William M. Burkley – Estate #384, Letters of Adminstrations

State of South Carolina}       Court of Probate
Chesterfield County}
Ex Parte               }        Petition for Letters Administration
Alexander Sellers }         with Will annexed on Estate
                            }        William M Berkeley deceased
To W. J. Hanna Judge of Probate
The petition of the undersigned respectfully shows----
1st That on or about the 12th day of October 1879[1] William M. Berkley late of the County and state aforesaid, departed this life after having made and executed last Will and Testament leaving a Small estate supposed to be of the value of three hundred and fifty dollars [$350.00].
2nd That no Executor was appointed in said last Will and Testament. Wherefore your petitioner prays that Letters of Administration, with the Will annexed may be granted him.
And your petitioner will ever pray &c.
                                                                                Alex Sellers (signed)

A lot of controversy surrounds the question of who William . M. Burkley married? No PROOF who been found. Mary his wife has been listed as a “SELLERS”  and as a “RIVERS”.

There are individuals who says that she was the daughter of Isaac and Mary Parker Rivers. She and her husband lived on this farm and when they died they were buried here. They had no children and Queen Sellers, who never married, took care of them in their illness before they died. This is the homeplace of the old Lewis Lisenby farm.

The Administrator of their estate was Alex Sellers.

However, my thought are that she was the daughter of Hardy Sellers. Hardy Sellers daughter Mary married Thomas Gaddy.[2] Thomas and Mary Sellers Gaddy went to Georgia. There Thomas died, Oct 1849, his death being recorded in the 1850 Mortality Schedule. They had eight children, names not known. [Source: Marie Wiggins].

Mary Sellers Gaddy  returned to Chesterfield and married William M. Burkley after the death of her husband, Thomas Gaddy.  They are enumerated in the 1850-1870 census. [3] [4] [5]

One thing is certain. This is an unproven case. More in-depth research is needed to determine exactly who William M. Burkley did marry.The only verifiable fact is that she was known as Mary.










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[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Probate Files & Loose papers, William M. Berkley; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: viewed 23 September 2012); Estate Folder #384.
[2] SOURCE: #25 Index and Genealogical Abstracts of the Chesterfield District Court of Common Pleas, Equity Side, 1823-1869, page 118 as recorded in "Cheraw/Chesterfield District Wills, 1750-1865 & Abstracts from the Court of Common Pleas 1823-1869, Published  by James C. Pigg, Copyright 1995.
[#25] Evans, John Exer. vs. H.H. Sellers & others - Bill for partition & c 1851
See Will of Hardy Sellers. Hardy Sellers died testate on or about 17th January 1835, leaving widow, Levinia Sellers and children: Hardy Huntley Sellers and Zylpha Ann Sellers and the children & grandchildren from a former marriage, John Sellers; Abraham Sellers; Philip Sellers; Richard Sellers; Mary who intermarried with Thomas Gaddy; Elijah Gulledge, James Gulledge, & Pheobe Gulledge the children of Pheobe, a deceased daughter of Hardy Sellers who predeceased her father; and, Iverson L. Briley, the son of Jane, a deceased daughter of Hardy Sellers who predeceased her father.
[3] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 131, Line 5, Dwelling 500, Family 500, Household of William M. BURKLEY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 18 September 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[4] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 144B, Line 26, Dwelling 115, Family 113, Household of Wm. M BAKLEY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 18 September 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
[5] 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 292A; Line 8, Dwelling 89, Family 89, Household of W. M. BURKLEY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 18 September 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M593_1491.