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The estate of Daniel Williamson.

Lisa Y. Henderson

Daniel Williamson did not live long in freedom, but he made the most of the time he had.

In 1866, Daniel Williamson and Amy Deans registered their 20-year cohabitation with a Wilson County justice of the peace. Within months, Daniel Williamson was dead. He died without a will, and his brother Alexander “Ellic” Williamson was appointed administrator of his estate.

Alex Williamson conducted a sale of Daniel’s property on 24 December 1867. Items could be purchased on six months’ credit. The buyers were drawn from neighbors and kin in Daniel Williamson’s Springhill township community. Many, like him, were newly freed. It’s not clear whether Daniel owned land at his death, but he certainly had a houseful of furniture and utensils and enough animals to indicate a dedicated farm life.

As was common, Alex Williamson spent considerable energy trying to collect on the notes issued by buyers at Daniel Williamson’s estate sale.

In the meantime, Simon Williamson, believed to be Daniel’s son, died in early 1869. Alex Williamson, on behalf of Daniel’s estate, paid out $9.00 to Albert Adams for the “nursing and Barrien” [burying] of Simon. [Is the Simon Deens, 19, listed in the 1870 mortality schedule as having died in February 1870 the same boy? Despite the discrepancy in the year, it would seem so, as the schedule lists Simon as a member of the household of Albert Adams.]

Daniel Williamson’s wife Amy apparently died even before he did, and he left two young sons, Gray Deans and Turner Williamson. Probate dragged on for decades, and in 1886, they sued the estate to receive assets they believed due them. The document below reports on the collectibility of several debts and the whereabouts of an ox and reveals family relationships.

White farmer Simon Barnes was called on behalf of the plaintiffs to swear that Jacob Hinnant’s note was worthless when taken at the sale; that Edmond Williamson’s note was good because he owned land that could be used as collateral; that Nathan Barnes and Thomas Shaw’s notes were good because Edmond Williamson had signed them as surety; that Handy Atkinson and Wright Atkinson’s notes were worthless; and that Moses Bynum’s note was good because Willis Taylor was surety.

Handy Atkinson testified that the ox sold [to London Renfrow] at the sale and left with Alex Williamson was at Atkinson’s house for a time, but it ran “at large” and died in March after getting stuck in mire.

Alex Williamson testified that he sold an ox for $35.40 on 24 December 1867, but the purchaser could not give a good note and left the ox with him the day of the sale. He did not recall if he offered the ox at public sale again, but he tried unsuccessfully to sell it privately. It died.

Edmond Williamson testified that the reason he did not pay the note against him was that he considered it paid by taking care of Daniel’s son Turner Williamson, who was a small boy and did not “earn his [own] support” for a few years.

Gray Deans testified that the ox was a good one that his father paid $40 for; that he and Turner had been carried to Edmond’s house after their father’s death; and that Turner was about 11 years old at the time and could work for his support.

Alex Williamson testified that Handy Atkinson had kept Daniel’s sons before Daniel died and was paid $20.50 for it.

Estate File of Daniel Williamson, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://www.familysearch.org.

 

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