ESTATES: MOSES SKAGGS HEIRS, ESTATE CASE # 3871, GREEN CO., KY, 1836 Part 2 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lula (Hankins) Hunter hunter@pixie.com and Jemima Gee Morse morse@shentel.net ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** The answer of William Skaggs Senr to a Bill filed in chancery by A & J Lewis against him and others in the Green Circuit Court who for answer say, he is is a son and heir at law of Jacob Skaggs, deceased a brother of Moses Skaggs deceased and that he is willing for a decree to be entered in favour of said A & J Lewis for that portion of said Moses Skaggs Estate that may be coming to this deft at the present term of the said Court and having fully answered he prays, to be dismissed &c. /s/ William Skaggs ---------------------------------------------------------------- Messrs. Charles Blevins, William Cavin, James T. Carter, John Meers, William Coakley, James Meers, and Robert Scott, Take notice, that on the 27 of ( ) day of this month at the house of William Skaggs, on Alecks fork of Pitmans Creek, we shall proceed to take the depositions of Frances Samples, William Ratliff and others to be read as evidence on the trial of a suit in chancery now pending in the Green Circuit Court wherein we are Complainants and yourselves and others are defendants. If we do not finish on that day we will continue from day to day until all are finished. April the 18th 1836. /s/ Aaron Lewis /s/ Jeremiah Lewis Page 11 _____________________________________________________________________________ The Commonwealth of Kentucky to any two Justices of the Peace of the state of Virginia Greeting Know ye that we trusting to your fidelity and provident circumspection in diligently taking the deposition of Moses Hankins, Joseph White, Mathias Harman, James Harman, Joseph Hankins, Bird Lockhart, Abel Hankins, William White, John White, James White and Shadrack White. As well On the part of Aaron & Jeremiah Lewis Complainants as Charles Blevins and William Cavins (admr. of the Estate of Moses Skaggs Decd) defendants in a certain suit in Chancery depending in the Greene Circuit Court - we command you that at such time and place as the parties may direct you cause the witnesses aforesaid to come before you and their depositons, On Oath take and send and certify to Our Circuit Court aforesaid at the Courthouse in Greensburg On the first day of August Term next enclosed to gether with this writ Witness John Barret Clerk of Our said Court at the Clerks Office this 18th day of July 1836 and 45th year of the Commonwealth. /s/ John Barret Clk Page 12 ______________________________________________________________________________ The depositon of William Ratliff taken at the house of William Skaggs, on Aleck fork of Pitmans Creek pursuant to notice on the 27th of April 1836, to be read in evidence on the trial of a suit in Chancery now pending in the Green Circuit Court, in which Aaron and Jeremiah Lewis are complainants and William Cavin, Charles Blevins, and others are defendants. The deponent being of lawful age and first duly sworn deposeth and says I was acquainted with Moses Skaggs of Green County, Kentucky. He had four sisters towit Susanah, who married one Richard Whit, Lydia, who married Matthias Harman, Betty (Elizabeth) who married John Han- kins, and Nancy who married William Meridy. I was acquainted with all of them in the State of Virginia, and quite intimate with them. Question by Complainants: Have Moses Skaggs or not one brother by the name of John Skaggs. Answer: Yes he had. Question of same: Have or have not the sisters above named the only sisters, which Moses Skaggs had. Answer: Yes they were all that I know of. Page 13 _____________________________________________________________________________ Question of same: State if you can when Moses Skaggs died and where he lived at the time of his death. Answer: I can not say certainly when he died, but think it has been about forty years. He died at his house in Green County. Question by same: Did or did not sd Moses Skaggs have at his death any children. Answer: He never had any children that I know of. He had none I know when he died. Question by same: Did or did not Richard Whit & wife, Matthias Harman & wife, and John Hankins and wife live in the State of Virginia. Answer: They did. Question by Defendant: Are you acquainted with the Children of John Hankins, Hezekiah Whit & Matthias Harman. Answer: None but the Children of Hankins and one of Whit. Question by same: State how long it has been since you was acquainted with the above named Children. Answer: About thirty years. Page 14 _____________________________________________________________________________ Question by same: Was you acquainted with the sisters of Moses Skaggs previous to their marriage. Answer: Yes I was. Question by same: Was you acquainted with the brothers of Moses Skaggs, if so name them. I was acquainted with Henry, James, Charles, John, Richard & Jacob, these were all the brothers of William Skaggs [Moses Skaggs?] Question by same: Did you know them in Kentucky and did they not all raise large families. Answer: Yes I believe they did. Question by same: Was you acquainted with the children of the above named persons. Answer: I was acquainted with some of them Rachel Blevins, Archabal Skaggs, Thomas Skaggs, William Skaggs, these are Charles Skaggs children. Question by same: Was you acquainted with Henry Skaggs children & how many of them Answer: I was acquainted Lucy Stacy, Mary Combs & James Skaggs & Silvey Roark. Question by same: Was you acquainted with the children of James Skaggs I was acquainted with William Skaggs & Rachel Etherton the children of James Skaggs. Page 15 _____________________________________________________________________________ Question by same: Was you acquainted with Richard Skaggs children. Answer: I knew Henry Skaggs. Question: Did all the children of the above named persons live in the state of Kentucky & the County Green. Answer: I believe they did. Question of Complainants: Were you or not acquainted with the children of Jacob Skaggs. Answer: He had one son by the name of William Skaggs who is now living in Green County. And further this deponent says no. /s/ William (x) Ratliff (his mark) Also in deposition of Frances Samples, taken at the same time and place and for the same purpose. This deponent being of lawful age and first duly sworn says. Question of Complainant: Were you or not acquainted with Moses Skaggs, who died in Green County about forty years since. Answer: I was. Question of same: How many sisters had by and when did they marry. Answer: He had four sisters only, to wit Susana married Richard Whit, Lydia married Page 16 _____________________________________________________________________________ Matthias Harman, Elizabeth married John Hankins, and Nancy who married Meridy. Question by same: Did they or not live in the State of Virginia when you knew them. Answer: I think it was. Question by same: Had or not Moses Skaggs also some brothers, and if so name them. Answer: I think he had six brothers towit. Henry, John, James, Charles, Richard, Jacob. These were all that I ever knew and believe he ever had. Question by same: Did or did not Moses Skaggs ever have any children. Answer: No, he never had any that I ever knew and I was intimately acquainted with him. Question of same: Was or not the wife of sd Moses Skaggs named Elizabeth, and did she not survive him. Answer: Yes, that was her name, and she did survive him many years & she has been dead not a long while. Question by same: Have or not you and Jacob Skaggs Page 17 _____________________________________________________________________________ brother of sd Moses lawfully married with. Answer: We were, and lived together many years as man & wife. Question by same: How many children had you and what are their names. Answer: We had but one, and he is named William and is now living in this County. Question by Defendants: Do you consider yourself the widow of Jacob Skaggs deceasd. Answer: I do. Question by same: Do or do you not consider yourself interested in the estate of Moses Skaggs Decd [either for yourself or your son William] marked thru. Answer: I do not know that I do. Question by same: Do you or do you not consider yourself interested in sd Estate for your son William. Answer: I do not and further this deponant sayeth not. /s/ Frances (x) Samples (her mark) Also the deposition of John Spratt taken at the same time and place for the same purpose. The deponent being of lawful age and first duly sworn days. Question by Complainants: Are you or not Page 18 _____________________________________________________________________________ acquainted with the tract of land on which old Moses Skaggs lived and died in Green. Answer: I am acquainted with the land on which I have been informed sd Moses lived and died. Question by same: State if William Jones who was Admr of the estate of sd Moses did or not live on, and rent out a tract of land for many years previous to his death. Answer: He lived on and cultivated it for two or three years & I do not know whether he ever rented it out. Question by same: State what the plantation was worth rent, per year at the time Jones occupied it. Answer: I should think the plantation at the time he had it was worth at the least one hundred dollars per year on an average. Question by same: Do you or do you not know that sd Jones had this following slave towit, Rachel, Lydia & Matilda, which belonged to the estate of sd Moses in his possession as Admr. for same years before his death and that he appropriated their labor to his use. Answer: He had for two or three years Page 19 _____________________________________________________________________________ Question by same: State what each of those negro Women were worth hire, per year during the time he had them. Answer: I think they were worth twenty five a piece I would have been willing to have given that. Question by same: Do you or not know that since the death of sd William Jones William Caven and Charles Blevins, have had access to sd slaves in possession as Admrs. of sd Moses Skaggs and that they have been enjoying the benifit of their labours. Answer: They have. Question by same: Would you or not suppose be of the opinion that they were worth as much per year since Cavin & Blevins have had them in possession, as they were when Jones had them. Answer: Yes. Question by same: Do you or not know that since the death of sd Jones, sd Cavin and Blevin have been renting out the land above spoken of and was or not the land during the time they have been renting it worth at the least one hundred and thirty dollars per year. Answer: They have been renting it out and I think it was worth one hundred and thirty per year. Page 20 _____________________________________________________________________________