Ames Paton & wife etc. Vs Exr of John C. Green etc court documents

Much information about distant families can be found in court records. The descendants of Benjamin Guinn of Culpeper County are explained in great detail in a court case filed in 1872 in the Culpeper County, Virginia, Chancery Court.

The images of the 147 documents in this file can be found online at the University of Virginia http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=047-1873-014

The children of Mary Guinn Eldridge sued the executors of the executor of her dead brother's estate. Her brother, John Guinn, had held moneys in trust for her (the funds came from their father's estate) and after John died, his executor continued to pay the interest on those funds. However, the payments stopped and her children wanted the interest and principal. The case was complicated by the death of John's executor and the Civil War. One document in the file from the executor's executors claims no interest should be earned during the War because they were in the Confederacy and Mary Eldridge was in Union territory (Kentucky).

Children and Descendants of Peyton R. and Mary (Guinn) Eldridge

Depositions were taken of three men in Bourbon County, Kentucky, who knew the Eldridge family. Depositions were also taken in Clark County, Missouri of John L. Clay, husband of deceased daughter Patsy (Eldridge) Clay. The papers in the court file contain much information about the family of John Guinn and his and Mary Guinn Eldridge's parents, Benjamin and Sarah Guinn.'

Peyton R. Eldridge died in North Middleton, KY in the fall of 1846.

Mary (Guinn) Eldridge died about 1870.

Their children:

1) Patsy Eldridge married John L. Clay and moved first to Boone County, KY then to Missouri. They had the following children living at the time of the final judgement in the court case.

• a) George Clay.
• b) May/Mary P. Clay married Benjamin Kelll. She died on or about 1861, leaving children:
  • 1) Franklin Kell
  • 2) Sarah M. Kell,
  • 3) George Kell
  • 4) Marietta Kell.
• c) Alexander P. Clay
• d) Martha J. Clay married ? Hunslow
• e) Samuel P. Clay
• f) Elizabeth W. Clay married Hiram Decker
• g) Henry Clay died on or about the year 1852
• h) Henrietta Clay married William F. Kell

2) John Eldridge, died unmarried in 1827 when his sister Sally died, about two weeks after his sister Polly.

3) Sally Eldridge, died unmarried in 1827 when her brother John died, about two weeks after sister Polly.

4) Polly Eldridge, married James Cochrane, died 1827 without issue.

5) Euphemia Eldridge, married 1) Wm. Schooled and had one child; 2) Thos. J. Chestnut. She received money in the case.

6) Benjamin Eldridge died unmarried

7) Joshua Eldridge who ran off to fight in the army of Texas during its war of independence from Mexico and was not heard of after the Battle of San Jacinto.

8) Betsy/Elizabeth Eldridge married James Paton, who supported Mary Eldridge when she lived with them, and who filed the case to obtain the funds remaining in a trust Peyton Eldridge had established with Mary's brother, John Guinn, with funds from the estates of Mary's father Benjamin Guinn and her brother Joshua Guinn.

Family of John Guinn

The family is listed in the complaint.

1) Benjamin Guinn who died in 1861 leaving two children: Lucy and Florence, who were under 21 at the time the complaint was filed.

2) Martha Guinn who married George E. Marshall

3) Mary E. Guinn who married Moore Crump (actually Reuben Moore Crump)

4) Cornelia H. Guinn who married Peter J. Norris

5) Sarah Jane Guinn who married John Lamon, both died leaving one child, John G. Lamon

6) Susan A. Guinn, who married John Inskip and died in 1868 intestate without issue.

Complaint Filed in Culpeper County, Virginia Circuit Court

To the Hon. Henry Shackelford Judge of Circuit Court of Culpeper County Humbly complaining herto unto your Honor your orators James Paton & Elizabeth S his wife, George Clay, Martha Hunslow, Alxander Clay, Hiram Decker and Elizabeth his wife, Wm. F. Kell & Henrietta his wife, Saml Clay, T.J. Chestnut & Effie his wife, Franklin Kell, George Kell & Marietta Kell& Sarah M. Kell (the last four of whom are infants under the age of 21 years who are by Benjamin Kell their next friend & guardian) who are the heirs at law of the late Mary Eldridge, who was Mary Guinn, that Benjamin Guinn departed this life sometime between the years 1825 & 1834 having first made his last will and testament which was duly proved, admitted to probate in the clerk's office of the county court of Culpeper. The records of said court having lost many of these during the late war an office copy of said will cannot to be procured, but a copy in the possession of your orators is herewith filed marked "Exhibit A" charged to be made part of this bill. By reference to which it will be observed that the said testator & father of the said Mary, or "Polly" Eldridge requested that his estate should remain intact & undevised during the term of natural life of his wife Sarah Guinn, that at her death he wills & bequeaths specific legacies to his heirs & devises which in the sith section of said will he wills & bequeaths to his son John Guinn in trust for said Polly, or Mary, Eldridge the sum of $300.00 to be received by him, the said John, out of the estate on the death of said Sarah Guinn & applied to the support of the said Mary or "Polly" Eldridge as from time to time necessities might require & at her death the residue if any to be equally divided among her living children, that seventhly he desires that at the death of the said Sarah Guinn all his estate both land & personal of which kind ? not before specially willed or discharged of, be sold & the money arising fromm the sale thereof be equally divided among his five children or their legal representatives, &c. that the said Sarah Guin died in 1842, that John Guinn the son of said Benj. Guinn qualified as executor of his fathers estate.

Your orators further represent that on the 15th of October 1842 by deed of indenture between P.R. Eldridge, husband of said Mary Eldridge, John Guinn & the said Mary Eldridge & her children, the said P.R. Eldridge, in consideration of natural love & affection & other considerations therein specified, granted &c. to the said John Guinn all the estate rights, title * interest of every kind whatsoever, while he the said Peyton R. Eldridge had in right of his wife Mary (who was a daughter & residuary legatee of the late Benj. Guinn) in the estate of said Benjamin Guinn. To have & to hold the same unto him the said John Guin upon trust for the following uses & purposes, to wit "that the said John Guinn who is the executor of said Benjamin Guinn shall retain in his hands whatever part of the estate of said Benjamin Guinn is bequeathed to the said Mary Eldridge (except that part bequeathed to the said Joh Guinn for the separate use of said Mary, the objective of which is not intended in any way to be affected by this conveyance) and to dispose of the same as follows, that $100.00 should be paid to him the said P.R. Eldridge upon the execution of this deed & at the expiration of one year $100.00 to be paid, until he had received one-sixth of the funds conveyed by him to the said John Guinn, the residue of said fund to be held by said John Guinn, trustee as aforesaid to lend out the same in good & sufficient real security & to pay the interest thereof annually to said Mary Eldridge during the term of her natural life for her maintenance to her soul & separate use & at her death to divide the principal equally among the children of said Mary Eldridge who shall be living & the descendants of those who shall be dead. The descendants of such as might be dead to take the share their deceased ancestor would have taken had he or she been living & if the said Peyton R. Eldridge died before receiving the sixth part of said fund the said John Guinn then shall hold whatever remains upon the same instrs (instructions). as therein before created, said deed of trust is herewith filed marked "B" as part of this bill. Your orators further show unto your Honor that in a letter from said John Guinn trustee as aforesaid of Dec 4 1848 to his sister the said Mary Eldridge he sends a statement in his own hand on by his authority in which he reports the balance due on 16 Sept 1845 of the trust fund to be $2386.52 subject to a credit it of $200 pd. P.R. Eldridge and $102.95 amount paid balance of legacy showing a balance due wi from 16 Sept 1845 of $2083.57, as the amount of the trust fund in his hands under the said aforementioned deed. Said letter is herewith filed marked "C" & prayed to be made a part of this bill.

That on Jan'ry 5th 1850 the said John Guinn again writes to the said Mary Eldridge showing that ther was a mistake of $100.00 in former statement, which ? he had sent to Elizabeth Paton on 15th April 1845, and deducts said $100.00 from the original statement leaving $1983.56 with interest from Sept 15 1847 as the amount of trust fund instead of $2083.56 as before stated. Said last mentioned letter is also filed as Exhibit "D" & asked to be made a part of this bill. Your orators say that the interest on said fund in the hands of John Guinn trustee was annually, by him, paid to the said Mary Eldridge up to 1852 the time of his death, according to the provision of the trust deed of 1842. That the said John Guinn departed this life sometime during the year 1852 & that John C. Green qualified as his adm'r in the county of Culpeper at the term of said county court. A copy of said order is herewith filed marked "E" as part of this bill, that the said J.C. Green ad'r as aforesaid continued to pay the interest on said fund up to the year 1859 (Sept 16th) Letters of J.C. Green are herewith filed marked respectively F, G, H, J, & K" & prayed to made part of this bill, that at a county court of Culpeper a decree was made in the suit of Geo. E. Marshall & wife vs. Mary Guinn & als. referring it to Wm. H. Ward, James Collins, Wm. P. Huit E R Gains & Saul A. David Commsrs to divide the lands & slaves of John Guinn dec'd, that in Nov 20 183 they submitted their report , said report was on the 15th day of Jan'y 1854 by the county court ordered to be ? A copy of said report is herewith filed marked "L" as part of this bill. By reference to which it may be seen that a large & very valuable personal estate had come into the hands of the said J.C. Green, the personal representative of said John Guinn dec'd far exceeding the amount of the trust fund on the payments of which the said estate would have been first charged were if the letters of J.C. Green to Mary Eldridge above referred to did not acknowledge the custody of said funds.

Your orators further show that J.C. Green ad'r & trustee as aforesaid departed this life in the (blank) day of June 1860 having first mad his last will & testament which he appointed J.G. Green & Geo. Morton his exe'rs, that J.W. Green ex'er as aforesaid has made but one payment one years interest of $119.00 since the death of of his testator, to wit for the year ending Sept. 16th 1869 that there is now due & owing a large arrearage of interest ten years' interest on $1983.56. Your orators think that as said interest was to have been paid annually, to wit on the 16th day of Sept of every year, that said deferred payments should bear interst from date in which they became due & payable and that annual interest ought to be made in charging amounts earning interest.

The said Mary Eldridge has departed this life & according to the provisions of said trust deed of Oct 15 1842 both principal & interest should be divided among your orators, who as the heirs of Mary Eldridge are entitled to them. Statement of accounts of John Guinn's estate to Mary Eldridge are herewith filed marked M & N & prayed to be taken as part of this bill.

Complainants further show that John Guinn died intestate leaving the following children & heirs towit: Benjamin Guinn who died in 1861 leaving two children Lucy & Florence who are infants under 21 years of age Martha Guinn who married Geo. C. Marshall, Mary C. Guinn who married Moore Crump, Cornelia H. Guinn who married Peter J. Norris, Sarah Jane who married John Lamon both dead leaving one child John G. Lamon, Susan A. Guinn who married John Inskeep & died in 1868 intestate without issue.

Your complainants further show that te several tracts of land referred to in exhibit L as having been divided among the heirs of the said John Guinn dec'd is still in their possession una? & liable for the debts of their deced'nt. Your orator James Paton further represents that he supported Mrs. May Eldridge for many years prior to her death, that her whole estate consisted of the fund conveyed her as aforesaid and that she was unable to pay him anything for such support during the years that said Mary Eldridge ? by the laudable desire to repay the said Paton her son in law as far as possible for said support on the 6th day of October 1868 drew an order on James W Green executor of John C Green who was exr. of John Guinn in favor of the said Jas Paton for all the amounts of interest due her & said funds and your orator claims Paton by notice of said order and by reason of the said indenture? claims the full amount of that portion of the fund due the said Mary Eldridge dec'd.

To the end there for that justice may be done on the promises and inasmuch as your complainants are ??in your honor's court of Chancery, they pray that the said James W. Green and Geo. Morton, executors of J.C. Green dec'd, Benj. Pulliam sheriff of Culpeper County committee administrator &c ??of John Guinn dec'd George E. Marshall and Martha F. his wife, R.M. Crup and Mary E. his wife, Peter J. Norris and Cornelia H. his wife, John G. Lamon, Susan Guinn widow of Benj. R. Guinn dec'd all of whom are adults and Poly Guinn adn Florence Guinn the last two of whom are infants under 21 years of age may be made parties defendants to this said cause and be required as to the said adults under oat and as to said infants through their guardians ad litem to answer all the allegations contained in this bill as truthfully specifically and particularly as if specially interrogated thereunto, that an account be taken of the amount paid trust fund and said special devise to Mrs. Mary Eldridge and what disposition has been made of the same and in whose hands said funds now remain that said defendants be required to discover and disclose fully and particularly what estate real and personal belonging unto the estate of John Guinn dec'd and of J.C. Green dec'd came into their hands & what disposition that has been made of the same, that the estates of said John Guinn trustee as aforesaid and the estate of the said J C Green dec'd be subjected to the payment of the debts due your complainants as aforesaid and that such others and further relief be given hereunto your complainants as seems most meet and equitable in the promises and to this end may the Commonwealth's most gracious writ of summary issue and your complainants will ever pray &c

Barbour & Grumley Gibson & Alcoke Solicitors for Complainants

Will of Benjamin Guinn, Culpeper County, Virginia

In the name of God amen, I, Benjamin of the County of Culpeper and State of Virginia being weak in body and infirm from old age but of perfect mind and disposing memory, calling in mind the uncertaintly of life, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following to wit

First, It is my will and desire that ll my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid out of my estate, and that all the residue of my estate be kept together, and the profits thereof be enjoyed, and used by my beloved wife Sarah Guinn during her natural life as she may think proper to direct.

Secondly, I will and bequeath the tract of land on which I live consisting of the tract purchased of Garntt, a lot purchased of Nimrod Long and a small tract purchased of Marshall Petty in all containing about one hundred and eighty eight acres, two hundred acres of my flat ground, tract of land purchased of Josef Rossen and an equal part of my personal estate to Josua Guinn after the death of my said wife, Sarah Guinn, during his natural life, but if my said son Joshua shall marry and have lawful issue then and in that case it is my will and desire that all the above estate willed to him during life shall descend to such issue and their heirs and assigns forever.

Thirdly, I will and bequeath to my son Abiah Guinn after the death of my said wife the fields lying on the main road near Larkin Rosson, which I purchased of John scott containing about one hundred and eighteen acres and one hundred acres of land in the flat grounds, adjoining his land on the said flat ground to him and heirs forever. Fourthly, I will and bequeath to my son John Guinn one negro girl Milly, which he has had in possession several years and her increase forever and six hundred dollars to be paid him after the death of my said whife to him and his heirs forever.

Fifthly, I will and bequeath to my daughter Hepesba Curtis one negro girl Mary which she has had in possession for several years, and increase forever, and having advanced to my said daughter three hundred and eighty dollars heretofore, it is my wil that she shall receive out of my estate at the death of my said wife four hundred and twenty dollars more.

Sixthly, I will and bequeath to my son John Guinn in trust for my daughter Polly Eldridge three hundred dollars to be received by said John Guinn out of my estate after the death of my said wife, and by him applied to the support of my said daughter Polly from time to time as her necessities may require, and at her death, the residue if any to be divided equally among her living children.

Seventhly, it is my will and desire that at the death of said wife that all my estate both near and personal of what kind soever not herein before specially written or disposed of shall be sold and the money from the sale thereof be equally divided between my five children before named or legal representatives to wit Joshua, Abiah, John, Hepseba and Polly.

Eightly, It is my will and desire that if my son Joshua Guinn should die without lawful issue that all the estate herein before devised to him during life be equally divided between my four remaining children or their legal representatives, their heirs and assigns forever.

Lastly, I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my friend John W. Marshall and my sons Abiah and John Guinn executors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills by me made. In witness where of I have herewith set my hand and seal this 21st day of March 1829. Benjamin Guinn, LS

The foregoing last will and testament of Benjamin Guinn was signed, sealed , published and declared as and for his last will and testament and subscribed by us as witnesses at the request and in the presence of him. Jeremiah Strother James Collins Henderson Guinn John T. Petty Nimrod Brown

Depositions on the Eldridge Family Taken in Bourbon County, Kentucky

State of Kentucky, County of Bourbon, City of Paris circuit Court Clerk’s office, May 22, 1871, Sat. I, J. K. Elliott, a justice of the peace in and on the county of Bourbon State of Kentucky do certify that on the 22nd day of May 1871 between the hours of 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock at the circuit clerk;s office Wm. Allen, Allen Bashford, Sr. and Bill F. Harris, witnesses on behalf of James Paton, Elizabeth Eldridge, in a suit pending in the circuit court for Culpeper county in the State of Virginia wherein Jas. Paton & other plaintiffs & Jane ?? comes before me and the said witness J. Allen having been first duly sworn deposeth to be mdeas evidence in said suit as follows, to written interrogation by plaintiff’s attorney.

Q: What is your age, where do you reside, how long have you so resided?

A: My age is sixty nine years & I now live & have lived all my life in Bourbon County, Kentucky, for the last five or six years & have lived in the city of Paris in said county from about the year 1826 A.D. until the time I moved to Paris I lived in the village of N. Middletown in said ccounty.

Q: Were you acquiainted with Peyton R. Eldridge of said county & state & his wife & family?

A. Yes.

Q. What was the name of Peyton R. Eldridge’s wife

A. I cannot recollect.

Q. Where did Peyton R. Eldridge & family live when you knew them?

A. In Northmiddleton, Bourbon County, Kentucky

Q. Is Peyton R. Eldridge living or dead, if dead, when and where did he die?

A. He is dead; he died in Northmiddleton in Bourbon county, Kentucky more than twenty years ago, I cannot say ? how long since.

Q. Did his wife survive him?

A. Yes.

Q. Is his wife living or dead. If dead, where & when did she die?

A. She is dead; she died in Paris, Bourbon County Kentucky, something less than one year ago.

Q. Did she ever ? ? after the death of said Peyton R. Eldridge?

A. No.

Q. Did she have any children, if so state their names.

A. Yes, she had children. Their names were Patsy, who married John Clay; John Eldridge; Sally Eldridge; Polly Eldridge who married James Cochrain; Euphemia Eldridge who married William Schoolar first, afterwards she married Thos. J. Chestnut) who had one child by Schooled and children by Chestnut & who is still living; also Benjamin Eldridge; Joshua Eldridge; and Betsy or Elizabeth Eldridge, who named James Paton & who is still living. Of these children, Sally, John and Benjamin Eldridge died unmarried and without having issue. Joshua Eldridge never married & was a soldier in the war between Texas & Mexico & has not been heard of since the battle of San Jacinto; Polly, who married Cochran, died without issue.

Q. Did the above named children of Peyton R. Eldridge & wife, whom you have stated died, die before or since Mrs. Eldridge’s death?

A. They died before her death.

Q: Did Patsy Clay move from this state if so, were did she go to?

A. She moved from this State many years ago, as long as thirty years or more and went to Missouri and further dep? Wm. T. Allen Allen Bashford Sr. having been first duly sworn depaosith & saith as follows in answer to the written interrogations of plaintiff’s attorney.

Q. What is your age, where do you reside & how long have you so resided?

A. I am now in my seventieth year , & now reside & have so resided in Bourbon County, Kentucky, ever since the year 1824 A.D.

Q. Were you acquainted with Peyton R. Eldridge of said county & state & his family, if so how long did you know them?

A. I knew them. I became acquainted with them in Northernmiddleton, Bourbon county, Kentucky in the year 1827, when I resided from that time till June 1834.

Q. What was the name of said Eldridge’s wife?

A. Mary, I think.

Q. Are they living or dead, if dead, when did they die?

A. Peyton R. Eldridge died many years before his wife, perhaps 15 years; his wife died in 1870, last year; Wm. S. Eldridge at the time of her decease was living with James S. Paton in the city of Paris, Bourbon county, Kentucky.

Q. Did Eldridge & wife have children, if so give their names.

A. They had children named as follows: Patsy, who married John Clay, John, Polly, Sally A., Euphemia who first married Schooed & afterwards married Chestnut, Joshua, Betsy or Elizabeth who married James Paton; there were two other children who died in infancy just before I became acquainted with the family. Polly married Jas Cochran & they lived in the same house with me & she died without issue. John & Sally both died unmarried and withoutt having issue, within two weeks of the death of Mrs. Cochran in 1827. During the war for the independence of Texas, Joshua went to the Texas army & has not since been heard of.

Q. What became of Patsy Clay?

A. My recollection is that she and her husband moved first to Boone county Kentucky & afterwards to Missouri. I understand from her family that she is now dec’d. She had living children when she left Kentucky & my recollection is that I once saw her & her son George Clay in Kentucky on a visit after she had moved to Missouri.

Q. What became of Euphemia Eldridge & Elizatbeth Paton.

A. They are still living.

Q. When Joshua left this country to go to Texas was he married.

A. No Further saith not Allen Bashford. And the said Ben F. Harris, having been first duly sworn, deposeth & saith as followed in answer to the written interrogations by plaintiff’s attorney.

Q. What is your age, where do you reside & how long have you so resided?

A. My age is sixty one years and I now reside & have so resided in Bourbon County, Kentucky for the last thirty five years, since December 1865 I have lived in the city of Paris in said county & state & all the time that I have lived in said county except the time I have lived in Paris, I resided in Northmiddleton in said county. I was born about 3 or 4 miles from said Northmiddleton just over the line of Bourbon county in the county of Montgomery, Kentucky & lived there until I moved to said Northmiddleton.

Q. While you lived in North Middleton did you hond any state offic, if so during what years.

A. I was a justice of the peace in & for Bouron county & state of Kentucky continuously from the year 1838 up to the year 1853.

Q. Did you know Peyton R. Eldridge & his family, if so when did you become acquainted with them & where did they live?

A. I became acquainted with him and his family somewhere about the year 1830, and they then lived in Northmiddleton, Bourbon county, Kentucky, & so they lived until the death of said Peyton R. Eldridge which occurred in the fall of 1846.

Q. What was his wife’s name, is she living or dead, if dead when did she die?

A. Her name was Mary Eldridge & she died a year or two since.

Q. Did they leave children & if so name them and state what became of them.

A. She had living children when she left Kentucky (Pages missing from digital online archive)

Clark County, Missouri Depositions on the Clay Family

Depositions were taken 15 June 1871 in Clark County Missouri of John L. Clay, Benjamin Kell and Bernard M. Rebo

Depositions of witnesses produced from and examined on the 15th day June in the year of our Lord 1871 between the hours of 6 o’clock A.M. and 6 o’clock P.M. of that day at Waterloo in the county of Clark and state of Missouri before me (Chas. W. Murgheu? a notary public in a certain court now defending in the circuit court of Culpeper County in the state of Virginia between James Patton and Elizabeth his wife and others are plaintiffs and James W Green and George Morton, executor of John C. Green dec’d and others are defendants on the part of the plaintifss John L. Clay of lawful age being ? sworn and examined on the part of the plaintiffs deposeth and saith My name is John L. Clay my age is 80 years and my place of reidence is Clark County, Mo. and on or about the year 1821 I was married to Patsy Eldridge a daughter of Payton & Mary Eldridge and that of said marriage was born George Clay, Mary J. Clay, Alexander P. Clay, Martha J. Clay, Samuel P Clay, Elizabeth W. Clay, Henry Clay, Henrietta Jane Clay and only those also that Henry Clay died on or about the year 1852 and that Mary P. Clay died on or about the year 1861 having been married to Benjamin Kell and leaving the following named heirs Franklin, Sarah M, George and Marietta Kell her children and heirs at law and that the afore named are the only heirs of the said Mary Eldridge by Patsy Clay her daughter and I also swear that I have no interest in said suit. John L. Clay

Benjamin Kell and Benjamin M. Rebo testified as to the truth of the deposition of John L. Clay

Final determination

(All amounts plus interest from the day of the order until paid) 1 November 1872

James Paton and Elizabeth his wife $503.92

Thomas J. Chestnut and Euphemia or Effie his wife in right of said Effie, or to their attorneys $503.92

George Clay, Alexander Clay, Samuel Clay and Martha Hunslow each or to their attorneys $71.94

Hiram Decker and Elizabeth his wife in right of said Elizateth or to their attorneys $71.99

William F. Kell and Henrietta his wife in right of said Henrietta or to their attorneys $71.99

To the guardians (when appointed) of Franklin Kell, sarah M. Kell and Marrietta Kell, infants each $18.00

Some of these funds came from the estate of John C. Green, administrator for John Guinn, but $680.03 had to come from the heirs at law of John Guinn

Disposition of John Guinn's Estate

John Guinn’s property was sold 29 September 1853 and the case file includes a list of what was sold, who purchased it and how much was paid. There was a lot of livestock. His wife bought a lot of things. A Full Accounting of His Estate from 1855 on is included in this case file.

Monies were paid Mrs. Eldridge on 16 September 1855 $119, March 1856 $119, 1857 $119, 1858 $119, 1859 $119, 1860 $119

The distribution of his estate was as follows:

Mary Guinn, widow, real estate $3705.00 and personal property $3125.00 Total $6330.00

George E. Marshall & wife real estate $1207.00 and personal property 984.65 total $2191.65

Benj. W. Guinn real estate $1216 personal property $950.00 total $2166.00

R. M. Crump and wife real estate $1216.00 personal property $1060.85 total $2276.85

Susan A.M Guinn dec’d real estate $1219.00 and personal prpoerty $1219.00 personal property $800 total $2019.00

Cornelia H. Guinn real estate1008.05 personal property $1050.00 total $2058.05

John G. Lemon in right of his mother Real estate $1069 personal property $1210.86 total $2218.90

Total estate distributed $19,260.45 (2011 value $493,857.69)

Copy of Court Order 15 January 1854 confirms the division of John Guinn’s estate as stated on a report dated 18 September 1853. This report was prepared by commissioners of the court in Culpeper County. it appears George E. Marshall and wife filed suit against Mary Guinn & others over the division of the land and slaves in John Guinn’s estate. The accounting in the court judgement is

George E. Marshall & wife $82.65

Mrs. Lemon dec’d the mother of Jn. G. Lemon $110.85

R.M. Crump & wife $110.85

They all attest to Mary Guinn the widow for her dower & third to be held by her for life 121 acres of land (home tract) at $25 $3025.00, 22 1/2 acres of woodland (on back run) at $8 $180 Total $3205.99 and the following slaves Benjamin ($825), Howard ($825) Maria ($325) Matilda ($450) Jane ($400) total value of slaves $3125 (2011 equivalent $89,285.71)

George E. Marshall a part of the lower tract of grand & flat ground woods as per plat of surveyors on No. 4 of lower places & the no 1 of woodland valued $1207, Negro Ellen valued $900 advance? total $2191.65

Benj. W. Guinn A part of town tract of land & flat ground & No 3 of lower farm & no 2 of woods and valued $1216 Negroes Jilia & Robert $960 Total $2166

R.M. Crump & wife No 2 of open land at lower farm & no 2 woodlands valued at $1216.00 Negroes Powell & Rachel $950 Advancement $110.85 total $2276.85

To Susan Ann Guinn No 1 of open land at lower place & no 4 of woodland flat groud valued at $1219.00 Negro walker $800 total $2019.00

Cornelia H. Guinn No 6 of open land at centreville & No 6 of woodland as back run $1008.05 Negro Jim $1050.00 total $2058.00

To John G. Lemon No 5 of open land in Centreville & No 5 of woodland iat back run $1008.05 Negroes Rosetta & Stephen $1100.00 Advancement $110.85 Total $2219.35

The widow receives $6330

Total Estate $19260.90 (2011 value $550, 311.43)

The report goes on to account for transference of funds between heirs who apparently received more than their shares.