1855 Succession of Alexander Spears, Deceased, of Union Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Tana Morgan Date of Submission: October 2009 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ======================================================================================= ======================================================================================= 1855 Succession of Alexander Spears, Deceased, of Union Parish Louisiana Union Parish Louisiana Succession Book K, pp. 640 - 687 ======================================================================================= ======================================================================================= 13 November 1855 To the Honorable Judge of the 12th Judicial District Court In and for Union Parish State of Louisiana The petition of William L. Spears a resident of said Parish respectfully represents unto your Honor that Alexander Spears Late of said Parish Departed this life intestate on or about the 24th day of October last. Leaving a considerable amount of property consisting in an individual co-partnership interest in real estate, slaves, personal property, rights and credits owned by the firm of A & W.L. Spears of which the deceased and Petitioner were members. Petitioner represents that said A. Spears leaves five heirs to wit - Petitioner W.L. Spears, Mary Spears wife of Humphrey Ramsey resident of said Parish, Caroline Spears wife of Joseph B Mathews residing in the state of Texas, John R. Spears and Joab. B. Spears ??? Residents of this Parish Joab. B. Spears being a minor. Petitioner represents that the affairs of said Estate should be settled as soon as possible he therefore prays that an inventory & appraisement be made according to law that after due proceedings that he be appointed administrator of said Estate and for such other _____ orders as may be necessary. Regenburg & Essicks, attys State of Louisiana Parish of Union 12th District Court By reason of the Law and evidence in this matter it is ordered & decreed that the prayer of the within petitioner be granted and that W.L. Spears be & he is hereby appointed Administrator of the estate of Alexander Spears, Decd and that Letters of Administration be given to him upon his giving bond & taking the oath required by Law. Done & signed in the office this day 24th day of Nov AD 1855 C.T. Barton, Clk State of Louisiana Parish of Union 12th Judicial District Court Whereas William L. Spears has been appointed by the Honorable Judicial District Court in Page 641 for Union Parish state of Louisiana Administrator of the estate of Alexander Spears Decd and has given Bond & taken the oath required by Law. Now therefore the said William L. Spears is hereby authorized to do and perform all and singular ___ acts appertaining to said appraisement according to Law. Done & singed in the office this day 24th of Nov AD 1855 C.T. Barton, Clk State of Louisiana Parish of Union I William L. Spears do solemnly swear that I will faithfully & impartially do & perform all and singular duties incumbent on me as administrator of the Estate of Alexander Spears Decd according to the best of my abilities so help me God W. L. Spears Sworn & subscribed before me on this Day 24th day of November AD 1855 W.A. Darby, J.P. State of Louisiana Parish of Union Know all men by these presence that I William L. Spears as principle and William Culverhouse and Daniel Payne as his securities are held & presently bound unto Honorable R.W. Richardson Judge of the 12th District Court in & for said Parish & State. This succession in office in sum of Thirty Thousand Dollars For the payment of which will & truly be made we bind ourselves and legally representatives firmly by these presence jointly & in solid Date at Farmersville November 23rd 1855 The condition of the above obligation are such that whereas the above bounded William L. Spears has been appointed by the said court- administrator of the Estate of Alexander Spears Decd Now of said Wm. L. Spears will well and faithfully discharge his duties as such admr. And account for all property moneys & effects - that may come into his hands in said capacity & render an account to said court of his administration when so required then this obligation & bond to be null & void otherwise to be & remain in full force & effect according to law. Signed & delivered on the day & date above written W.L. Spears William Culverhouse Daniel Payne Lavy C. Larch Deputy Clk Approved C.T. Barton Clk Page 642 State of Louisiana Parish of Union Do you and each of you solemnly swear that you will faithfully & impartially appraise all property that may be presented to you belonging to the estate and succession of Alexander Spears Decd to the best of your Knowledge & judgment so help you God S.O. Lee B. F. Fuller Sworn to & subscribed before me on this the 21st day of November AD 1855 Wm. C. Smith, Recorder State of Louisiana Parish of Union Be it remembered that on this the 21 day of November AD Eight hundred and fifty five I Wm. C. Smith Recorder & in office Notary Public in & for the Parish of Union State of Louisiana duly commissioned & qualified in present of an order from the heirs the 12th Judicial District Court of Union Parish State of Louisiana Cause to come before me at the said residence of Alexander Spears Decd in the town of Spearsville Union Parish LA Starling C. Lee & Benj. F. Harrell men of Lawful age and residents of the Parish & State aforesaid for the purpose of appraising & making an inventory of the property & effects belonging to the estate and succession of Alex Spears Decd. After said appraisers being duly sworn by me the said recorder We proceed to make the following inventory and appraisement to wit 1st Good & wares found in the store being co-partnership property between Alex Spears & William L. Spears Page 642-661 Inventory of Stock and receipts due totaling $23,169.41 The above Inventory is all co-partnership property between Alex. Spears decd & Wm L. Spears We the appraisers & recorder have on this the 23rd day of Nov eight - hundred & fifty five ____ The above & foregoing inventory & appraisement. In testimony where of we have hereto signed our names in the presence of Joseph R. Goyne and A.L. Williams witnesses of Lawful age & domiciled in Union Parish State Page 662 Of Louisiana who have hereto subscribed their names on the day and date above written L.C. Lee B.F. Harrell Attest J.R. Goyne A.L. Williams W.C. Smith, recorder To the Honorable the Judge of the 12th Judicial District Court in & for the Parish of Union State of Louisiana The Petition of William L. Spears a resident of your said Parish & State and administrator of the Estate of Alexander Spears Decd Respectfully represents unto your Honorable court that their is a large amount of Personal property belonging to said Estate which should be sold as soon as it can be done legally. There is __ Slave Land & c belonging to said Estate which should be sold for the purpose of paying debts & partitioning the Estate The ______ consider your Petitioner prays for an order from your Honorable court for the sale of all the property belonging to said Estate real and personal movable immovable for general relief Regenburg & Essick, attys State of Louisiana Parish of Union 12th District Court By reason of the Law & Evidence in this matter it is ordered & decreed that all the property & effects comprising the Estate of Alexander Spears Decd / Except notes & accounts be sold at Public auction to the last and highest bidder on a credit of 12 months drawing Eight percent per annum interest from date until paid and that the purchased be required to give their notes with approved security with interest as aforesaid. And that a special mortgage be retained on the Land & slaves It is further ordered that W.L. Spears make said sale and do all acts necessary to profit the same. Done & signed in the office this 24th day of November 1855 C.T. Barton, Clk To the Honorable the Judge of the 12th Judicial District Court Parish of Union State of Louisiana William L. Spears administrator of the Estate of Alex Spears herewith respectfully files his final account by reference to which will appear that he has receiver into his hands Amount of sale of Real Estate ...........$2810.00 “ “ “ “ Personal.................$2111.77 “ notes & accounts Inventories..$17759. 93 Total charge.......................................$22687.00 Page 663 That he has paid out or otherwise entitled for the following credits Amount of vouchers (1-77) filed.................................$13517.02 And of accounts inventoried that has been paid..................$88.01 Amount of notes returned uncollected............................$2824.25 Amount of judgments and accounts not collected...........$2301.06 Amount of errors in inventory.........................................$1287.72 ......................................................................................$20078.08 Leaving a Balance of $2603.62 which amount is the property of A & W.L. Spears one half thereof ______ the Estate of Alex Spears to wit $1303 or which amount is due by the petitioner as Administrator. He prays that after due proceedings has his account be _______ & confirmed and then on settling this amount with the heirs his bond be canceled & for general relief. Regenburg & Essicks attys William L. Spears the administrator in opct (open court?) with the Estate of Alex Spears Decd credits himself with the following amount as per vouchers Pages 663-667 Wm. L Spears ½ of partnership .....credits and uncollected accounts and notes Total .....$2824.25 + “Praying for credit............” Amount of accounts standing .......1086.29 Judgments.........................................879.29 Judgment against J.? Wright...........400.00 State of Louisiana Parish of Union Best remembered that on this day of (blank) 185(blank) W.L. Spears admr. Of the Estate of Alexander Spears Decd by order of an order issued from the Honorable 12th District Court in & for said Parish & State Dated 24th Nov 1855 & directed to me and after having made the advertisement required by law I proceeded to offer for sale to the last and highest bidder all the property comprising said Estate except notes and accounts and credit of 12 months the purchaser to give their notes with approved security bearing eight percent - per annum Ints from the date of sale whereupon after duly proclaiming the terms of the sale at the sale residence of Alexander Spears. The following persons purchased the following land -Slave To wit: 1st the lost with the dwelling house situated in the southwest corner of section 31 Township 23 Range 2 west bounded by as follows commencing at the south west corner of said section running north 76 chains 22 links thence East 6 chains 25 links thence north 9 chains 16 links to the Farmerville Road thence along said tract to the southern line of said section thence west to the place of beginning along the said south line to the length of one side of five acres square was bid off by W.L. Spears for nine hundred dollars. 2nd William L. Spears purchased the Hendrick Tract of land being the East half of the southwest quarter of the west-half of the southeast quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter and the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter and the west half of the northwest of section 5 township 23 range 2 west excepting and reserving five acres square in the northwest corner of said section and also five acres of ground reserving one acre ____ along the East line of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of said section in all containing three hundred & fifty acres more or less with the improvements thereon for the sum of seven hundred and ten dollars. 3rd William L. Spears purchased the Lee tract being the north east quarter of the north east quarter of section 6 township 22 range 2 East - five acres situated in section 32 township 23 range 2 west joining the same and bounded in the northwest by a ravine containing 45 acres more or less with the improvements thereon for the sum of two hundred dollars. 4th William L. Spears purchased the storehouse & lot in Spearsville being about one quarter of acre bounded by a line commencing on the section line between 31 & section 32 of township 22 range 2 east west 1 chain 31 links south of stake one quarter of a mile north of the corner running north to a place on said line 2 chains 30 links north of said stake thence west 15 ¼° thence south 15 ¼ east 2 chains 8 links thence east 15 ¼ ° North four chains 18 ¼ links to the place of Beginning with the store house and other improvements thereon for the sum of three hundred & fifty dollars . 5th John L. Ferris purchased a vacant lot in the town of Spearsville in section 31 township 23 range 2 west bounded east by the section line north by a lot deeded by A. Spears to Nancy Vines west by the road running from Spearsville to E____ and south by the lot Hill and Brazal Store is situated on containing ½ Acres more or less for the sum of fifty dollars. 6th Wm. L. Spears purchased the negro woman Lucy about thirty five years of age for the sum of six hundred dollars and the said purchasers having complied with the condition of sale giving their notes dated Dec 26 AD 1855 with security and eight percent interest from date as follows.................. Totaling $2,810 Pages 669-687 Sale of personal property and Alexander’s share of store inventory. Totaling $2,111.77 Dec 1856 Page 687 Notice Estate & Succession of Alexander Spears 12th Judicial District Court State of Louisiana Parish of Union Whereas William L. Spears Administrator of the Estate of Alex. Spears Decd has this day filed his final account of his administration in the office of the clerk of the 12th Judicial District Court & for the Parish of Union State of Louisiana and praying that the same may be allowed homologated in all it’s parts. Now therefore if no opposition from the date hereof in said clerks office in ten days from the date hereof said account will be allowed & homologated in all its parts according to law. Done and signed in office this day of Sept AD 1858 LC Larch, Clerk A True Record May 1st 1858 W.W. Guthrie, Deputy Clerk ########################################################################################## File posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/court/spears-alex.txt