Chesterfield County SC~Estate Folder #6 – Thomas Jordan

This on-going series of posting, appears 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 overlooked this valuable resources if you are looking for ancestors in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Today we will be looking at the following Estate folder:

Folder #6

Thomas Jordan

The estate folder begins at image 93 of 493. There are 10 images within the estate folder. (images 93-102) ¹

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-21627-57?cc=1911928&wc=MPP5-829:190567401,190561002,190567402,190567403

Thomas Jordan died shortly before 23 January 1865. On that date, Richard Calvin Sellers, husband of Sarah Jordan applied to the Courts with a request to be issued Letters of Administration on the estate of Thomas Jordan. 

Transcription:

State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield Districts} To Hugh Craig Sen. Ordinary for said district.
I hereby apply for Letters of Administration on the Estate of Thomas Jordan Dec’^d.
Jany 23^rd 1865                                          R. C. Sellers

The estate file (#6) is very sparse on data related to the estate and only consists of 10 pages.

The above request was followed up on 13th February 1865 with a more formal request.


Transcription:

State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield Districts}
By Hugh Craig Sen. Esquire, Ordinary –
To Rich^d C. Jordan
Whereas Thomas Jordan late of
Deceased, lately died intestate, having whilst he lived, and at the time of his death, divers goods, rights and Credits within the district aforesaid; by means whereof the full disposition and power of granting the administration of all and Singular the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased, and also auditing the accounts, calculations and reckonings of the said administration, and a final dismission of the same, to me is manfestlly? known to belong. I desiring that the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased, may be will and truly administered, converted and disposed of, do hereby grant unto the said Rich^d C. Jordan Sellers, in whom fidelity, in this behalf I very much confide full power, by the tenor of these presents, to administer the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased, which to him in his lifetime, and at the time of his death, did belong; and to ask, buy, recover and receive the same, and to pay the debts in which the deceased stood obliged, so far forth as his good, rights and credits will extend, according to their rate and order of law; bring forth sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, to make a true and perfect inventory thereof and to exhibit the same unto the Ordinary’s Office at Chesterfield Court House, in order to be recorded, on or before the first day of May now next ensuing; and to render a just and true account, calculation and reckoning of the said Administration. When thereunto required—And I ordain, defer to and constitute you, the said Rich^d C. Sellers, Administrator of all and Singular the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal, this thirteenth day of February in the year of Our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and sixty five—
                                                               Hugh Craig, Sen.
                                                                     Ordy C. D.

Richard Calvin Sellers is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.






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[1] Probate Folder #6-Thomas Jordan - "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-21627-57?cc=1911928&wc=MPP5-829:190567401,190561002,190567402,190567403 : accessed 13 Sep 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0001-0022 > image 93 of 493.

Chesterfield County SC Estates~Estate Folder #109–William Riley 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 folder:
Folder #109 
William R. Sellers¹

The estate folder begins at image 555. There are 18 images within the estate folder. (images 555-572)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19384-44866-53?cc=1911928

William Riley Sellers was born abt 1823, a son of Roland Sellers and Margaret Eddins. I thought this post was going to be easy but once I got into the Probate file I realized my research was not complete. 

There are eight William R. Sellers in my database. The administrator of probate file #109 was Richard Calvin Sellers so this narrows the candidates to either his brother William Riley or his son William Riley.
 
Looking at his son’s death date of 1947 eliminates him because the probate took place in 1862; but, I have his brother William Riley Sellers death recorded as 23 March 1865.
Obviously, something is amiss here. If William Riley Sellers died in 1865 his brother would not be administrating his estate in 1862.  So off I go to Fold3.com to reviews civil war records. Looking at my genealogical database I see that I have three William R. Sellers of age to serve in the Civil War; but, only two died in the Civil War. 

• William Riley Sellers, b.  abt 1823, son of Roland Sellers and Margaret Sellers
• William Riley Sellers, b.  abt 1822, son of William Eddins Sellers and Elizabeth Parsons.
• William R. Sellers, b.  abt 182, son of John Sellers and Henrietta Norwood. This William R. moved to Tennessee and died in September 1898.

Because we have Richard Calvin Sellers named as the administrator, we now have sufficient documentation to distinguish which units these men served in and when and where they died.

First, we know that the estate of William Riley Sellers was probated between September 1862 and 19 Aug. 1885. The probate file shows this William Riley’s brother Richard Calvin was named as administrator and documents within the probate files shows that he started the probate process on or about 30 September 1862. 

Image 558 ²

Then from the Civil war files on Fold3.com we find this record for a William R. Sellers ³- https://www.fold3.com/image/20/73893261

Pvt. William R. Sellers, Co. B, 8th SC Infantry

Only 6 documents are recorded in this file. the record shows that William R. Sellers, enlisted 13 April 1861, admitted to Chimborazo Hospital No. 3, Richmond, Virginia on April 9, 1862 (pg 5) and page 6 shows his transfer on May 20th, 1862 to Winder Hospital, Richmond, Virginia. ⁴



It is between this date 20 May 1862 (to Winder Hospital) and 30 September 1862 (Image 558, Estate Folder) that William Riley Sellers passed away. No document has been found documenting his actual death date but it seems obvious it had to have occurred between these two dates (20 May 1862-30 Sept. 1862). 

Two interesting tidbits regarding this W. R. Sellers. “Broken Fortunes” by Randolph W. Kirkland, Jr. shows that he died May 11, 1862. A FindAGrave Memorial (FAG Memorial# 93886626) in the Hollywood cemetery also shows that W. R. Sellers died on 11 May 1862. ^{5 6} 
These two items, the Book and the Memorial are "Derivative records" and is consider to be secondary information. 

On 19 August 1885, Richard Calvin Sellers petitioned the Courts to settle the estate of William Riley Sellers. Heirs apparent to the estate can be found on Image 572.

Office of
*JUDGE*OF*PROBATE*
Chesterfield County
Chesterfield, C. H. , S. C. Aug. 19^th 1885
Richard C. Sellers, Admr of Estate of William R. Sellers.
To D. M. Barrentine, Judge of Probate for Chesterfield County
The Petition of the undersigned showeth that he is administrator of the Estate of William R. Sellers deceased and that he has settled the Estate in full with all of the Heirs as per voucher in his possession and that he now prays to be discharged from all liabilities as Administrator of Said Estate.
                                                                                         R. C. Sellers

We have a dilemma; I calculated from copies of original documents that William Riley Sellers died between 20 May 1862  and 30 Sept 1862. A FindAGrave memorial and the book “Broken Fortunes” shows this individual passed away on 11 May 1862. No war record exist after page 6 stating that William R. Sellers was “Transf’d to Camp Winder, May 20th”.









 
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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-1-19384-44866-53?cc=1911928 : accessed 02 June 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0088-0152 > image 555 of 1495; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
[2] Ibid. Image 558
[3] https://www.fold3.com/image/20/73893261
[4] Ibid.
[5] Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina, 1997), page 312.
[6] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 February 2014); Memorial page for William R Sellers; (Unk-11 May 1862); Find a Grave memorial # 93886626, Citing Hollywood Cemetery; Richmond, Richmond City, Virginia, USA.

It’s Family Time~Richard Calvin Sellers, Jr. and Wife Emma

Today's Family Time article will spotlight my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed, Richard Calvin Sellers, Jr. and his wife Emma Levicia Gardner. 

Richard Calvin Sellers, Jr, was born 1 April 1861, a son of Richard Calvin Sellers, Sr. and his wife Sarah Jordan. He was eight of 12 children born to Richard and Sarah. ^{1 2}

Emma Levicia Gardner, was born 15 Dec 1864, a daughter of John Nelson Gardner and his wife Levicia Burr. 

Richard Calvin and Emma Levicia were married in 1890. Calvin and Emma had no known children. 

Emma Levicia died 16 Jan 1919 and Richard Calvin lived another 20+ years passing away on 19 May 1940 at the age of 79. 

No death certificate was found for either Emma or Richard Calvin Sellers. 
Emma Levicia Gardner Sellers is buried at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church Cemetery, Hunts Mills, Chesterfield County, SC.³

Richard Calvin Sellers is buried at Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery.⁴ Why they are not buried side by side is not known by me.  






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[1] 1900 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0020, Page 5A/77(Stamped), Line 34, Dwelling 79, Family 79, Household of Calvin SELLERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : Viewed` 11 June 2014); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_1523.
[2] 1910 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0036, Page: 13A/116 (stamped); Line 10, Dwelling 212, Family 214, Household and d of Richard C. SELLERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : Viewed 11 June 2014); citing National Archives Microfilm T624_1455.
[3] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 June 2014); Memorial page for Richard Calvin Sellers, Jr.; (1 April 1861–19 May 1940); Find a Grave memorial # 45749191, Citing Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
[4] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 June 2014); Memorial page for Emma Levici Sellers; (15 December 1864–16 January 1919); Find a Grave memorial # 32001904, Citing Mount Olivet United Methodist Church Cemetery ; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
[5] Image courtesy of Google Images.