Found a folder in the Rutherford County Tennessee Chancery Court Records which contains the documents for a case involving Thomas A Elliott vs. R. M. Williams et al which took place in 1867.
Using the summarize tool at FamilySearch in the document information I was able to understand what was happening. I did have to make some corrections were the summary was incorrect but for the most part it stayed on track with a few name transcription errors. I combined the persons it had duplicated and edited the summary.
Summary:
In July 1867, Thos A. Elliott of Rutherford County filed a complaint in Chancery Court against R. M. Williams, for whom he had signed a draft due in 90 days and payable to R. D. Reed. Elliott accuses Williams of leaving Tennessee to avoid his debts and concealing himself, making it difficult for legal actions to be served. The complaint seeks to have Williams’s property in Rutherford County used to settle the debt, noting some of it is already mortgaged. The case is presided over by Hon. John P. Steele
In 1867 W. C. Cook and R. D. Reed were summoned by the Chancery Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, to answer a legal matter initiated by Thos. A. Elliott against R. M. Williams and others. The summons required their appearance at the Murfreesboro courthouse on the fourth Monday in October to respond to the court's proceedings. James M. Tompkins acted as Clerk and Master when he issued this order on the fourth Monday in April 1867.
403 Thos. A. Elliott vs subpoena to answer copy of Bill R. M. Williams et al Issued July 29th 1867 came to hand same day issued executed by summoning R. D. Reed & W. C. Cook leaving a copy of bill with W. C. Cook July 29th 1867 , R. M Williams not to be found in my County October the 24th 1867 Jas . F Fletcher Jr. Deputy Sheriff
In the circa 1867 chancery case, Thomas A. Elliot vs R. M. Williams and others, including M. Parnell (represented by M. William), were involved in a legal dispute resulting in the bill being dismissed. The court allowed additional time for R. M. Williams and other defendants to respond to the bill in order to prevent any delay in proceedings. Ultimately, the complaint was dismissed and execution was ordered according to legal standards. What about the Elliot heirs...
The first document mentions a land transaction involving forty acres in Rutherford County, Tennessee, along the West Fork of Stones River, including the site of James Elliott's mill and cotton gin. The property was conveyed in 1867 by George Thompson, Silas Tucker, and John Elliott, who served as executors of James Elliott's estate. James Elliott passed away on January 25, 1837, and the land was transferred as part of the settlement of his estate. An Adaline Elliot and others are mentioned. I'm not sure how she connects. I think she was a Ledbetter before her marriage and if her death certificate is to be believed her mother was a Wilson or Williams.
The summarize tool was helpful but I still have lots of questions and need to research all the involved parties. Finding or not finding connections will help me to decide if this is my Wm Clifford Cook mentioned in this document or not. I'm trying to identify the R.D. Read and R. M. Williams listed within these documents. There are Read/Read and Williams folks in the group of friends, and associates. Is there a connection? I don't know yet.
Source:Rutherford Co TN Chancery Court Records, Thos. A Elliot vs R. M Williams et al(c. 1867); images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-J36T-Q6R4 : accessed 2 March 2026), IGN 8742982, Image 2980-2989 of 3155.
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