Marshall v. Smedley

Plaintiffs sue to recover of defendants and of their vendees a tract of land consisting of 200 acres, located in the parish of Union in this state.

The ownership of this property is claimed by plaintiffs as the sole legitimate heirs of Jim Morris and of Cynthia Garr, deceased, who 'are alleged to have married as slaves during the late Civil War.

Defendants, who are the children of Jim Morris and of Frances Beth or Betz, deny the validity of the slave marriage relied upon by plaintiffs, and aver that they are the - only and- lawful heirs of their father and mother, by virtue of a formal marriage…