Walter and Philemon Chew, heirs to the estate of Joseph Smith, who died on 19 July 1853, inform the court that Mary A. Smith, the widow of said Joseph, was appointed administratrix of his estate in 1854 and proceeded to sell forty-eight slaves to pay the debts of the estate. The petitioners charge that Mary sold the slaves to her brother, S. H. Stockett, for $10,785, one-third of their real value. They declare that Stockett then resold several slaves to a third party, including a slave boy named Briggle for $1,300; he later sold thirty-one slaves to Mary Brown, "the adopted daughter of the said Mary A Smith admix &c and niece of the said S. H. Stockett" for the sum of $13,000. The petitioners charge Mary Smith with the "intent to defraud your orators of their rights and interest as the heirs and distributors of said Estate." They beg the court to make Mary accountable for the loss of funds incurred by the "fraudulent" sale of the slaves.
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: Wilkinson County Courthouse, Woodville, Mississippi
