Mecklenburg County
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Mecklenburg County, Virginia, Will Book #8, page 8
In the name of God
Amen I Samson Powers of the County of Mecklenburg being of a perfect mind and
memory thanks be to God for it and knowing that it is appointed of God for man
once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and
form following. Viz.
First of all my will and desire is that all my just
debts be truly paid.
Item I lend unto my well beloved wife Sarah Powers
my whole estate in land, Negroes, money and bonds and with all the other
property of every kind during her natural life or widowhood.
Item on
condition that my son Samuel Powers pays unto my two daughters Sally Curtis and
Patsey Jackson five pounds in pure Virginia currency then at the death or
marriage of my wife Sarah Powers I give to him the said Samuel Powers, the
residue of my land on which I now live, together with an equal share (with my
other three children) of every other part of my whole estate.
Item my
will and desire is at the death or marriage of my wife Sarah Powers or as soon
after as my executors hereafter named shall think proper that they proceed and
have all my Negroes placed into four lots and then drawn for by my legatees and
those of my heirs that shall draw that lot which is best or most naturable?
shall pay to the others to make them equal and then my will and desire is that
all my other property of every description whatsoever be sold and all the money
arising therefrom be equally divided between my four children namely William
Powers, Patsey Jackson, Sally Curtis and Samuel Powers to them or their heirs
forever (Betsey Fagerson daughter of Flemming Jackson, deceased excluded for it
is my will that she the said Betsey Fagerson should not heir anything of my
estate forever).
Item my will is that my son William Powers shall have in
the division of my estate twenty five pounds Virginia money less than my other
children, by reason of property he has already received.
Lastly I
appoint my wife Sarah Powers, executrix and Zachariah Curtis and Cavil Jackson,
executors of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 25th day of February in the year
of our lord 1813.
Samson Powers.
Signed and sealed in presence
of:
Sanford Bowers,
Peter T. Fargeson.
At a Court held for
Mecklenburg County the 18th day of October 1813.
This will was proved by the
oaths of Sanford Bowers and Peter T. Furgeson a witness there to and ordered to
be recorded. And on the motion of Cavil Jackson and Zachariah Curtis two of the
executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with William Powers
and Samuel Powers their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in
penalty of fifteen thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs. Certificate
is granted them for obtaining a probate of the said will in due form. Liberty
being reserved to the executrix therein named to join in probate when she shall
think fit.
Teste. William Baskervill, Cl. Cur.
Mecklenburg County,
Virginia Will Book #8, page 70
On October 19, 1813 an inventory and value
of the property belonging to the estate of Samson Powers was recorded by John
Hutcheson - SJ, Pennington Lett, Thomas Ryland, Zachariah Curtis and Cavil
Jackson. Their report was entered into Court on August 15, 1814.
Samson's estate was valued at £826-10-1/4. It included six Negroes namely Bob
(£100-0-0), Tell (£140-0-0), Hannah (£100-0-0), Cary (£100-0-0), Sucky (£45-0-0)
and Mary (£40-0-0). Samson also possessed a black horse named Toin (£18-0-0),
two mares, numerous cattle, hogs, sheep, some pewter and earthen ware, a man and
a womans saddle, three spinning wheels, three dutch ovens, a loom, numerous
bushels of wheat, oats, fodder, a small looking glass, a pine chest, 600 pounds
of seed cotton, a folding walnut table, a chest of drawers, five old books, an
arm chair, 45 barrels of corn, 889 pounds of tobacco (£10-13-4 1/4) and many
other plantation, kitchen and household items.
Mecklenburg County,
Virginia Will Book #12, page 539
On October 5, 1831 Zachariah Curtis,
executor of Samson Powers, entered a record of the estate sale he held. The sale
brought a total of $141.57. The following individuals made purchases at the
sale.
Items in parenthesis were those of enough interest to mention
however each individual may have purchased others. Those making purchases were
Dabney Farrer, Zachariah Curtis (a mans saddle, an arm chair), Thomas Seaton,
John Hutcherson, Welsher Simmons, Green Crowder (a chest of drawers, toilet, an
old womans saddle), Robert C. Tucker (a toilet), Green Jackson, James Holmes,
Sherroad G. Colley, Augustin Smith, John Hightower, Robert B. Crews, Jessee
Parrish (15 sitting chairs), Thomas Johnson, Charles C. Philips, William
McCleachy, William Bowers, Alex Steegall, Warner Keeton, Cluverious Coleman,
Pettus Farrer, Cargel Thompson, William H. Taylor, Joseph Talley, William
Quincey, Claiborne Curtis, Daniel Tucker, Robert A. Walker, Wiley Tucker, Daniel
W. McDaniel and Spotsford Thompson (a large sorrel horse).
Mecklenburg
County, Virginia Will Book #13, page 459
On April 17, 1833 Zachariah
Curtis, executor of Samson Powers, submitted an accounts current report to the
Court.
After paying Court costs, Samson's estate settled at $132.09. The
money was divided as follows: Waddy J. Jackson received $8.36 in his own right.
He also received $8.36 each for both Archer and Cavil O. Jackson of whom
he was the legal guardian.
Waddy also paid Samuel F. Jackson, Green
Jackson and William G. Hogan in right of wife Rebecca Jackson Hogan, $8.36 each
as heirs of Martha Jackson, deceased.
Zachariah retained $81.93 in the
right of his wife, Sally Powers Curtis.
As an addendum to the record, on
June 15, 1835 their was a lawsuit filed between Waddy J. Jackson and others
versus Zachariah Curtis but I do not know what became of that action. (This
report was made jointly with the accounts current of Sarah Powers. See her notes
for more details.)
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #12, 1826/1831, page 394
In the
name of God amen I Sarah Powers (widow) of the county of Mecklenburg being of a
perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for it and calling to mind the
mortality of my body and that it is appointed of God that I must die do make and
ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following (Viz.) as it
respects my worldly estate that it has pleased God to bless me with since my
husbands' death I dispose of in the following manner.
Item the parts or
portions of slaves that did belong to my two sons Samuel Powers and William
Powers. according to their father's will, I have bought with my own lawful
earnings.
Item I give and bequeath the one half of the said slaves to my
daughter, Sally Curtis, to her and her heirs forever and the other half I give
and bequeath to be equally divided between my six grandchildren namely Waddy J.
Jackson, Rebecca T. Hogan, Samuel Jackson, Green Jackson, Archer Jackson and
Osborne C. Jackson to them and their heirs forever.
Item I give and
bequeath all my money that shall remain at my decease to Sally Curtis and
William Powers to be equally divided between them
and lastly I appoint
Zachariah Curtis and John Hutcheson, executors to this my last will and
testament in witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this 25th day
of July 1826. Sarah Powers.
Witnesses: Mary Ann Tucker, Zachariah
Bowers, Thomas Johnson.
At a Court held for Mecklenburg County on the
20th day of June 1831.
The foregoing last will and testament of Sarah
Powers, deceased was produced into Court duly proved by the oaths of the
subscribing witnesses and ordered to be recorded and John Hutcheson one of the
executors therein named appeared in Court and refused to take upon him self the
burden of the execution thereof and on motion of Zachariah Curtis the other
executor therein named, who made oath thereto and together with Waddy J.
Jackson, Churchwell Curtis and William Powers his security, entered into and
acknowledged their bond in the penalty of $10,000 conditioned according to law.
Certificate is granted him for obtaining probate of said will in due form.
Edward L. Tabb, C. C.
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #12, page
457
On September 23, 1831 Robert A. Walker, Pennington Lett and Hardiway
Lett recorded an inventory and appraisal for the estate of Sarah Powers,
deceased. It was valued at $1,385.83 and included items such as 22 sheep, 14
hogs, 11 pigs, 10 cows, a yoke of oxen, two horses, two rugs, nine snuff
bottles, six Negroe women and children ($1,050) and many other kitchen,
plantation, household goods and foodstuffs including a 12 gallons of vinegar.
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #12, page 537
On October 5,
1831 Zachariah Curtis, executor of Sarah Powers, entered into Court a record of
the estate sale he held. The sale brought a total of $522.65 1/4. The following
individuals made purchases at the public auction. Items in parenthesis were
those of enough interest to mention however each individual may have purchased
others. Those making purchases were Zachariah Curtis (a colt and filly),
Claiborne Curtis, Green Crowder (ten pounds of soap, twelve gallons of vinegar),
Welsher Simmons, Samuel Tary, Charles C. Philips, James Holmes, Robert A. Walker
(a stone churn), Clevious R. Coleman, Thomas Sexton (ten pounds of soap), Green
Jackson (17 1/2 pounds of soap), Churchwell Curtis, William Farrer, Robert B.
Crews, Thomas Hutcherson, Alfred Vaughan, David Johnson, Salley Cooper, Dabney
Farrer, Augustin Smith, Jessee Parrish, William Quincey, Pettus Farrer, Sherod
G. Colley, Thomas Johnson, Hardiway Lett, Isaac Holmes, William Wells, William
Hunt, Zachariah Shackleford, Peter Stegall, John Hudson, Alfred Vaughan, John
Hightower, George Holmes, Warner Keeton, Wiley Tucker and Cargal Thompson (11
1/2 pounds of bacon). There was also a private sale of items to Robert C. Tucker
(47 pounds of bacon), Zachariah Curtis (23 1/4 pounds of bacon), James Day,
William Powers (10 pounds of soap), Thomas Johnson, Henry Harriss, Waddy J.
Jackson and Daniel Tucker. Also 2,223 pounds of tobacco was sold at market.
Sarah had unusually large amounts of soap, bacon and vinegar. Perhaps they were
used as a source of income.
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #13,
page 459
On April 17, 1833 Zachariah Curtis, executor of Sarah Powers,
submitted an accounts current report to the Court. After paying Court costs and
several debts the remaining money was divided amongst her heirs. Debts were paid
totalling $116.76 1/2 and were to the following people: Augustine Smith, to the
sheriff of Mecklenburg County, Baskervill & Dortch, A. Wright & Co., William O.
Gregory, Claibourn Curtis, Pleasant Vaughan, Robert C. Tucker, C. R. Coleman,
Samuel Sydnor, to the clerk of Mecklenburg County, Zachariah Shackleford,
Woodson V. Johnson, a commission on the estate (likely to Zachariah Curtis), and
also to harvest her crops of tobacco, corn and cotton. The remaining money,
$407.63, was divided as follows: Zachariah Curtis, in right of his wife Sally
Powers Curtis, received $134.21, William Powers received $134.21 and each of the
following received one seventh of the estate totalling $19.17 each, Waddy J.
Jackson, Archer Jackson, Cavil O. Jackson (Waddy being Archer and Cavil's
guardian), Samuel Jackson, Green Jackson, William G. Hogan in right of wife
Rebecca Jackson Hogan with the final seventh being divided between Fleming, John
and Elizabeth Furgerson (John and Elizabeth's guardian being Peter T.
Furgerson.) Zachariah Curtis was also given $5 to pay for the document to be
recorded into Court and was witnessed by Woodson T. Johnson, Robert F.
Bridgforth and Isaac Holmes.
Contributed 2000 by Kevin Lett
Mecklenburg County VAGenWeb Copyright
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