One broadside legal document for the recapture of an enslaved woman in Memphis, Tennessee. The writ of replevin and penal bond is by Sarah A. Hawthorn, by her next friend John Hawthorn. Next friend is a legal term for someone who appears in court in place of one who is not considered competent to do so. In this case, Sarah's husband John appeared on her behalf as Sarah, being a married woman, could not bring actions in Tennessee. The writ of replevin is filed against George W. Fisher who the Hawthorns claim was illegally holding an enslaved woman named Mary An. The writ also states that if the Hawthorns are found to be unlawful in their re-capture of Mary Ann they would pay a penal bond of $1,600.

Collection consists of six British legal instruments, on vellum used by R.A. Haney when teaching law courses. Includes:

• 1. Richard Knight and Elizabeth Collyer to John Hilde, assignment of lease of land, July 20, 1738;
• 2. John Ball and Elizabeth Ball to John Hyde, partitioning of land, Dec. 23, 1754;
  3. John Ball and wife to John Hyde, assignment of land, Mar 14, 1757;
  4. George Elwes and John Elwes to Mr. George Lockett, reassignment of land, Apr 28, 1801;
  5. Benjamin Wall and Joseph Malden, lease, May 31, 1852;
  6. George Lockett to George Winter, reassignment of land, July 3, 1862 and George Winter to John Wright reassignment of land and John Wright to John Hyde reassignment of land.

Accrual consists of material relating to the activities of the Waterloo law firm Haney, Haney, Kendall & Melville under various former names (including MacGachen & Colquhoun, and Colquhoun & McBride), as well as material relating to the family history of some of the firm's members.

Includes mostly deeds of land, mortgages, declarations, and correspondence; a will, a marriage contract, a birth registration, an insurance policy, a grant of burial lot, and other documents are also present. Accrual also contains two auction sale posters. Most of the documents were created in the local area, and some were created in England and Scotland.

Several files contain deeds and mortgages for Lot 9 and part of Lot 10 in the village of St. Jacobs, showing transfer in ownership from Levi Cress to Christian Henrich in 1884, through several other parties, to John L. Horst and his wife Selina Horst in 1953. Several files also contain material relating to a Fred Kempf and his property in Elmira. Some of the documents seem to have been retained for their relation to personal or family business of members of the firm.

Material by and about Emily Murphy, particularly relating to the "persons" case, her work as a police magistrate, material relating to a biography of her by Byrne Hope Sanders, as well as biographical material assembled after her death. Includes correspondence, clippings, photographs, notebooks and petitions.

Collection consists of F.W. Wegenast's material relating to the trial of Dorothea Palmer. It contains correspondence, manuscripts, typescripts of court examinations, arguments used in court, research materials, documents, printed and published items, and clippings relating to the case Rex vs. Palmer.

Fonds consists of materials created and accumulate by Dana Porter during his personal and professional career, as well as materials collected posthumously and created and accumulated by his wife and children. Includes photographs, correspondence, research notes, essays and other writings, ephemera, scrapbooks and clippings.