there are divers persons now living whose tertimony
will establish the existence of said deed, the Identity of the land
conveyed and the quantity.
"It is further represented to your honors, that at the time said
Alexander Cavitt departed this life, he left behind three brothers, to
wit, Moses, Richard and Michael to whom the real estate and among others
the above described tract of land descended. The said Alexander has died
intestate, and with heirs of his body begotten and that after the said
tract of land had so descended the same by partition and division real
estate made between brothers Moses, Richard, and Michael fell to the lot
and share of said Moses, of which he took quiet and peaceable possession,
and thereon dwelt until he departed this life.
"Your Orators further state that sometime previous to the death of said
Moses Cavett, the said Thomas Hutchings in his lifetime fraudulently
denying his having conveyed said tract of land, instituted his action of
Ejectment brought against said Moses for the recovery of the same. On
the trial of which cause ........etc.......etc........etc.........a
verdict was rendered and Judgment given thereon in favor of said Moses
Cavitt.
"Your Orators further represent to your honors, that since the
determination of said suit, the said Moses Cavitt departed this life
having first made and ordained this last will an testament, and did
therein will order and ordain among other things; that his beloved Wife
Agnes, meaning your Oratrix Agnes, should hold, possess and
enjoy.....etc.....etc......"
I believe that the Judges found for the Cavitts. At any rate, I know
that some years later, the site of the massacre was owned by a Lonas
whose wife was a Cavitt.
This document says that Moses left a Will. I infer you've seen it per
your remark that it did not name his daughters. It would seem from the
1807 petition that one of them died between 1802 and 1807, agreed?
I've noted in prior postings, my interest in Cavitts extends from Mary
Cavitt Armstrong and her nine siblings back through their father Richard
and their unknown mother, and through grandfparents Richard and Catherine
Whitley who appear to have come from Ireland to Pennsylvania c1750.
Agnes' maiden name is new to me and so are some of the dates you gave.
My facts are skimpy and hard to defend, hence I'm interested in any
additional facts and their souces which you may have concerning this
branch.
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