Richard Wood seeks his share of the estate bequeathed to him by his maternal grandfather, William Davis. In his 1821 will, Davis devised to the children of his daughter, Sally Wood, "the following named property to wit one negro fellow named Bob and one girl named Hannah together with the increase of the Said Hannah." After Sally died, the petitioner's father, Joseph Wood, obtained possession of the slaves bequeathed to her children. Since Davis's death, Hannah has had three little boys, the oldest of whom is eight. Wood estimates the annual hiring proceeds of these slaves to be between three and four hundred dollars. And he charges that his father has used funds from the estate to buy another slave named Hannah and her two children, Bill and Milly. He has also traded Bob for another slave named Joe. Since her purchase, Milly "has had three children the oldest being as he believes some five years old." Richard sought a settlement share of $3,116 from Wood and the estate executors, but they countered with $500, a sum he deems unacceptable. Thus he petitions the court to divide up the estate, selling the slaves if necessary, so that he may have his rightful portion.
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Shelby County Archives, Columbiana, Alabama
