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Transcriber’s comment:
Richard Woods Brown died intestate about March 1874 at the age of 42 or
43 years. He is buried at Price Cemetery. The Greene County Court
appointed Wylie Campbell to Administer the Estate. Several of the
documents filed with the Court are repetitious. A transcription of the
more informative documents follows.
Spelling and punctuation unchanged
“1875 File No 17
Wylie Campbell Adm. Vs Jacob Morris & wife et al
Action for: Richard Brown
To the worshipful County Court of Greene County Tennessee
Wylie Campbell adm of the Estate of Richard Brown decd vs
Jacob Morris and wife
Martha E Morris
Henry Luster and wife
Margaret E Luster
Elbert Brown (He is William E. Brown in the 1870 census.)
James Wylie Brown and
Mary B. D. Brown (She is Mary Bell Dora Brown)
Defendants all residents of Greene County and State of Tennessee
Your Petitioner Wylie Campbell Adm & a citizen of Greene County and
State of Tennessee would most respectfully shew unto the Court, that
sometime since, about the (blank) day of March 1874 one Richard Brown,
then a citizen of Greene County, departed this life intestate, and that
your Petitioner was duly, and regularly appointed by your worships
administrator of the Estate of the deceased, to wit Richard Brown, That
he gave bond and qualified, and entered upon the duties incident, to
this, his said appointment And he has proceeded in part to wind up and
settle the estate of said decedent, but (unreadable) finds upon
investigation, that the Personal Assets of said decedent will be largely
insufficient to pay off and discharge the bonafide debts due and
outstanding against said estate-
Your Petitioner would also further represent and shew unto your worship
that the said Richard Brown decd left surviving him the following named
heirs to wit Martha E. Brown, his widow, since united in Matrimony with
Jacob Morris – Margaret E. Brown his daughter – now united in marriage
with Henry Luster, Elbert Brown, James Wylie Brown, and Mary B. D.
Brown, all residents of Greene County and State of Tennessee as stated
in the caption. And all of said Defendents minors, and without regular
guardian except Martha E. Morris, and her husband Jacob Morris and said
Henry Luster the husband of said Margaret who are of full and legal age
– and are the only children and heirs of the said Richard Brown decd.
Your Petitioner would further Shew unto the Court that the said Richard
Brown died seized and possessed of two certain tracts of Land. The one
containing 130 acres more or less known as the Home Tract lying and
being in the 11th Civil District of Greene County, adjoining the lands
of S. Babb and the Brubakers – which land is held in fee simple, and is
without any incumbrances except the widows Dower and perhaps a lien upon
a small part of since to secure balance of purchase money to one Peter
Brubaker for the purchase of the 30 acre tract about to be mentioned.
The other tract a parcel containing about 30 acres lying and being in
the 11th civil district of the said County of Greene and state aforesaid
– adjoining the home tract and Henry Morelock and others – and held by
said Brown, at the time of this death – by Title (unreadable) but
incumbered with Vendors lien for a small part of the purchase money, and
also subject to the widows right of Dower – upon the payment of said
balance of purchase Money.
Prayer,
The premises considered, our Petitioner prays – that the above named
parties in the caption be made defendants to this Petition, and required
to answer all the material allegations therein contained, according to
the course and practice of this Court. That, Commissioners be appointed
together with the County Surveyor, or some one of his legally appointed
deputies, to go upon the lands of the said Richard Brown decd, and by
actual survey, allot and set off to said Widow of said Richard Brown,
now Martha Morris her dower interest, to wit one third of all the lands
of which her late husband died seized and possessed - and that said
Commissioners make report, as to what they may have done in the
(unreadable) to the next ensuing term of this Court –
And upon final hearing, Petitioner Prays that the residue of said lands
or so much therof as may be necessary to pay the debt and charges
against said estate be sold – and all orders and decrees necessary to
effectuate the object and purposes of this Petition be made that process
issue for
And if Petitioner in any thing has mistaken his remedy, he prays for all
such orders, further and different relief as he may in equity and good
conscience be entitled to, and for general relief –
Personally appeared before me V. S. Maloney Clerk of the County Court of
Greene County, Wylie Campbell and made oath, that the facts set forth in
the foregoing action are true to the best of his knowledge information
and beliefs sworn and subscribed before me.
Filed 26th Nov 1875, V. S. Maloney, Clerk”
“Wyley Campbell Adm of the Estate of Richard Brown decd. vs Jacob Morris
et al
Be it known that this cause came on for a hearing before the Worshipful
County Court of Greene County, Tennessee, upon the 7th Day of December
1875. Upon the original Petition, Summons, answer of the Guardian ad
litem. Judgment pro (unreadable) having been taken and entered against
Said Defendants, who have made default, And it appearing to the Court
that Martha Morris, formerly Martha E. Brown, is the widow of Richard
Brown decd., and that said Richard died seized and possessed of two
certain tracts or parcels of land lying in the County of Greene Civil
District No 11 containing by estimation in both tracts 160 acres upon
which there is a trust deed to cover the (unreadable) of the 30 acre
tract to pay off said Trust Deed a certain boundry has been agreed upon
by the parties in Interest – leaving a certain portion of the Lands of
said Richard Brown unencumbered – And it appearing further that all the
heirs of the said Richard Brown together with his Adm. Has had the Legal
notice required, It is therefore ordered by the Court that E. R. Weems
and George E. Kenney, freeholders of said County be appointed
commissioners in conjunction with James Rhea, Deputy Surveyor, of said
county, to allot and set off to the said Martha E. Morris, the 1/3 part
in value of said lands for her Dower, Quality and Quantity duly
considered. Said Dower to include the home and outbuildings where said
Richard last lived – and said commissioners will report to the next term
of this Court – Witness V. S. Maloney Clerk of Said Court at Office the
10th day of December 1875.”
“Wyly Campbell Adm vs Jacob Morris et al
In the County Court of Greene County Tennessee
Deposition of Wyly Campbell Adm and witness in the above case taken by
order of the Court on the 3rd day of January 1876 at Greeneville in the
Office of the County Court Clerk of said County and state aforesaid
The witness aged 55 years being duly sworn deposes and says –
1st
Please state what amt of Personal asset has – as with reasonable
diligence will come into your hands as adm –
Ans
I have received nothing except $2.00 cash. Nor will I – as there seems
to be nothing on hand, except such property as is not able to sale -
2nd
What amt and to whom of debts still due and outstanding against said
Estate
Ans
Said Estate owes a certain debt for unpaid purchase money for land
bought of Peter Brubaker of about the sum of $500.00 and interest. Also
a certain other debt due to one David Weems for about the sum of $15.00
What real Estate did Richard W. Brown decd die seized and possessed of?
Ans
He owned at the time of his death as near as I can gather, about 150
acres of common upland, very little bottom land – said land is worth
about the sum of $8.00 per acre, watered by a small running stream part
of the year – There is a well of reasonably good water on said land –
And further the deponent sayeth not
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 3rd day of January 1876. V. S.
Maloney Clerk
Wiley Campbell”
“Wylie Campbell Adm vs Jacob Morris & wife – Report of Sale
The undersigned would most respectfully report that in (unreadable) to
an order of the worshipful County Court of Greene County Tennessee made
at the January Term 1876 he proceeded, after giving due notice as to
time and place of sale – on the 12th day of Febr 1876 – on the premises
to sell and did sell at a private sale the land mentioned and described
in the order – in two distinct and separate parcels, to wit No 1 to
Peter Brubaker – he being the highest and best bidder and last bidder
for the sum of $13 per acre amounting to the full sum of $511.7 there
being according to computation the sum of 39.367 acres
And that parcel No 2 was stricken off and sold at private sale, it being
that best for the interest of said Estate – on the day already indicated
on the premises, and after the usual notice for the sale of Land under
execution, to Martin V. Brown for the sum of $15.00 per acre accounting
in all to $45.00 there being the sum of 3 acres in said tract -
And – as said land was sold for the sake of satisfying lien for the
unpaid purchase money on said land. Since (unreadable) commission did
not take notes for the purchase money – but said sale money was by
special agreement – of the parties set over against the notes held by
said Purchasers as payment for the same, all which is most respectfully
submitted
This 1st day of March 1876
Wiley Campbell Admr”
Transcriber’s Comment
The widow of Richard Woods Brown was Martha E. Campbell Brown. Her
relationship to the Administrator of the Estate, Wylie Campbell, is not
known.
Richard Woods Brown died about March 1874. Martha had remarried to Jacob
W. Morris before November 1875. He was 20 years younger than Martha.
Martha Campbell Brown Morris died in 1902. She is buried with her first
husband, Richard Brown, at Price Cemetery. Jacob W. Morris apparently
left Greene County after Martha’s death. |
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