Sunday, November 26, 2017

Friend of Friends, Chancery Case, Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1812, Morris vs Seeds

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

As found at the Library of Virginia website, Chancery Cases, Case 1812-015.  Slave names highlighted in red.  For copies of your own that are less pixelated, download from the Library of Virginia, they will be much better.  


To the Worshipfull Court of Isle of Wight in Chancery sitting, humbly complaining ???? unto the court your orator and oratrix - Everett Morris and Peggy Morris infant children of Hezekiah Morris decd, Suing by Matthew Edwards - - their next friend, that their said father died in the said county about the day of 1809. intestate - - and leaving a widow who has since intermarried with and is now the wife of William Seeds and your complainants. That at the time of his death the said Hezekiah, was seized of three forths of a track of land in the said county which contains about two hundred acres, and in possession of the whole tract, the other one forth of which was vested in the brother of said Hezekiah - - John. That John by his will, bearing the date the day of 18 devised his said share of the said land to your complainant Everitt Morris - - That the said intestate left also three slaves - - namely - - Sam, Demps & Dick of his own proper estate. That the said widow & Seeds her present husband, is entitled to one third part of the said two thirds of the said tract of land and one third of the said slaves for and during her natural life, in right of her dower, your complainant Everitt to one forth part of the


The said tract of land; being the under??? proportions Of his (brother - word crossed out) uncle John, Devised to him aforsaid, and the said Everitt & Peggy, to the residue of the said lands subject to the widows dower as aforesaid and to the said slaves, equally between them, subject however to the said widows dower therein, as aforesaid.- - Your complainants being of under years and in want of their respective shares of the land and slaves aforesaid, have applied repeatedly to the said Seeds and wife & who are possessed of the whole estate of land and slaves aforesaid, for a fair and just division of the same in manner and form aforesaid. But the said Seeds and wife; not regarding the justice of the case refuse to comply with your complainants very reasonable request. In tender consideration whereof and forasmuch as your complainants are without remedy only in this court of equity, to the end therefore they pray that the said Seeds and wife be made defendants to this bill, and time answer make to the same. That the court will decree and order a division of the land and Slaves aforesaid in the manner aforesaid, and appoint fit persons as commissioners and direct the surveyor of the county to accompany them to cary the decree into


full effects - - Lastly - - your complainants pray that any other of further Order or decree may be entered in and concerning the premises as may promote justice - - may it please ??


The answer of William Seeds & his wife to the foregoing bill in equity - - These respondents refused their consent to a division as prayed for, not with a view to injure or defraud the complainants; but simply on account of their infancy. They will submit most chearfully to such decree as this court shall consider necessary and proper.


There are other Chancery cases involving William Seeds.  If they mention slave names, I will post them as they are transcribed.

Good luck in your research.




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