Partition and Distribution of William Eddings' Estate

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Wm Sellars & wife & others }

vs         } Writ of

Mary Eddings & Jas Knott  } Partition

Admr of Wm Eddings      }

The State of South Carolina} R. Turner Bryan Peter May, Henry Sellars William McR. Bryan and Lewis Gandy Greeting- Whereas William Sellars and Gilley his wife and others filed their Bill in the Court of Equity for Chesterfield District against James Knott administrator of all and singular the goods & chattles rights and credits of William Eddings late of Chesterfield District in the said State and against Mary Eddings Widow of the said William praying amongst other things for an account and partition of the said Williams Estate and whereas on hearing the said Bill and the answer of the Defendant the said Court did Order and direct that a writ of partition should be directed to you to divide the Estate whereof the said William died possessed according to the act of the General Assembly of the said State in such case made and provided These are therefore to authorize Command and empower you repair upon all the Lands whereof the said William Eddings died possessed containing about Eleven Hundred acres and after estimating the value thereof to divide it so as to allot to Mary Eddings the third part thereof the remaining two thirds you will divide between the Children of the said William to wit Richard Eddings William Eddings Riley Eddings Mandea [Alice] Eddings Adams the wife of Emanuel Adams Tempe Knight the wife of Moses Knight, Jane Knott the wife of James Knott Gilley Sellars the wife of William Sellars Patsy Rainey the wife of James Rainey and Margaret Sellars the wife of Roland Sellars you will also Divide the following Slaves in the same manner as you are above directed to divide the Lands to wit Sam Michael George Lina Charlotte

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Essex Melia Julia Alfred Isham and Mossime In making the partition among the children you will include the advancements made by the said William Eddings in his lifetime to his children according to the estimate hereunto annexed of what was given by the said William to his children- Witness George Blume Commissioner of Equity for Cheraw District at Darlington Court House the fourth Monday in March in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight Hundred and Twenty-Four and in the 48th year of the Independence of the United States of America.

                                               Josiah J Evans

Estimate of Advancements

Richard Eddings received a tract of Land estimated by his father to him at four Hundred dollars William Eddings a tract of land estimated in the same manner at three Hundred and twenty five Dollars Riley Eddings a tract of Land estimated at Four Hundred Dollars- Emanuel Adams and wife a Negro estimated at five Hundred dollars and Land at One Hundred and fifty dollars William Sellars and wife a Negro estimated at five Hundred dollars- James Rainey and wife a Negro woman at four Hundred and Eighty Dollars Moses Knight and Wife a Negro Girl at Four Hundred Dollars- James Knott & wife a Negro Boy at three Hundred fifty Dollars and twenty Dollars in money- Roland Sellars wife a Negro Girl at four Hundred Dollars- William Eddings also gave to his Riley Eddings a Negro Melia which must be estimated to him at the value at the Death of the said William. 

South Carolina } Turner Bryan Peter May W M

Chesterfield District} Bryan and Lewis Gandy Personally

Appeared that they would make a just and true

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Distribution of all the Goods Chattles & real Estate of Wm Eddings Dcd as shown between them by James Knotts administrator & the heirs & Devisees - Turner Bryan, Peter May, sworn before me this, Wm McBryde Lewis Ganey

Jan 15, 1825

Rilah Smith JP 

We the Commissioners appointed to divide the Estate of the late William Eddings have in pursuance of an Order to us directed divided the said Estate in the following manner and appraised & then allotted to Mary Eddings the Widow Three Hundred and fifteen acres Land at one thousand and Twenty five dollars to be made fully known by a platt hereunto annexed and recommende the balance to be sold on a credit untill the first day of January next Obligations to secure the payment to bare Interest from the Day of Sale then appraised the following Negroes Nancy at one hundred dollars Mollie at five Hundred and fifty dollars George at five Hundred and fifty dollars Juda Jack & Hoglum at five Hundred Dollars Bob at four Hundred Dollars Charlotte at three Hundred and fifty dollars Eliza at three Hundred eight hour dollars and fifty cents Miles at Two Hundred and twelve Dollars & fifty cts Peter at two Hundred and fifty Dollars Siller at two Hundred and twenty five dollars Alfred at two Hundred Dollars Oliver at Two Hundred Dollars making in the whole Three Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy five Dollars one Third of which (after Deducting the price of Bob, Miles & Oliver Eight Hundred & twelve Dollars and fifty cents after adding the 3d part of

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the mare and twenty-five dollars Leaving the Est to the Deft to her $1847.99 One Hundred and thirty-four Dollars and fourty nine cents 

Alloted to Richd and Eddings John & Bob at                      $ 500

Maria Due E Adams $22161     William Eddings George 550

Do Do Rilah Eddings25911     Emanuel Knight Eliza 387.50

Do Do Moses Knight 84.11     Rolin Sellars Mike 550

Do Do James Knotts 25161     James Knotts Peter 250

Do Do James Railey 1416    James Raney Charlotte 350

Do Do Wm Sellars 17161     Wm Sellars Oliver 200

Richd Eddings Due Est $2839     Turner Bryan

Wm Eddings Do Do 339             Peter May

Rolen Sellars Do Do 7839           Wm McBryde

Jan 20, 1825                             Lewis Ganey

[The page then shows a hand-drawn property plat/map with boundaries marked and labeled including "Utah," "Thompson Creek," "Branch"]

Laid down by A scale of 20 chains to an inch

South Carolina Chesterfield}

I do hereby certify the above plat to be a true Representation of the dower of Mary Eddings Widow of Wm Eddings deed as given her by the Commissioners appointed to divide the said Estate

Nov the 5th day of Feb 1825                 J Mandeville Depy Survr

Summary of the Wm. Sellers & Wife vs James Knotts & Mary Eddings Document [Claude.ai]

This historical document from 1824-1825 details legal proceedings for the partition and distribution of William Eddings' estate in Chesterfield District, South Carolina following his death.

What's Taking Place

This document records a writ of partition issued by the Court of Equity directing commissioners to divide William Eddings' estate between his widow and children. The process involves:

The court appointing commissioners (Turner Bryan, Peter May, William McR. Bryan, and Lewis Gandy) to divide the estate

Direction to allot one-third of the land to Mary Eddings (widow) and divide the remaining two-thirds among the children

Similar division of slaves with accounting for advancements already made to children during William's lifetime

The commissioners' sworn oath to make a just distribution

The commissioners' detailed report on how they divided the estate, including:

Land allocation (with a plat/map included)

Appraisal and distribution of enslaved people

Accounting of previous advancements

Financial settlements between heirs

Parties Involved

Court Officials:

George Blume (Commissioner of Equity for Cheraw District)

Josiah J. Evans

J. Mandeville (Deputy Surveyor)

Rilah Smith (JP)

Commissioners for the Partition:

Turner Bryan

Peter May

William McR. Bryan (sometimes written as McBryde)

Lewis Gandy/Ganey

Parties to the Legal Action:

Plaintiffs: William Sellars and Gilley his wife, and others

Defendants:

James Knott (administrator of William Eddings' estate)

Mary Eddings (widow of William Eddings)

Heirs of William Eddings:

Mary Eddings (widow)

Richard Eddings (son)

William Eddings (son)

Riley Eddings (son)

Alice Eddings Adams, wife of Emanuel Adams

Tempe Knight, wife of Moses Knight

Jane Knott, wife of James Knott

Gilley Sellars, wife of William Sellars

Patsy Rainey, wife of James Rainey

Margaret Sellars, wife of Roland Sellars

The document provides insight into 19th century inheritance practices, including the special provisions for widows (one-third of the estate) and the accounting for "advancements" (gifts given to children during the father's lifetime)

William Eddins is my 4th Great Grandfather.

___________________

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C34X-TQRB-Z?cat=476689&i=321&lang=en

Darlington County Equity Records

1833-1839

LDS Film#317573

Image 322 of 411

Pages 212 to 215