From: ktlett@juno.
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will of Sarah Powers 1826/1831 
Book #12, page 394

Submitted 14 Mar 2000 by Kevin Lett


******************************************************************
USGENWEB 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.
*******************************************************************

"In the name of God amen I Sarah Powers (widow) of the county of 
Mecklenburg being of a perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for it 
and calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed of 
God that I must die do make and ordain this my last will and testament in 
manner and form following (Viz.) as it respects my worldly estate that it 
has pleased God to bless me with since my husbands' death I dispose of in 
the following manner. Item the parts or portions of slaves that did 
belong to my two sons Samuel Powers and William Powers. according to 
their father's will, I have bought with my own lawful earnings. Item I 
give and bequeath the one half of the said slaves to my daughter, Sally 
Curtis, to her and her heirs forever and the other half I give and 
bequeath to be equally divided between my six grandchildren namely Waddy 
J. Jackson, Rebecca T. Hogan, Samuel Jackson, Green Jackson, Archer 
Jackson and Osborne C. Jackson to them and their heirs forever. Item I 
give and bequeath all my money that shall remain at my decease to Sally 
Curtis and William Powers to be equally divided between them and lastly I 
appoint Zachariah Curtis and John Hutcheson, executors to this my last 
will and testament in witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and 
seal this 25th day of July 1826. Sarah Powers. Witnesses: Mary Ann 
Tucker, Zachariah Bowers, Thomas Johnson.
At a Court held for Mecklenburg County on the 20th day of June 1831. The 
foregoing last will and testament of Sarah Powers, deceased was produced 
into Court duly proved by the oaths of the subscribing witnesses and 
ordered to be recorded and John Hutcheson one of the executors therein 
named appeared in Court and refused to take upon him self the burden of 
the execution thereof and on motion of Zachariah Curtis the other 
executor therein named, who made oath thereto and together with Waddy J. 
Jackson, Churchwell Curtis and William Powers his security, entered into 
and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of $10,000 conditioned 
according to law. Certificate is granted him for obtaining probate of 
said will in due form. Edward L. Tabb, C. C."
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #12, page 457: 
On September 23, 1831 Robert A. Walker, Pennington Lett and Hardiway Lett 
recorded an inventory and appraisal for the estate of Sarah Powers, 
deceased. It was valued at $1,385.83 and included items such as 22 
sheep, 14 hogs, 11 pigs, 10 cows, a yoke of oxen, two horses, two rugs, 
nine snuff bottles, six Negroe women and children ($1,050) and many other 
kitchen, plantation, household goods and foodstuffs including a 12 
gallons of vinegar.
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #12, page 537: 
On October 5, 1831 Zachariah Curtis, executor of Sarah Powers, entered 
into Court a record of the estate sale he held. The sale brought a total 
of $522.65 1/4. The following individuals made purchases at the public 
auction. Items in parenthesis were those of enough interest to mention 
however each individual may have purchased others. Those making 
purchases were Zachariah Curtis (a colt and filly), Claiborne Curtis, 
Green Crowder (ten pounds of soap, twelve gallons of vinegar), Welsher 
Simmons, Samuel Tary, Charles C. Philips, James Holmes, Robert A. Walker 
(a stone churn), Clevious R. Coleman, Thomas Sexton (ten pounds of soap), 
Green Jackson (17 1/2 pounds of soap), Churchwell Curtis, William Farrer, 
Robert B. Crews, Thomas Hutcherson, Alfred Vaughan, David Johnson, Salley 
Cooper, Dabney Farrer, Augustin Smith, Jessee Parrish, William Quincey, 
Pettus Farrer, Sherod G. Colley, Thomas Johnson, Hardiway Lett, Isaac 
Holmes, William Wells, William Hunt, Zachariah Shackleford, Peter 
Stegall, John Hudson, Alfred Vaughan, John Hightower, George Holmes, 
Warner Keeton, Wiley Tucker and Cargal Thompson (11 1/2 pounds of bacon). 
There was also a private sale of items to Robert C. Tucker (47 pounds of 
bacon), Zachariah Curtis (23 1/4 pounds of bacon), James Day, William 
Powers (10 pounds of soap), Thomas Johnson, Henry Harriss, Waddy J. 
Jackson and Daniel Tucker. Also 2,223 pounds of tobacco was sold at 
market. Sarah had unusually large amounts of soap, bacon and vinegar. 
Perhaps they were used as a source of income.
Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #13, page 459: 
On April 17, 1833 Zachariah Curtis, executor of Sarah Powers, submitted 
an accounts current report to the Court. After paying Court costs and 
several debts the remaining money was divided amongst her heirs. Debts 
were paid totalling $116.76 1/2 and were to the following people: 
Augustine Smith, to the sheriff of Mecklenburg County, Baskervill & 
Dortch, A. Wright & Co., William O. Gregory, Claibourn Curtis, Pleasant 
Vaughan, Robert C. Tucker, C. R. Coleman, Samuel Sydnor, to the clerk of 
Mecklenburg County, Zachariah Shackleford, Woodson V. Johnson, a 
commission on the estate (likely to Zachariah Curtis), and also to 
harvest her crops of tobacco, corn and cotton. The remaining money, 
$407.63, was divided as follows: Zachariah Curtis, in right of his wife 
Sally Powers Curtis, received $134.21, William Powers received $134.21 
and each of the following received one seventh of the estate totalling 
$19.17 each, Waddy J. Jackson, Archer Jackson, Cavil O. Jackson (Waddy 
being Archer and Cavil's guardian), Samuel Jackson, Green Jackson, 
William G. Hogan in right of wife Rebecca Jackson Hogan with the final 
seventh being divided between Fleming, John and Elizabeth Furgerson (John 
and Elizabeth's guardian being Peter T. Furgerson.) Zachariah Curtis was 
also given $5 to pay for the document to be recorded into Court and was 
witnessed by Woodson T. Johnson, Robert F. Bridgforth and Isaac Holmes. 
---------------------------------------- 
Kevin T. Lett, Coordinator 
Henrico County, Richmond City, Manchester City VAGenWeb Project 
http://www.rootsweb.com/~vahenric/ 
Lett Family Association: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lett/