April 18, 1857 - Lawsuit - Phoebe LAWS, wife of Cornelius CRANK and Elizabeth MASON, wife of Robert MASON, stated they were the children of old Thomas LAWS and Mashack LAWS was a brother to old Thomas LAWS and that William LAWS was their brother. In their lawsuit, they pointed out that old Thomas was abt. 80 years of age and recently had been struck down with palsy. It seems old Thomas was the owner of a tract of land containing abt. 300-400 acres lying on the waters of Creasy Creek. The supposed value of said land, according to the petitioners, was bet. $1200 - $1500.

For a few years, brother William LAWS, Mashack and Thomas had lived on the property but not in the same house. Cornelius CRANK stated that he felt that old Thomas was not competent to do his own business. They said they felt William and Mashack LAWS fraudulently procured a deed to be made to Samuel LOCK, their co-defendant, in order to sell old Thomas's land. Their case was that any monies received from be squandered by Mashack and William LAWS and that old Thomas would later not have any one or any money to care for himself.

Basically ol' Thomas countered stated he knew exactly what he was doing. he stated he had sold his land to Samuel LOCK for $1025 and had always promised Samuel if he ever took a notion to sell , it would be to him. Further, he stated he had a right to dispose of his property in whatever way he saw fit. And further stated that "it would be hard if Cornelius CRANK - who never knew how to make anything - and if he did, could not keep it"!! Further, "that if only Cornelius CRANK would pay his debts and especially what he owed to Thomas, he would be attending to his business a great deal better and the whole family would be better off. And "if I had to depend upon CRANK, I knew that I would soon become a public charge.! !"

1865 Records of Circuit Court, Knox County, KY. See Box 155 August 13, 1865) and Order Book L, page 280 (1871); lawsuit of Cornelious Crank against other children of James Crank and their successors.

    

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