Martin, a free person of color

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records.

No. 7 Greene Superior Court                                     March Term 1858.

The State vs. Martin (a free person of color)
Assault with intent to commit a rape

State of Georgia, Greene County.
The grand jurors sworn chosen and selected for the county of Greene to wit: the undersigned by presentment in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia charge and accuse Martin a free negro in the employment of James B. Hart of said county with the offence of an assault with intent to commit a rape. For that the said Martin in the county aforesaid on the thirteenth day of January in the year eighteen hundred and fifty eight with force and arms in and upon one Jane Simpson, a female free white person of said county in the peace of God and said state then and there being did make and assault with intent then and there her the said Jane Simpson forcibly and against her will feloniously to ravish and carnally to know – contrary to the laws of said state the good order peace and dignity thereof Greene Superior Court March term 1858.
                                                                                                    Rowan H. Ward, Foreman

James T. Findley, David Leslie, Thomas Miller, Charles A. Davis, William Armour, Greene Moore, Benjamin E. Spencer, Roswell Hurlbert, James A. Thornton, William Tuggle Jun., Thomas Crawford, Samuel D. Durham, John Colclough, Benjamin F. Carlton, Archibald H. Perkins, Benjamin C. Alfriend, Thomas H. Smith, Joseph R. Parker, Jefferson F. Wright and Moses F. Foster.

Witness Jane Simpson Thornton (a Slave).

The Defendant before arraignment waives a copy of indictment and list of witnesses and agrees to go to trial upon the presentment. March adjourned Term 1858.
                                                                                                    Francis H. Cone
                                                                                                    Defendants Attorney

Proceedings of Greene Superior Court.

The defendant formally arraigned and pleads not Guilty. March Adj’d term 1858.
                                                                                                    William A. Lofton, Sol. Genl.

We the Jury find the Prisoner not guilty.
William Rowland Forman

State of Georgia, Greene County.
To all and singular the Sheriffs Constables and Coroners of this State.

Whereas at March Term 1858 the Grand Jury of said county did find a Special Presentment for the offence of assault with intent to Commit a Rape against Martin, a free person of color of said county. 

These are therefore to command you to arrest the said Martin and bring him before me that he may be dealt with as the law directs. Given under my hand and seal this March 11th, 1858.

William A. Lofton, Sol. General                                                Robert V. Hardeman   L.S.
                                                                                                    Judge Superior Court

Recorded the 29th of June 1858.

                                                                                                   Daniel B. Sanford (for)
                                                                                                   Vincent Sanford, Clerk, S.C.

March Term 1858 is continued in Book H. H. 

Martin was the property of Reuben Bennett.

Reference

• Court proceedings of Martin and Thornton, Greene County, Georgia, Special Proceedings Records 1856–1860; Greene, Georgia, United States records, Aug 5, 2018, images, FamilySearch.org.