Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
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In reply to:
Re: Spencer and Winstead in Madison Co. TN
Dale Reed 1/23/12
Note that in this thread, Dale Reed asked if anyone had a "copy of the petition filed in 1844 by Elijah Spencer's widow that shows the names of their children?".I hope someone can provide the wording or at least an extract of this petition, as it would be very useful.
Here are some thoughts about the petition - it would likely have been been filed in Montgomery Co. NC (not Madison Co. TN), since Elijah Spencer's widow Sarah (maiden name unknown) remained in NC.Depending on how late in 1844 the petition was filed, her surname by that time might be Allen, since she married George Allen that year (marriage bond date 28 Aug 1844).Some of her children were living out of state in 1844; the petition may say so.
On 4 Oct 1843, Jesse Smitherman, son-in-law of Elijah Spencer, was appointed administrator of Elijah's estate in Montgomery Co. NC.So Jesse Smitherman is likely to be mentioned in the petition (or, as estate administrator, was the one who filed it).Since Elijah Spencer died in Madison Co. TN and had heirs living there, the NC estate records may have also been filed or at least mentioned there in TN.
Hopefully the petition will list all the children of Elijah and Sarah Spencer, or the heirs of any children who had already died.If the petition goes into detail about the fractional shares of the estate due the heirs, then the number of children may be able to be determined with some degree of certainty, even if some ch. predeceased Elijah.Here is a summary of the family structure as I currently have it (I am not sure that Clark b. c1805 was a son, but I have listed him as such).
Elijah Spencer (b. c1774 Anson Co. NC, d. 30 Aug 1843 Madison Co. TN) mar. Sarah A. _?_ (b. c1779 NC, d. aft. 1850 prob. in Montgomery Co. NC); known ch. as follows:
i. William M. b. 1795 NC, d. Jan 1848 Dewitt Co. TX, mar. first 10 Nov 1815 NC Alefair Haltom; he left for TX but Alefair refused to go; when he got to TX, he mar. Nancy Gorman Pugh, apparently without formally divorcing Alefair
ii. Elizabeth b. c1797 or c1801, d. bef. 1844, mar. Moses Steed
iii. Mary b. c1799, mar. Eben (prob. Ebenezer) Haltom
iv. Nancy b. 1802, d. bef. 1844, mar. Newton Harris (1802-1883); res. Madison Co. TN in 1850
v. Clark b. c1805 NC, d. bef. Sep 1858 Madison Co. TN, mar. Terah H. Jones (1814-c1846); mar. second Mary _?_ (due to difficulty in interpreting the wording of certain records in Madison Co. TN, as noted in my earlier post in this thread, I am not sure that Clark is a son of Elijah and Sarah - perhaps the 1844 petition or other records can clarify this)
vi. Sarah b. 1805, d. aft. 1844, mar. John Burroughs
vii. Henry Branson b. c1807-11, d. c1882 Carroll Co. MS, mar. Martha Sugg/Suggs (1812-1911); in 1850 census Carroll Co. MS
viii. Harbert b. 1812, d. 13 Apr 1852 Hunt Co. TX, mar. 9 Nov 1836 Randolph Co. NC Nancy Ann Smitherman, then fled to TX 1843 and mar. Teunetta Langford, then Rosetta _?_
ix. Elijah c1813, married unk.; in 1850 census Upshur Co. TX as E. Spenser (the R. Spenser 28 NC enum. with him may be his bro. Robertson, not his wife, but I have not viewed the original census to check details)
x. Robertson (Robison/Roberson/etc.) b. c1815, d. aft. 1870, mar. first ca. 1843 Yalobusha Co. MS Eliza Callicoatte (c1821-c1854) - although a partial mar. record there suggests they mar. 1847, it was probably earlier, since in 1860 his son George R. was 16; seems to be the "Robert" Spencer in 1860 census Polk Co. AR with second wife Rebecca (Clinton) and ch., also there 1870
xi. Hannah C. b. 1818, d. 15 Jun 1889 Troy, Montgomery Co. NC, mar. 13 Mar 1838 Mont. Co. NC Jesse Cox Smitherman (1818-1883), brother of Nancy Ann; he was administrator of Elijah Spencer's estate
xii. Salina Ann b. c1824, d. aft. 1880, perhaps in Camp Co. TX; mar. 14 Mar 1841 Randolph Co. NC Spencer Claiborn Callicoatte (1816-c1876), bro. of Eliza
Below are items from U.S. census of Montgomery Co. NC, to compare with list of ch.
1810, p. 569: Elijah Spencer 31010 - 22010; his mother Hannah (Sugg/Suggs) Spencer is listed next
1820: the 1820 census for Montgomery Co. NC was apparently destroyed
1830, p. 51: Elijah Spencer 00210001-0110001
1840: not looked up yet (can someone post this?)
1850, no. 589: Sarah A. Allen 71 NC, Sophia Simmons 32 NC; this Sarah is Elijah Spencer's widow who had remarried George Allen (mar. bond date 28 Aug 1844 in Mont. Co. NC); then George Allen died Nov 1847
Note: Harbert Spencer and a relative Elijah S. Haltom of Mont. Co. both left their wives in NC, perhaps as a result of the furor following the 1843 burning of the courthouse in Mont. Co. NC,Harbert was a fugitive from NC authorities, and ES Haltom, who went to AL, may have also been persona non grata in Mont. Co. NC; Harbert's brother Wm. M. Spencer was already living in TN (in 1830 census of Henderson Co. TN, with Clark Spencer), but also left his wife (in TN?) and left for TX, perhaps with his bro. Harbert.
More Replies:
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
Scott Spencer 3/10/12
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
Robert Butler 3/16/12
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
Scott Spencer 3/17/12
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
Robert Butler 3/23/12
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
Marc Coker 5/04/12
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC
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Re: Thoughts about 1844 petition of Sarah Spencer in Montgomery Co. NC