In 1843, at his residence in Shelby County, Alabama, Simmeon Henderson died, stipulating in his will that his widow, Sarah Henderson, should enjoy his property "during her natural life" and at her death it should be divided among Simmeon's brothers and sisters or as Sarah "thought proper." The property consisted of horses, cattle, hogs, household and kitchen furniture, thirteen acres of land near the Coosa River, and two slaves, Sally and Matilda, both about fourteen years old. After the probating of the will, the administrator of the estate, John Singleton, sold the two slaves to the widow for eight hundred dollars, and married her around that time. Simmeon Henderson's siblings now claim this was done to deny them their share of the property. When Sarah died childless in 1847, the slaves went to John Singleton by virtue of his marital rights. John Singleton dies in 1854. In his will, he bequeathed the slaves, who now include Sally and her two children, ages eight and twelve, valued at $3,000, and Matilda and her three children, age six and twin infants, worth $2,500, to his son, William, and minor daughter, Sarah. In 1856, Simmeon Henderson's siblings file a suit in chancery seeking "their proportionate share" of the slave property.
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Repository: Shelby County Archives, Columbiana, Alabama
