The certificate of a notary public in or on the notary's protest, that such notary public has given the parties to negotiable paper notice of the dishonor, is prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the certificate; and, in like manner, entries in such notary public's books to the same effect are prima facie evidence, in case of the notary's death, of the facts therein stated.
Code 1858, § 3787 (deriv. Acts 1819, ch. 49, § 2; 1820, ch. 25, § 4; 1835-1836, ch. 11, § 5); Shan., § 5568; Code 1932, § 9739; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 24-505.