Richland Parish, La., Loose Succession Records File #187 Succession of Mrs. Emily C. Choate Submitted for the USGenWeb Archives by Shawn Martin,06/17/2004 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm **********************************************      TO THE HONORABLE JNO. R. MCINTOSH, JUDGE OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT IN AND FOR THE PARISH OF RICHLAND, STATE OF LOUISIANA.      THE PEITION OF Mrs. Emily Jones (nee Choate), wife of Rufus L. Jones, and the petition of Rufus L. Jones, to aid, authorize and assist his said wife, residents of your said Parish and State, with due respect represents:                                         I.      That Mrs. Emily C. Choate (nee Austin), wife of William Thomas Choate, died in your said Parish and State on December 6th, 1904 intestate, leaving as her sole and only heirs your petitioner and Mrs. Nellie Swaggart (nee Choate).                                         II.      Your petitioner avers that the said succession of the said Mrs. Emily C. Choate has never been opened.  Your petitioner avers that the said Mrs. Emily C. Choate owned at the time of her death as her separate paraphernal property the S1/2 of the NE1/4 Section 25, Township 15 North Range 5 East, located in your said Parish and State, and that she owned at the time of her death, two horses worth about One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars each, and two head of cattle, worth about Twenty Five ($25.00) Dollars each.  Your petitioner avers that the said hereinabove described real estate is worth more than One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars and less than Two Thousand ($2000.00) Dollars.                                         III.      Petitioner avers that the said real and personal property has borne its just proportion of taxation and that the total value of the said estate being less than Ten Thousand ($10,000.00) Dollars, and being inherited by decedent's children, this succession owes no inheritance tax.  Petitioner avers that the said succession owes no debts. Petitioner avers that she has purchased from her co-heir, all the right, title and interest of such co-heir in and to the hereinabove described real estate.                                          IV.      Petitioner avers that the said William Thomas Choate, husband of the said Emily C. Choate, Deceased, is still living, and that the said William Thomas Choate and his said wife were not separate in property.  Petitioner avers that the said Mrs. Emily C. Choate (nee Austin), inherited the S1/2 of SW1/4 Section 35, and the SE1/4 of SE1/4 Section 34, Township 14 North Range 6 East, and that she traded or exchanged the said property which she inherited as aforesaid for the real estate that she owned at the time of her death, and that therefore said real estate was her separate paraphernal property.      Wherefore petitioner prays that M. A. Cooper, sheriff and Ex-Officio Tax Collector of the Parish of Richland, may be made a party hereto, and that he be ordered to show cause, if any he has, or can, why this succession should not be relieved from the payment of any inheritance tax.      Further prays that upon final trial hereof petitioner and her sister, the said Mrs. Nellie Swaggart, (nee Choate) may be recognized as the sole and only heirs of the said Mrs. Emily C. Choate, Deceased, and as such sent into possession of all the property real and personal, owned by her at the time of her death.      Further prays for all necessary orders for costs and general relief. George Wesley Smith Attorney for Petitioner State of Louisiana Parish of Richland      PERSONALLY CAME and appeared before me Geo. Wesley Smith who being duly sworn deposes and says:      That he is the attorney for Mrs. Emily Jones, and that to the best of his information knowledge and belief, all of the facts and allegations contained in the above and foregoing petition are true. George Wesley Smith Sworn to and subscribed before me this 22 day of Oct., A.D. 1919. N. J. McConnell Clerk, 7th Judicial District Court No. 187 Succession of Mrs. Emily C. Choate Affidavit of R. L. Jones, Jr. Filed Oct 22nd 1919 N. J. McConnell, Clerk Duly recorded in Probate Book G, folio 98: This 22 day of May A.D. 1920 Clerk 7th District Court In Matter of Succession of Mrs. Emily C. Choat.      Rufus L. Jones, Jr., do duly sworn desposes and says; Mrs. Emily C. Choat died in Richland Parish, Dec. 6, 1904, intestate; she left as her sole and only heirs Mrs. Nellie Swaggart, and Mrs. Emily Jones, wife of affiant; she owned at the time of her death the S1/2 of NE1/4 Sec. 25 T 15 N R 5 E, and two head of horses and two head of cattle; the entire property left by her was worth at the time of her death less than $2,000.00; she owed no debts. R. L. Jones      Subscribed and sworn before me this 18th day of October 1919. N. J. McConnell Clerk, 7th District Court No. 187 Succession of Mrs. Emily C. Choate Auo. Of M. A. Cooper, Sheriff Filed Oct 22nd 1919 N. J. McConnell, Clerk Duly recorded in Probate Book G; folio 98 This 22nd day of May, A.D. 1920 Clerk, 7th District Court IN THE MATTER OF THE SUCCESSION OF EMILY C. CHOATES DECEASED State of Louisiana Parish of Richland Seventh Judicial District Court      Now into Court comes Mark A. Cooper, Sheriff and Ex-Officio Tax Collector for the Parish of Richland, and generally denies all of the allegations contained in plaintiff's petition, and demands strict proof.      Wherefore, he prays for such judgment as the facts and the law may warrant. Mark A. Cooper Sheriff & Ex-Officio Tax Collector In the Matter of the Succession of Mrs. Emily C. Choat, Deceased Seventh Judicial District Court Richland Parish State of Louisiana No. 187      This matter having come on for trial after answer filed by M. a. Cooper, Sheriff and Ex-Officio Tax Collector of Richland Parish, Louisiana, the case having been regularly taken up on open Court and the law and the evidence being in favor of said succession, therefore,      IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that Mrs. Nellie Swaggart, nee Choat, and Mrs. Emily Jones, nee Choate, wife of Rufus L. Jones, Jr., be and they are hereby recognized and decreed to be the sole and only heirs of Mrs. Emily Choat, deceased and as such are sent into possession of all the estate owned by her at the time of her death, both real and personal, and particularly the S1/2 of the NE1/4 of Section 25, Township 15 North, Range 5 East.     IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that this succession owes no inheritance tax.     It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that all the cost of these proceedings be paid  by said succession.     Thus done, read and signed in open Court this the 23 day of October, A.D., 1919. Jno. R. McIntosh Judge Seventh District Court Richland Parish, Louisiana