Individual Details
John CHILDRESS
(Abt 1816 - 1859)
THE FOLLOWING COPIED FROM THE CHILDRESS/MATHIS FAMILY TREE by J. Patrick Childress: " NOTE:
John Childress died intestate in the latter part of December, 1859. Numerous court documents researched by Paul Hogue in Winston County, Mississippi were provided to this writer (JPC). A look through the papers provides a fascinating insight into the proceedings of the court system during the mid 19th century. Since John Childress left no will, the Court appointed an administrator to fairly administer the distribution of the assets of the estate. Edmond Childress, brother of the deceased, applied to the Court for this position, with the backing of the widow Narcisly, and he was duly appointed.
From the date of John's death in late 1859, the court leaves a paper trail of about three years, finally concluding in December, 1862. During that time, Edmond Childress appeared in court many times, and for these efforts, he received a fee equal to three percent of the total value of the estate. The first recorded petition by Edmond in the John Childress estate settlement issue is March 11, 1860, in which he erroneously cites the death of John as occurring "about the 10th of January, 1860." In this petition (page 59 & 60), the widow of John, Narcisly (nee Barron), requested Edmond to serve as administrator. The estate of John was stated to have a "small estate consisting of a tract of land" and a personal estate consisting of "Negro slaves, a lot of horses and mules, hogs, and cattle, corn and fodder.." all of which totalled up to about $14,000, plus the real estate.
On March 15, 1860, Edmond petitioned the Court to allow the Administrator to use the estate's slaves to conduct the business of the estate. This petition read in part as follows:
"...represents to your Honor that it will be greatly to the interest of all persons interested in said estate, to keep together the Negroes belonging to said estate, and cultivate the plantation with said Negroes for the balance of the year 1860. That otherwise said Negroes will have to be hired out, at greatly reduced prices the season of the year considered, but some of said Negroes are children and would in such event be liable to mistreatment or neglect, to the great detriment of said heirs and distributee's, that petitioner can best promote the interest of said heirs, by keeping the said Negroes together, for that in the event of the hiring of said Slaves, the farm must greatly depreciate its value. The premises considered petitioner prays the Court that he may be authorized to keep together said Negroes and make a crop and that for the purposes of provision and farming interests of every description may be subject to the order and discretion of your petitioner and that he may incur such reasonable expenses as may be necessary to the accomplishment of this purpose herein specified. And petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray..."
In the years subsequent to 1860, Narcisly petitioned the Court to allow her to rent out the Negro slaves in order to generate income. I (JPC) can only assume that Narcisly and her new husband, John L. Bell, possessed other slaves and did not need the original slaves for the purpose of planting and harvesting their crops. In any event, the petitions read something like this:
"...it will be to the interest of said wards (the minor children of John Childress) to hire out the Negroes of her wards at public, hiring to wit, Hiram, Frank, Melvin and one child, Kate and one child, Milton and Eliza. The premises considered, your petitioner prays..."
The final accounting for the estate of John Childress was on or about February 15, 1862. The auditors appointed by the Court agreed that all the bills were properly accounted for, and that the final value of the estate was $14,017. Edmond received the court-approved three percent of the total, or $471 for his commission on the appraised value of the estate. After deducting the amount of disbursements, there remained a total of $1,805.95 (the slaves were not sold, but were rather distributed to the heirs of John Childress). Thus, each of the eight heirs (seven surviving children and widow Narcisly) received about $225 each."
-- MERGED NOTE ------------
John Childress died intestate in the latter part of December, 1859. Numerous court documents researched by Paul Hogue in Winston County, Mississippi were provided to this writer (JPC). A look through the papers provides a fascinating insight into the proceedings of the court system during the mid 19th century. Since John Childress left no will, the Court appointed an administrator to fairly administer the distribution of the assets of the estate. Edmond Childress, brother of the deceased, applied to the Court for this position, with the backing of the widow Narcisly, and he was duly appointed.
From the date of John's death in late 1859, the court leaves a paper trail of about three years, finally concluding in December, 1862. During that time, Edmond Childress appeared in court many times, and for these efforts, he received a fee equal to three percent of the total value of the estate. The first recorded petition by Edmond in the John Childress estate settlement issue is March 11, 1860, in which he erroneously cites the death of John as occurring "about the 10th of January, 1860." In this petition (page 59 & 60), the widow of John, Narcisly (nee Barron), requested Edmond to serve as administrator. The estate of John was stated to have a "small estate consisting of a tract of land" and a personal estate consisting of "Negro slaves, a lot of horses and mules, hogs, and cattle, corn and fodder.." all of which totalled up to about $14,000, plus the real estate.
On March 15, 1860, Edmond petitioned the Court to allow the Administrator to use the estate's slaves to conduct the business of the estate. This petition read in part as follows:
"...represents to your Honor that it will be greatly to the interest of all persons interested in said estate, to keep together the Negroes belonging to said estate, and cultivate the plantation with said Negroes for the balance of the year 1860. That otherwise said Negroes will have to be hired out, at greatly reduced prices the season of the year considered, but some of said Negroes are children and would in such event be liable to mistreatment or neglect, to the great detriment of said heirs and distributees, that petitioner can best promote the interest of said heirs, by keeping the said Negroes together, for that in the event of the hiring of said Slaves, the farm must greatly depreciate its value. The premises considered petitioner prays the Court that he may be authorized to keep together said Negroes and make a crop and that for the purposes of provision and farming interests of every description may be subject to the order and discretion of your petitioner and that he may incur such reasonable expenses as may be necessary to the accomplishment of this purpose herein specified. And petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray..."
In the years subsequent to 1860, Narcisly petitioned the Court to allow her to rent out the Negro slaves in order to generate income. I (JPC) can only assume that Narcisly and her new husband, John L. Bell, possessed other slaves and did not need the original slaves for the purpose of planting and harvesting their crops. In any event, the petitions read something like this:
"...it will be to the interest of said wards (the minor children of John Childress) to hire out the Negroes of her wards at public, hiring to wit, Hiram, Frank, Melvina and one child, Kate and one child, Milton and Eliza. The premises considered, your petitioner prays..."
The final accounting for the estate of John Childress was on or about February 15, 1862. The auditors appointed by the Court agreed that all the bills were properly accounted for, and that the final value of the estate was $14,017. Edmond received the court-approved three percent of the total, or $471 for his commission on the appraised value of the estate. After deducting the amount of disbursements, there remained a total of $1,805.95 (the slaves were not sold, but were rather distributed to the heirs of John Childress). Thus, each of the eight heirs (seven surviving children and widow Narcisly) received about $225 each.
John Childress died intestate in the latter part of December, 1859. Numerous court documents researched by Paul Hogue in Winston County, Mississippi were provided to this writer (JPC). A look through the papers provides a fascinating insight into the proceedings of the court system during the mid 19th century. Since John Childress left no will, the Court appointed an administrator to fairly administer the distribution of the assets of the estate. Edmond Childress, brother of the deceased, applied to the Court for this position, with the backing of the widow Narcisly, and he was duly appointed.
From the date of John's death in late 1859, the court leaves a paper trail of about three years, finally concluding in December, 1862. During that time, Edmond Childress appeared in court many times, and for these efforts, he received a fee equal to three percent of the total value of the estate. The first recorded petition by Edmond in the John Childress estate settlement issue is March 11, 1860, in which he erroneously cites the death of John as occurring "about the 10th of January, 1860." In this petition (page 59 & 60), the widow of John, Narcisly (nee Barron), requested Edmond to serve as administrator. The estate of John was stated to have a "small estate consisting of a tract of land" and a personal estate consisting of "Negro slaves, a lot of horses and mules, hogs, and cattle, corn and fodder.." all of which totalled up to about $14,000, plus the real estate.
On March 15, 1860, Edmond petitioned the Court to allow the Administrator to use the estate's slaves to conduct the business of the estate. This petition read in part as follows:
"...represents to your Honor that it will be greatly to the interest of all persons interested in said estate, to keep together the Negroes belonging to said estate, and cultivate the plantation with said Negroes for the balance of the year 1860. That otherwise said Negroes will have to be hired out, at greatly reduced prices the season of the year considered, but some of said Negroes are children and would in such event be liable to mistreatment or neglect, to the great detriment of said heirs and distributee's, that petitioner can best promote the interest of said heirs, by keeping the said Negroes together, for that in the event of the hiring of said Slaves, the farm must greatly depreciate its value. The premises considered petitioner prays the Court that he may be authorized to keep together said Negroes and make a crop and that for the purposes of provision and farming interests of every description may be subject to the order and discretion of your petitioner and that he may incur such reasonable expenses as may be necessary to the accomplishment of this purpose herein specified. And petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray..."
In the years subsequent to 1860, Narcisly petitioned the Court to allow her to rent out the Negro slaves in order to generate income. I (JPC) can only assume that Narcisly and her new husband, John L. Bell, possessed other slaves and did not need the original slaves for the purpose of planting and harvesting their crops. In any event, the petitions read something like this:
"...it will be to the interest of said wards (the minor children of John Childress) to hire out the Negroes of her wards at public, hiring to wit, Hiram, Frank, Melvin and one child, Kate and one child, Milton and Eliza. The premises considered, your petitioner prays..."
The final accounting for the estate of John Childress was on or about February 15, 1862. The auditors appointed by the Court agreed that all the bills were properly accounted for, and that the final value of the estate was $14,017. Edmond received the court-approved three percent of the total, or $471 for his commission on the appraised value of the estate. After deducting the amount of disbursements, there remained a total of $1,805.95 (the slaves were not sold, but were rather distributed to the heirs of John Childress). Thus, each of the eight heirs (seven surviving children and widow Narcisly) received about $225 each."
-- MERGED NOTE ------------
John Childress died intestate in the latter part of December, 1859. Numerous court documents researched by Paul Hogue in Winston County, Mississippi were provided to this writer (JPC). A look through the papers provides a fascinating insight into the proceedings of the court system during the mid 19th century. Since John Childress left no will, the Court appointed an administrator to fairly administer the distribution of the assets of the estate. Edmond Childress, brother of the deceased, applied to the Court for this position, with the backing of the widow Narcisly, and he was duly appointed.
From the date of John's death in late 1859, the court leaves a paper trail of about three years, finally concluding in December, 1862. During that time, Edmond Childress appeared in court many times, and for these efforts, he received a fee equal to three percent of the total value of the estate. The first recorded petition by Edmond in the John Childress estate settlement issue is March 11, 1860, in which he erroneously cites the death of John as occurring "about the 10th of January, 1860." In this petition (page 59 & 60), the widow of John, Narcisly (nee Barron), requested Edmond to serve as administrator. The estate of John was stated to have a "small estate consisting of a tract of land" and a personal estate consisting of "Negro slaves, a lot of horses and mules, hogs, and cattle, corn and fodder.." all of which totalled up to about $14,000, plus the real estate.
On March 15, 1860, Edmond petitioned the Court to allow the Administrator to use the estate's slaves to conduct the business of the estate. This petition read in part as follows:
"...represents to your Honor that it will be greatly to the interest of all persons interested in said estate, to keep together the Negroes belonging to said estate, and cultivate the plantation with said Negroes for the balance of the year 1860. That otherwise said Negroes will have to be hired out, at greatly reduced prices the season of the year considered, but some of said Negroes are children and would in such event be liable to mistreatment or neglect, to the great detriment of said heirs and distributees, that petitioner can best promote the interest of said heirs, by keeping the said Negroes together, for that in the event of the hiring of said Slaves, the farm must greatly depreciate its value. The premises considered petitioner prays the Court that he may be authorized to keep together said Negroes and make a crop and that for the purposes of provision and farming interests of every description may be subject to the order and discretion of your petitioner and that he may incur such reasonable expenses as may be necessary to the accomplishment of this purpose herein specified. And petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray..."
In the years subsequent to 1860, Narcisly petitioned the Court to allow her to rent out the Negro slaves in order to generate income. I (JPC) can only assume that Narcisly and her new husband, John L. Bell, possessed other slaves and did not need the original slaves for the purpose of planting and harvesting their crops. In any event, the petitions read something like this:
"...it will be to the interest of said wards (the minor children of John Childress) to hire out the Negroes of her wards at public, hiring to wit, Hiram, Frank, Melvina and one child, Kate and one child, Milton and Eliza. The premises considered, your petitioner prays..."
The final accounting for the estate of John Childress was on or about February 15, 1862. The auditors appointed by the Court agreed that all the bills were properly accounted for, and that the final value of the estate was $14,017. Edmond received the court-approved three percent of the total, or $471 for his commission on the appraised value of the estate. After deducting the amount of disbursements, there remained a total of $1,805.95 (the slaves were not sold, but were rather distributed to the heirs of John Childress). Thus, each of the eight heirs (seven surviving children and widow Narcisly) received about $225 each.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1816 | Alabama, United States |  | ||
| Marriage | Abt 1843 | Choctaw, Mississippi, United States - Narcissa Barron | |||
| Residence | 1850 | Winston, Mississippi, United States | | ||
| Death | 1859 | Winston, Mississippi, United States | |
Families
| Spouse | Narcissa Barron (1822 - ) |
| Child | Albert G CHILDRESS (1843 - ) |
| Child | Obediah CHILDRESS (1846 - 1936) |
| Child | Ezekial CHILDRESS (1847 - 1901) |
| Child | Alexander CHILDRESS (1848 - 1860) |
| Child | Sarah Sally CHILDRESS (1849 - ) |
| Child | Mary Olpha CHILDRESS (1849 - ) |
| Child | William Obed CHILDRESS (1852 - 1880) |
| Child | John Thomas CHILDRESS (1856 - 1935) |
| Father | Obediah CHILDRESS (1792 - 1852) |
| Mother | Sarah Selah Celia Ayres (1794 - 1867) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth CHILDRESS (1816 - 1882) |
| Sibling | William Carter CHILDRESS (1816 - 1893) |
| Sibling | Obediah CHILDRESS (1825 - 1878) |
| Sibling | Edmond CHILDRESS (1827 - 1904) |
| Sibling | Minerva CHILDRESS (1830 - 1904) |
| Sibling | Mary Jane CHILDRESS (1832 - 1906) |
| Sibling | Eliza/Elvira CHILDRESS (1835 - ) |
Endnotes
1. Childress/Mathis Family Tree: GEDCOM file submitted by Childress/Mathis Family Tree by J. Patrick Childress as recorded on RootsWeb.com. Contact: J. Patrick Childress at: londonwildcat@@earthlink.net. Last updated 5/17/2010. Imported on 5 June 2010..
2. Ancestry.com, 1850 United States Federal Census (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives an, Roll M432_382; Page: 323B; Image: 659.
3. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 - Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data: This unique collection of records was extr.
4. Ancestry.com, 1850 United States Federal Census (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives an, Roll M432_382; Page: 323B; Image: 659.
5. Childress/Mathis Family Tree: GEDCOM file submitted by Childress/Mathis Family Tree by J. Patrick Childress as recorded on RootsWeb.com. Contact: J. Patrick Childress at: londonwildcat@@earthlink.net. Last updated 5/17/2010. Imported on 5 June 2010..
6. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 - Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data: This unique collection of records was extr.