Mary Waters Schoppert seeks her "distributive share" of the proceeds from the sale of three slaves belonging to the estate of the late Robert Gillam. She states that said Gillam bequeathed three slaves to his wife Elizabeth "during her natural life and at her death to be sold ... and equally divided between [his] two sons William and James or their heirs, and the surviving children of Philemon B Waters decd." Schoppert relates that said Elizabeth died in 1851 and that James Gillam, as executor of said estate, "has taken possession of the said slaves and thier increase, and sold them in pursuance of the directions of the said will and the proceeds thereof yet remain in his hands." Asserting that she has "frequently applied to the said James Gillam ... to come to a full and true account with your oratrix for her share of the proceeds of the said negroes and pay over the same to her and her husband," the petitioner charges that said Gillam "refuses to comply pretending that it is necessary for him to have and obtain the construction and direction of this Court" as to her share. She therefore prays that "your Honors may construe the will of the said Robert Gillam and order and direct the manner in which the proceeds of said negroes shall be distributed." She further requests that her share be "settled to her sole and separate use and some fit person appointed her trustee to receive the same."
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
