Transcribed by Parker Roth, Sewanee—The University of the South
“The United States
To John Langley, Dr.
For property lost in the old Nation, in ‘Look out valley’ in Georgia — 1835 or 6—Emigrated in Jack Bell’s Detachment in 1838 to wit.
1 Black Horse $90—
Statement of the claimant examined on Oath, states as follows;
I am part Cherokee — and now reside about one mile from John Benges—I lost my horse at ‘Look out Valley’ in Georgia, he was taken near the house, he was turned out with some other horses at night, and the next morning my horse was missing, I have no positive proof here to establish my claim in this country—that he was taking by white people—
and there was also a Bell taking off the work steers the same night, the Bell was seen afterward in the possession of a white man—by another white man by the name of who told us the horse was also seen in the white settlement twice by Alfred Poor who [k]new the horse, & had seen him, in my possession frequently—he is all the person that ever saw the horse after I lost him—I never recovered my horse any more, this was about two or three years before we started
to this country
Sworn & Subscribed to before me this 10 March 1842
James M. Payne
S[pecial C[lerk] on C[laims]
for Skin Bayou District John X Langley
‘Hunter Langley’ Testimony Examined on Oath, States as follows:
I am the father of the Claimant and he lived with me & knew the horse lost—we had turned our horses out at night, and then next morning the horse was missing, and the other horses he was turned out with, were all up the next morning. I did not go that day to look for him, still ex-
pecting he would come up, at length when he did not come, I then thought he must be taken and went to look, and while I was on hunt of him a white man told me, he had seen Him, at Crow town about eighteen miles from my Place—I went to Crow town and they showed me a horse, that was somewhat like the horse I was on the hunt of—the same night the horse was taken, the bell was taken off the work steer were in 90 yards of the house that night, when the bell was taken — a man by the name of Carroll told me he had seen my bell in possession of a white man
and a man by the name of Alfred Poor, said that he had seen the horse more than once being in the possession of whitemen had seen the horse hitched at court house in Sequoche, where there was no body but white people — I suppose the whites took the horse
Sworn & Subscribed to before me this 10th March 1842
James M. Payne
Special Clerk on Claims
for Skin Bayou District Hunter X Langley
No 210
John Langley
Emigrated 1838
Loss—1835
Claim $90”