BILL OF COMPLAINT FILED BY CATHERINE BURRELL VS. JAMES S. WILSON & SUSANNA WILSON
To the worshipful County Court of Monongalia Chancery - humbly complaining this orator Catherine Burrell, to your worships that in or about the year 1769 on 1770 to the best of your Orater's recollection, she and her then husband Garret Decker came over the Allegany mountains into this then wilderness of country, unsettled but by very few adventurers and took possession of and settled down upon a tract of land situated on a creek now known by the name Deckers Creek whereas a certain James Smallwood Wilson now lives on which tract of land your orator and her said husband built a house, cleared land, raised Indian Corn, planted an orchard of Apples and Peach trees thereon and continued to live thereon, clearing fencing and raising crops of corn for three or four years until the Indian War commenced and drove your orator and her said husband into Coburn's Fort (then called) about two miles distant from the said improvement, there with some others striving to keep possession of the country Intending to return home to the said lmprovements, as soon as we could in safety from the Indians, and tn the meantime visited the said improvement to take cane of our cows that run about the said improvement and also to keep up the fences, that our property would not be destroyed. Your Orator then states to your Worships that at the time she was at the said Fort, that her said husband got bit with Rattle Snakes and sudantly less than an hour after he was bit he died leaving one child, she that is the wife of the said James Smallwood Wilson whom your Orator prays may be made defendant to this ? Orators Bill of Complaint. Your Orator further states that some short time after the Commissioners under the land law proposed In the year 1779 came into this country to settle and adjust the claims to unpatented lands for the benefit of Settlers on the Western Waters that a certain FRANCIS Burrell with whom your said Orator had previously intermarrled, attented the Commissioners Court (as your Orator hath been Informed) and proved the right of settlement on the said land made by the said Garret Decker as foresaid to be Susay Decker who is now the wife of the said James Smallwood Wilson and daughter to the said Garrett Decker and your Orator upon which proof the Commissioners aforesald granted a certificate for the said land and Improvements tn the name (wrong name) of the sald Susay Decker. who afterward Intermarried with the said James S. Wilson and took possession of the said land and Improvements ever since and have kept your Orator ___ without ever giving your Orator any support in land of her Dower in said land, not withstanding your Orator's last husband Burrell hath been dead seven to eight years and your Orator hath become so reduced that she hath become a charge to the County for two years last past your 0ratrix having now relinquished her right of Dower in the sald land nor received b ____ to compell the said James S. Wilson to any ___ therefore prays this Worshipfull Court assigns her one third part thereof for her Dower during her natural life and pay her such damages as she may have sustained by reason of the detention of the home from her and your Orator will pray ___?___.
M.Gay & J. McGee attorneys
March 1812
