Sample Sidebar Module

This is a sample module published to the sidebar_top position, using the -sidebar module class suffix. There is also a sidebar_bottom position below the menu.

Sample Sidebar Module

This is a sample module published to the sidebar_bottom position, using the -sidebar module class suffix. There is also a sidebar_top position below the search.
Research Assistance

Accounting of the Sale of Personal Property of the Estate of John Smith, Sr.

Held 30 August 1793 in Jefferson County

Transcribed in 1995 by Bettie Jo Harrison Moore from the original document on file at the Jefferson County Courthouse.  Introduction written by Mrs. Moore.


Introduction

People researching their ancestors find a wealth of information in the records of county courthouses.  Jefferson County is fortunate to have most of its records intact from the time the county was formed in 1792.

If you are trying to locate pre-statehood Tennessee residents and/or are documenting them for inclusion in the "First Families of Tennessee" project of the East Tennessee Historical Society, you would be interested in documents such as the estate settlement for John Smith, Senior, Deceased, whose possessions were sold on August 30, 1793.  This record is found in Will Book 1, pp. 196-202, in the Jefferson County Court House in Dandridge, Tennessee.

What kind of information is found in this document?

  • The names of white and African-American residents of Jefferson County.
  • The names of possible family relatives among the purchasers of the possessions (Gideon, William, Samuel, John Smith; Samuel Smith, administrator).
  • The names of neighbors and friends living in the area.
  • The kinds of animals kept on the farms.
  • The kinds of tools used on the farms (including two stills).
  • The kinds of household furnishings (six spinning wheels -- to spin the wool from 40 sheep).
  • The kinds of cooking and eating utensils.
  • The conversion of Virginia currency from pounds-shillings-pence to dollars.
  • The cost of a coffin.
  • The value of land.
  • Legal fees and estate expenses.

In the 1990's era of conspicuous consumption, how many people can put their personal possessions in one small chest and one small trunk?  In 1995, we make a telephone call to inform people living in another area of the death of a family member.  We do not have to pay someone to travel to deliver this sad message.

Were Your Ancestors Here?



Jefferson County, TN
Will Book 1, pages 196-202
November, 1794
Samuel Smith Administrator

An Inventory of the Estate of John Smith senr. Decd.

58 Negroes, named as follows:

Mingo, Jinny, Lethy, Agnes, Nat, Mourning, Rachel, Nathan Molley, David, Charity, Solomon, Thomas Brig, Lucy, Lydia, Aaron, Jordon, Mary, Haywood, Sal, Dilley, Matthew, Jesse, Isaac Winney, Elias, Luke, Nathan, Delilah, Sally Elisha, Ezekiel, Rose, Shade, Daniel, Phillis Pompey, Ned (old) Tom, Henry, Tamer, Jinny Ellick, Frank, Jim, Hardy, Jerry, Jimmy, Peter, Suckey, Jacob, Tiner, David Anthony Black Minta, Yellow Minta, Clary.

7 Horses, 54 Head Cattle, 40 Sheep, 6 plough hoes, 11 Weeding hoes, 2 Grubbing hoes, 5 Axes, 6 Iron pots, 2 Dutch Ovens, 6 spinning wheels, 3 p. pot hooks, 2 Razors, 2 Chissils, 1 auger, 1 Drawing knife, 1 Hackle, 1 p. fire Tongs, 1 Broken whip saw, 1 Cross Cut Do, 1 Pewter dish, 2 Plates, 1 Bason 1 Feather Bed and furniture, 1 Small chest, 1 Small Trunk, 1/2 Bushell Measure 1 Water Pail, 2 Stills, 1 large brass Kettle, 1 Broad Ax, 1 Iron square, 1 p. compasses, 1 p. Iron wedges

Cash VC Lb. 65..9..8
Thos. Jarnagin's Bond   80.._ _
Dittos Bond to be discharged with horses at their valuation   30.._.._


An Accot. of the sale of the Estate of John Smith Senr. decd.
August 30th 1793

["Do" = "Ditto"] Doll.
2 Cows and Calves James Berry 14.
3 Cows and Calves John Gordon 25.
2 Cows and Calves Josiah Jackson 12-1/2
2 Cows and Calves David Campbell 18
2 Cows and Calves Gideon Smith 16
2 Cows and Calves John Cox 15
2 Cows and Calves William Bailey 13-1/2
11 Head of Cattle Gideon Smith 51-1/2
12 Head of Cattle Gideon Smith 51
12 head Sheep William Smith 13-1/2
9 Do Do Do Do 12
12 Do Do Do Do 18-1/2
1 Lot plantation Tools Gideon Smith 4-1/6
1 Cross cut saw Do Do 3-1/2
1 Lot plantation Tools Wm Smith 4-1/2
1 DoDo Isaac Cloud 2-1/6
1 DoDo Charles Hodges 2-1/6
1 DoDo Gideon Smith 2-1/2
1 Hackle p. sheep shears Wm Parks 3
1 Whip saw Harman Cox 3-1/2
1 Broad Ax Wm Parks 2-2/3
1 lot Plantation Tools Do Do 2-1/2
1 lot DoDo Mark Carter 1-1/2
1 Club Ax Hardy Bryan 1
1 Lot Plantation Tools Mark Carter 2-1/6
1 Small pot Benj Bryan 2-1/6
1 Dutch Oven Hardy Bryan 1-2/3
1 Large Pot John Horner 4
Page 2
1 Small pot Wm Lines 1-1/6
1 Do Do John Horner 1-1/6
1 Do Do Robert M Farland 1-2/3
1 Pot. Dish and plate Jno Bryan 1-1/3
1 large brass Kettle Gideon Smith 20
1 Flax wheel Robert M Farland 1/2
1 Do Do Wm Lyons 1-3/4
3 Do Do John Bryan 2/3
1 Wool wheel Enoch Morriset 1/6
1 Chest & padlock James Roddye 1-3/4
4 Cow hides Spencer Hainey 6-5/6
1 Still, Cap Horin? Charles Hodges 56
1 Still William Smith 17
1 Feather Bed etc Gideon Smith 16-1/2
2 Razors Wm Bailey 1/3
1 Drawing knife, 1 p. compasses, 1 Iron square Eleoner Lee 3/4
1 Waggon Wm Parks 22
1 Horse Hardy Bryan 45-1/2
1 Do Joseph Dameron 9
1 Do Wm Smith 60-1/2
1 Mare Mark Carter 15
1 Horse Jno Hinton 50
1 Do Josiah Jackson 52-1/2
1 Mare Mark Carter 10
2 Small Negroes Tiner & Jacob Saml Smith 107
2 Do Peter & Jim Thos Jarnagin 350
2 Negroes Jimmy & Hardy Saml Smith 140
1 Do Tamer Hardy Bryan 301
2 Do Frank & Ellick Do Do 302
1 Do Jin Do Do 285
4 Do Delilah, Rose, Shade & Daniel Isaac Williams 481
3 Do Sal, Elijah & Ezekiel Do Do 425
1 Do Nathan Do Do 236
1 Do Old Tom Saml Smith 121
1 Do Pompey Shadk Inman 306-1/6
1 Do Henry Thos Jarnagin 55-1/2
1 Do Suckey Saml Smith 155
1 Do Old Phillis Gideon Smith 62
4 Do Daniel, Charity, Solomon, Thomas John Smith 741
1 Do Clary John Galbreath 254
4 Do Mingo, Jinney, Nathan & Molley Benj Bryan 500
2 Do Mourning & Rachel Do Do 196
1 Do Nat Hardy Brian 300
1 Do Ned Joseph Hamilton 320
1 Do David Wm Smith 320
3 Do Haywood, Sal & Luke Robt Mfarland [sic] 300
2 Do Delilah & Elias Wm Smith 406
2 Do Isaac & Minney Hardy Bryan 350
2 Do Letha & Agnes Do Do 602
Do (Yellow) Aminta Benjn Bryan 230
2 Do Matthew & Jesse Benjn Bryan 600
1 Do Jerry Gideon Smith 65
1 Do Lydia Jane Felps 176
Page 3
5 Do Brig, Lucy, Aaron, Jordon & Mary Gideon Smith 673
1 Horse Benjn Bryan 55-1/6
1 Do Saml Smith 18-1/6
1 Stear 4 years old John Horner 10-1/6
1 Grind stone, 1/2 Bushell pail Wm Smith 1-1/2

500 Acres of land whereon the Decd. formerly lived, Valued by Jas. Roddye, Alexr. Outlaw and James Lea Esqrs. to Two Hundred pounds Virginia Currency.

A just & true Accot. of the sale of the Decd. Estate.
Saml. Smith Admr.
E. Excepted

R M Farland Shff
J Hinton CCk

Dr. Saml. Smith Admr. of John Smith senr Decd

  Lb. Doll. Cents
To Cash in possession of said Smith at his decease 65..10..4 218.38-1/3
Amount of the sale of said Estate   9642.75
    9861.13-1/3

With the Estate of John Smith senr. decd.

  Cr.
By cash paid Wm Cocke Lb. 21...2..2
Paid Sheriff for tax as pr. rect. 3...0..0
Do Do as pr. rect. 1..11..6
John Kirkpatrick as pr. Do 2..10..0
Patrick Nenney as pr. Do 1..11..2
Paid Wm Cocke as pr. rect. 55..15..1
Paid Anne Smith as pr. rect. 1..16..0
Paid Jesse Riggs as pr. rect. 0..12..0
Paid Wm Parks as pr. Do 4...7..6
Paid Rangers fees as pr. Do 3..9
Paid Do Do 4..10..0
Paid John Allen for coffin 1...0..0
Pd James Carter for bringing tidings of Smiths Death 2...8..0
For ferriage collecting cattle 2..3
Pd Overseer of Road 12..0
Pd Mark Carter for riding to Knoxville for a Dedimus 18..0
To Clerk of Jefferson Court for Expences of Administration 12..0
To Colo. Outlaw Atty 6...0..0
Lb.108..11..5
Equal $361.90
To John Rhea atty as pr. Acct. 37.50
To A. Roan atto as pr. Acct. 55.
Sheriffs Commissions on the sale of said Estate 241.06
By Judgment and costs in a suit James Galbreath vs Saml Smith adr. 215.61
By Do Do in a suit brought by William Smith Admr. 506.55-1/2
By cash paid Thomas Garnain 43.33-1/3

Page 4
Allowance to the Administrator for transacting the business of sd. Estate 247.
  1243.55-5/6

We Garrett Fitzgerald and Jonah Jackson appointed by the Court of Jefferson County to examine the Accounts of Samuel Smith administrator of John Smith senr. decd.
Do report that on Examining said Accounts it appears that the whole amount of said Estate that has come to hands of said Admr. is 9861 Dollars and 13-1/2 Cents and that the said Administrator is intitled to the foregoing Credits amounting to 1213.55-1/2

  Doll Cents
And that this balance is due from said Administrator Novr. 4th 1784. 9861.13-1/3
1213.55-1/2
8647.57-3/4
Saml. Smith to said Estate Dr. by overcharge of Mark Carter 3 Dollars 3          
  8650.57-3/4

Garret Fitzgerald
Josiah Jackson

This account was allowed at November 1794

J Hamilton CJC
-------"--------

Tell a Friend!

Click the link below to share this site with your friends. A new window will open. (We don't collect e-mail addresses.)
For custom maps, graphics, self-publishing, and more ~~
For books, publications, and media ~~

Copyright Information

Unless otherwise indicated, all content and images contained in this domain path [jefferson.tngenealogy.net] are copyrighted exclusively to Billie R. McNamara.  All international rights reserved. All material donated by others or located on-line is identified, and copyright in those items is vested in the owner(s).  No copyright infringement is intended by the inclusion of Web-available information on this site for the benefit of researchers.

Neither the Webmistress nor the TNGenWeb Project is responsible for the availability or content of any external Web sites or pages linked from this site.  All links are provided for information purposes only.