Bill of Damages, 4 June 1839

Bill of Damages against the state of & Account of the sufferings & losses sustained therein.

March <​16.th​> 1838 I with my Family arrived in Caldwell County after a Journey of one thousand miles being 8 weeks on my Journey enduring great affliction in consequence of persecution &c and expending about two <​or 3​> hundred dollars. Soon after my arrival at that place I was informed that a number of men living in (on the Grindstone Forks) had offered the sum of one thousand dollars for my scalp persons to whom I was an entire strange[r] & of whom I had no knowledge of the In order to attain their end the roads were frequently way laid for &c at one time in particular when watering my horse in I distinctly heard 3 or 4 Guns snaps at me! was credible informed also that of the Fifth Judicia[l] Circuit gave encouragement to individuals to carry into effect their diabolical designs and has frequently stated that I ought to be beheaded on account of my Religion: In consequence of such expressions from and others in authority my enemies endeavoured to take every advantage of me and heaping abuses getting up vexatious law suits and stirring up the minds of the people against me and the people with whom I was connected altho we had done nothing to deserve such treatment but were busely [busily] engagd in our several avocations & desireous to live on peaceable & Friendly terms with all men. In consequence of such threats and abuse which was I was continually subject to my Family were Kept in continuall state of alarm not knowing [p. [1]]