Estate of John Pollard, Bedford County, Virginia

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Pollard
McGhee
Brown
Goodley
McBride
Saunders
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Bedford County, Virginia

Family lineage is often recorded in chancery court records. In the case of Francis Pollard etc. VS Frances McGhee etc., Bedford County, Virginia, the children and grandchildren of John and Catherine Pollard are listed. John died intestate and his wife held a life estate. When she died the heirs wanted the estate divided.

The case was a bit unique in that the plaintiffs wanted funds set aside to support Sam, an elderly male slave. This was done by a reverse auction, where they sold the obligation of supporting Sam in his old age, cost to be born by the estate, and the lowest bidder wins the auction.

The children of John and Catherine Pollard are:

Francis Pollard

John Pollard

Jasper Pollard

Nancy Pollard married Henry Edgar and had the following children: John, William N., Ann S, Catherine.

Patsy married Charles McGhee and had the following children: Emily who married McBride, John, Polly who married Lemuel Saunders, Elizabeth, William, Francis, Sophia, James, Samuel, Charles and Martha Jane.

Sophia married Alfred Goodley

Catherine married Paschal Brown

[1]

The Complaint:

To the Worshipful the County Court of Bedford in Chancery sitting– This Bill of complaint of your orators and oratrixes Francis Pollard, John Pollard, Jasper Pollard, Paschal Brown and Catherine his wife, Alfred Goodley and Sophia his wife, Patsy McGhee, William McBride and Emily his wife, John McGhee, Lemuel Sanders and Polly his wife, Wm. McGhee, Elizabeth McGhee & Nancy Edgar, respectfully represent that some years since John Pollard Sr. late of the County of Bedford departed this life intestate possessed of a small tract of land containing about 70 or 80 acres lying in said County and after the following slaves which were living there or have been born since his death, Vox. Sam an aged and worthy man, Mariah a woman and three children, Indy, Wilson and Squire, that at the time of the death of the said John Pollard his wife Catherine was living who survived him til within a short time having kept in her possession the aforesaid land & negroes til her death, and your orators & oratrixes are advised that the same and now subject to division and distribution among themselves and the other children of Charles McGhee and those of Henry Edgar who were the husbands of your oratrixes and Nancy Edgars and both of whom died since the decease of the said John Pollard, whereby, as they are advised the interest in said estate belonging to their respective wives became & are vested in them; the widows having retained the possession of said estate solely by the counting of the distribution. Your orators Francis, John and Jasper Pollard represent that they are the children of said John Pollard deceased as also are the said Nancy Edgar, Patsy McGhee, Sophia Goodley who imtermarried with the aforesaid Alfred Goodley and Catherine Brown who intermarried with the said Paschal Brown, the children of Charles McGhee are Emily, whom intermarried with your orator Mr. McBride, John McGhee, Polly who intermarried with Lemuel Saunders your orator, Elizabeth, Wm., Francis, Sophia, James, Samuel, Charles and Martha Jane the last six of whom are infants under the age of 21 years, the children of Henry Edgar all of whom are infants are John, William, M., Ann S. and Catherine Edgar. Your orators and oratrixes pray on the said land and negroes cannot be divided among all the distributees in proper proportions that the same may be sold by a commissioner to be appointed for the purpose upon such terms as those seem to the Court right and proper and that the proceeds after paying expenses and providing for the support of Sam the old man herin before mentioned be divided among the distributees according to the statuete of distribution and the cause of descent, the plaintiffs herein note claiming now to decide as to the poper ccause of distribution and as they are e? remedy at law and only receivable in equity they pray that the aforesaid Francis, Sophia, James, Samuel, Charles and Martha Jane McGhee together with the aforesaid John, William M., Ann S. and Catherine E. Edgar may be made defendants to this bill and full time and perfect answer mad tot te allegations thereof and that Francis Pollard Administrator de bonus now of John Pollard deceased do also answer the ? and say whether he can gainsay the sale of said negroes and grant to your orators and oratrixes such ? and relief as their care may require or equity dictate and is in duty so they will no pray etc. John Pollard, Goodley


Final Disposition

Pursuant to a decree of the county court of Bedford made at the November term of the Court in the year 1837 in a suit of Francis Pollard & others against Francis McGhee & others the undersigned a commissioner appointed by the said decree did on the 28 day of December 1857 after having advertised the same in as directed by said decree proceed to sell to the highest bidder on a credit of two years the tract of land in the decree mentioned containing 90 acres, at which sale John Pollard Jr. became the purchaser at the price of three dollars per acre. He entered his bond with John Pollard Jr. security. The negroes mentioned in the decree were sold on a credit of 12 months as follows, viz:

Maria to Jack Stratton at the price of $500.

Indy to Ellis Seftwick at a price of $560.

William to James Early at a price of $425.0

Squire to Francis Pollard at a price of $368.00

The purchasers aforesaid gave bonds with security according to the decree aforesaid.

The negro man Sam was exposed to sale to the lowest bidder upon the terms set forth in the decree. Francis Pollard being the lowest bidder at the price of one hundred and fifty dollars. The whole amount of the sales of property aforesaid have been collected and after paying the expenses of the suit and deducting the sum of $150.00 for the dkeeping of the negro Sam as aforesaid the residue has been paid to the parties entitled or is in the nands of your same commissioner waiting to be paid. Respectfully submitted November 24 1840/