Sarah A. Burns seeks to sell her late husband's property. Burns is the widow of the late John Burns and the mother of his three minor heirs, Christiana, James, and Mary. By her husband's will, the petitioner is entitled to a house and lot in Petersburg. In addition, she and her children "are jointly possessed of 14 negroes which though very valuable are yet unproductive most of said slaves being very young & Hire for but little." Burns has lived by the "kindness of a Friend" and has "until now, been able comfortably to support herself & children." However, she confesses that "since these troublesome times have come upon the country & prices of all the necessaries of life, have increased to such a point, that she is really unable to support herself & orphan children unless she is permitted to sell some portion of the Estate jointly owned by them." Therefore, Burns prays that her children be made defendants to this bill and that the court order a sale of the house in Petersburg "for the purpose of assisting in the maintenance & Education of herself & children."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Petersburg, Virginia
