In the Winter of 2002 the following "Complaint for Relief[1]" was published in "The Chesterfield District Chronicle", Vol. 5, No. 1; a genealogical newsletter of the Chesterfield District Genealogical Society of Chesterfield, South Carolina.
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF CHESTERFIELD
COMPLAINT FOR RELIEF
Mary Ann Wadsworth and her husband, Louis H. Wadsworth, Effie Purvis and her husband, Stephen D. Purvis.
PLAINTIFFS
Against
William Freeman
Louis Freeman
Mary Freeman (Wife of Jessie Freeman)
Sarah Ann Odom
Christine F. Tumage
Ann Hall
Temple Par
Elizabeth Poston
Defendants
The Plaintiff Complaining of the Defendants to this Court Allege:
That Jessie Freeman, a late citizen and resident of the county and state aforesaid, died at his residence in said county and state on the___ day of July, Year of Our Lord, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-One. Having first executed his Last Will and Testament----- A copy whereof is hereto annexed and made part of this complaint, hereby he devised and bequeathed his whole estate, both real and personal, as herein after set forth.
Jessie Freeman Left Surviving Him:
His Widow---Mary and the following children:
William Freeman
Louis Freeman
Christine Married Robert Turnage
Ann " Joseph Wall
Elizabeth " Elisha Poston
Mary Ann " Louis Wadsworth
Effle " Stephen C. Purvis
Sarah Ann " John D. Odom
One granddaughter named Temple Par, daughter of Jane Freeman who married Benjamin Brock, predeceased her said father, Jesse Freeman
Said Jessie Freeman, after providing for and payment of all debts---devised and bequeathed the residue of this estate, both real and personal, to be divided, share and share alike between his distributors.
Sarah Ann Odom, wife of John D. Odom, (reputed to be the natural daughter of said Jessie Freeman and his widow, Mary Freeman) to receive equal shares with his children…..An equal share being one tenth.
Said Jessie Freeman directed all property to be sold: He failed to appoint an Executor or Executrix.
Louis H. Wadsworth and Stephen D. Purvis have been sworn and received their Letters of Administration.
Personal property of said testor sold under order: Sufficient to pay debts of said testator and perhaps leave a small balance.
SAID TESTOR POSSESSED THE FOLLOWING REAL ESTATE:
A tract of land wherein he resided in his lifetime; Same being known as his homeland, containing two hundred (200) acres, more or less; situated in county and state aforesaid of waters of one Bear Creek, and though tract is continuous and not separated by intervening tracts, it was purchased by said Testator at two different times from two different persons.
One hundred and twenty-five (125) acres, more or less, of said tract having been purchased from a man by the name of Zachariah Cassidy, eleventh day of October, one thousand eight hundred thirty-three (1833). Said one hundred and twenty-five (125) acres being eastern most part of a Grant of one hundred and fifty (150) acres to one James Gordon, sixth day of February, one thousand, seven hundred and eighty-six (1786).
Seventy-five (75) acres, more or less of said tract of land being purchased from Niven Smith; Deed to Testator dated twenty-third day of December, one thousand, eight hundred and forty-four (1844).
S. D. Purvis, Sworn and Subscribed February, one thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two (1882). Thomas F. Mulloy, Clerk.
All Heirs of Said Jessie Freeman, twenty-one years or over and under no disability. February 22, 1882.
Petition made by John D. Odom, for Sarah Odom's share of Estate of Said Jessie Freeman, upon death of Said Sarah Ann Odom, wife of John D. Odom.
July 16, 1885
Petition granted; Said share of Sarah Ann Odom, deceased paid her husband, John D. Odom. August 1, 1885.
Above Sarah Ann Odom died on or about twenty-first day of June A.D. 1882.
September Seventeenth Day, 1885----Report of Referee
Report of Referee, W. J. Hanna, Filed September, Seventeenth Day, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Five (1885) A.D.
***
While I was very familiar with most of the names within the "Complaint for Relief"; one name stood out us unfamiliar – Temple PAR
Jesse Freeman (1804-Jul 1881) married Sarah Jane Davis (1804-aft 1870). Sarah Jane is my 3rd great Aunt, a daughter of Thomas Davis and Nancy Rivers. The plaintiffs and defendants in this case are children and descendants of Jesse Freeman and his Wife Sarah Jane Davis. The name Tempie or Temperance is only found within my Brock ancestry.
This Complaint for Relief sent me on a journey to discover - Who was Temple PAR?
The Complaint for Relief made the following statement "One granddaughter named Temple Par, daughter of Jane Freeman who married Benjamin Brock, predeceased her said father, Jesse Freeman.
Jesse Freeman and his wife had a daughter named Jane Freeman, b. abt 1834 that married Benjamin Brock. Benjamin Brock, b. 1834 was the son of Benjamin Brock (1790- bef 1870) and his wife Temperance.
Jane Freeman Brock died prior to the death of her father, Jesse Freeman; most likely during or shortly after the birth of Tempy A. Brock on 10 August 1858. Benjamin, Jane nor Tempy have been found in any 1860 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina. There is a Jane Brock, age 4, in Jesse freeman household in 1860. This is most certainly, the daughter of Benjamin Brock and Jane Freeman Brock. We know from " St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832, Parish Register 1819-1924" that Benjamin & Jane had a son, James Brock,[2] who was born 1855 and died 6 Sept 1856, age 1.
But, Is Jane and Tempy the same person. It's possible that Tempy is Tempy Jane!
Based on census data and the Complaint for Relief Jane Freeman died before her father. She and her husband are not listed in any census after 1850 where they are enumerated with their parents. Since "No Clue' has been found of Jane's existence it likely she died in childbirth in 1858.
One reference has been found to a Ben Brock.
DARLINGTON FLAG SUMMER 2003 [3]TOWN COUNTY AND STATE NEWS- MURDER - On Sunday morning last, the body of a free colored man, named Michael Knight, was found near Sandy Plains Church, in this county, under circumstances that lead to believe that he had been foully dealt with. He was entirely nude, excepting socks upon his feet and his body was horribly mangled, having been badly beaten with a stick and his neck dislocated. Coroner A. Niven held an inquest on Monday before whom evidence was brought to light pointing to two white men as the perpetrators of the deed. The evidence however is wholly circumstantial. We suppress the names of the accused for the present understanding warrants are in the hands of the proper officers for their arrest. So far as we understand there are no extenuating circumstances for the perpetration of this horrible deed...
[ARGUS (Anson County, NC), 16 February 1860, page 3]
TOWN COUNTY AND STATE NEWS- THE MURDERS OF KNIGHT- So far as can we learn, the murders of Knight, are still at large. The probability is they have left the State. The two men charged with the crime, Robert Lewis and Ben Brock, are somewhat noted characters. The former it will be recollected was tried in Chesterfield District, South Carolina, last summer for homicide - it was said for causing the death of a man in Cheraw by striking him on the head with a bottle and the latter it is understood is a refugee from the State of Mississippi for causing or very near causing the death of a man by cutting him with a knife. It is presumed if the parties have left the State, the State authorities will take early and energetic measures to have them arrested and brought to justice. The majesty of the laws must be maintained and their strong arm should be felt no matter where the perpetrator of crime should seek to hide himself. We understand that parties in South Carolina say that the offer of sufficient reward they will produce one or both of the parties. Probability is they are hiding just over the State line and these parties know where they are hiding...
[ARGUS (Anson County, NC), 23 February 1860, page 3]
Again, there is not enough evidence in these meager documents to say that the Ben Brock mentioned above is the same Ben Brock that fathered Temple BROCK in 1858. However, it should be noted that Ben Brock had relatives living in Mississippi. Several of the Brock's had migrated with Gilbert, James and Joseph Purvis about 1818 to Clarke County, AL and then on to Hinds and Rankin Counties, Mississippi.
In summary, we have an 1885 Complaint for Relief naming Temple PAR as a defendant.
The complaint stated that " One granddaughter named Temple PAR, daughter of Jane Freeman who married Benjamin Brock, predeceased her said father, Jesse Freeman."
We know she is listed as Jane and in her grandparents (Jesse & Sarah Freeman) home in the 1860 Census[4].
We know that in 1885 she was married to a PAR or PARR.
Next I went looking for a Temple Brock married to a Parr about 1875.
Return tomorrow for the conclusion of Who was Temple PAR?
[1] Chesterfield District Chapter S.C.G.S., "Complaint for Relief," The Chesterfield District Chronicle, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Winter 2002): pages 21-23.
[2] Brent H. Holcomb C.A.L.S., St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832,: Parish Register 1819-1924 (Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1991), page 120.
[3] Old Darlington District Chapter S.C.G.S., "Anson County, NC – Darlington District, SC Connections," Darlington Flag, Vol. XV, No. 3 (Summer 2003).
[4] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 173B; Line 27, Dwelling 1123, Family 1122, Household of Jesse FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2009); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
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