Heirs at Law of Mary Leach and Flora Sellers

Recently, Chesterfield County has provided a web-based interface for all of their county Land Deeds. Land Deeds in this county before the Civil War were mostly destroyed by fire.  All extant Land Deeds on line are post Civil War with a few dated pre civil war that were brought back to the courthouse and re-register with the local Registrar.

Earlier this week I was browsing Chesterfield County Deed Book 9, pages 37 and 38; Mary McNair and others to Calvin McNair.

This deed caught my attention because of it’s reference to the heirs of Flora Sellers and Calvin McNair married into my Davis line.

The Sellers line is one of my primary direct lines and I wasn't aware of a Flora Sellers that passed away after 1880.

So who is this  Flora Sellers?

“Know all men by these presents that we Mary McNair Mary E. Smith Catherine Martin Mary Davis and Sarah McNair of the County of Chesterfield in the State of South Carolina and John McGugan, Mary McGugan and Harriet E. McGugan of the County of Anson in the State of North Carolina being heirs at law and distributees of Mrs. Flora Sellers deceased late of the County of Chesterfield in the….”

A Look at Individuals named:

• Mary Davis is Mary Cornelia McNair Davis wife of David Richard Davis. The McGugan's are children of Angus & Margaret (???LNU) McGugan
• The 3 McGugan named are siblings and the children of Angus M.  McGugan and his wife Margaret (Last name unknown).
• Catherine Martin is Catherine McNair daughter of Alexander McNair and Catherine McMillian. Calvin B., Mary Cornelia and Catherine are siblings.
• Mary McNair Sarah McNair and Mary E. Smith  have not been fully identified but Mary and Sarah McNair may be the daughters of Neil McNair and his wife Mary Crawford.

While researching these families and trying to piece together information on the families I ran across the probate record of Mary Leach (Probate Folder #288), Chesterfield County.

Ironically, some of the same names mentioned in the above land deed (power of attorney) are also mentioned as heirs at law of Mary Leach.

Image #276 of 1448- Heirs at Law of Mary Leach

















The first family mentioned on this list is the Family of Alexander McMillan and his Wife Mary F. Miller.

The document states:

1. Alexander McMillan is dead. Children are

1. 1. Heirs of Mary Welsh. Mary was married to Francis M. Welsh and  left 3 children Annie John and Pearl.
2. Ellen Blakeney, Ellen married Peter M. Blakeney
3. Dr. Millers wife, this would be Henrietta C. McMillan wife of Robert Peele Miller.
4. Pate Children = Sam Evans wife & Alex Pate. Alexander pate and his sister Sarah Ellen Pate. Sarah Ellen married Samuel Isham Evans. The Pate children mother was Louisa J. McMillan.

The next family is that of Alexander McNair who is also listed as dead. Alexander McNair married Catherine McMillan. Catherine is belied to be the sister of the above Alexander McNair. 

2. Alexander McNair – dead (wife know to be Catherine McMillan)

• C. B. McNair – Calvin B. McNair, son of Alexander McNair
• Katie Martin – as stated earlier, Catherine Martin is Catherine McNair daughter of Alexander McNair
• Mary C. Davis heirs – Daughter of Alex, married David Richard Davis
• Joplin heirs – unknown (??)
• Ida Kor (illegible)

I haven’t sorted out the remaining heirs and how they are related. At the present time based on the research that I have completed thus far I believe that Mary Leach was a McMillan before her marriage to Mr. Leach. All the heirs at law are women with the exception of Alexander McMillan.  Alexander McNair wife is known to be Catherine McMillan sister of Alexander McMillan. I believe Mary Leach is also their sister.

If you have any information about any individual named within this blog post I would love to hear from you. I can be reached HERE by E-Mail.














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[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, 9: 37 & 38, Mary McNair & Others to Calvin B. McNair (Power of Attorney); 4 February 1887, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
[2] Mary Leach Probate Folder#288 - "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-N39C-TM?cc=1911928&wc=MPP5-JWL%3A190567401%2C190561002%2C190567402%2C190840701 : 21 May 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0282-0330 > image 261 of 1448; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

Chesterfield County SC Estates~Estate Folder #454–Flora Sellers

 

This is a new series of posting, appearing every Sunday, on selected Estate Folders from the Estate files of Chesterfield County. No known estates exist for the period before the Civil War. They were destroyed with the burning of the Courthouse. There are a few “Equity Records” in the State Archives. Do not overlook this valuable resources if you are looking for ancestors in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Today we will be looking at the following Estate folders:

Folder #454
Flora Sellers

This estate folder begins at image #1439 and ends with image #1460. (images 1439-1460)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19420-62491-99?cc=1911928

On 14 November 1884, Flora Sellers, age 86, died in Chesterfield County, South Carolina leaving a small personal estate. 

While Flora had at least two sons, Calvin B. McNair requested Letters of Administration from the Probate Courts.  



Transcription:
State of South Carolina } Court of Probate
County of Chesterfield}
In the Matter Petition for
of Letter of
The Estate of Flora Sellers Administration
Deceased
The petition of Calvin B. McNair Respectfully shows to this Court that Flora Sellers departed a resident of the County and state aforesaid departed this life on or about the 14^th of November 1884 leaving a small Personal Estate and Letters of Administration upon Said Estate is necessary in order that Said Estate may be settled the Debts paid and the remainder of Said Estate if any be Distributed among her heirs at law and your petitioner will Ever pray&c.
                                                                            C. B. McNair

The Estate folder consists of 21 images. Image 1450 of the estate names two distributees, sons of Flora Sellers – McCarroll Sellers and J. B. Sellers.  
 








Transcription:
By amt paid E. S. Davis afc 10.21
‘’ “ “ J. B. Sellers in full
of my distributive share of Estate 5.00
“ “ paid McCarroll Sellers his
distributive share of Estate 5.00
“ “ paid State & county taxes 6.49
 
For many years, Sellers researchers have looked for the parents of McCarroll Sellers without any success.  Clearly this probate folder indicates that Flora Sellers could be the mother of both McCarroll and J. B. Sellers. 
 
Since Flora was born about 1798 and her administrator Calvin B. McNair was born in 1842 it very likely that Flora was a McNair and his aunt.  She may also be a sister to his father Alexander McNair. 
 
This is the first clue this writer has ever found that would suggest a connection to McCarroll Sellers. McCarroll married  Eliza Louisa Jordan and is believed to have passed away between 1880 and 1900. 

Image 1440 shows that a tombstone was purchased for Flora Sellers’ grave yet in all the surveys done in Chesterfield County, SC no tombstone has been documented for Flora. 











If you have any information about Flora or McCarroll Sellers please contact me.



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[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19420-62491-99?cc=1911928 : 21 May 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0384-0469 > image 1439 of 1665; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.