SUPREME COURT CASE
And Pitt County Court Case Abstracted by Brenda Stocks Supreme Court No. 07 4 NC Pitt County 1857 File: CR 079.508.31 Harper, Alexander Henry Wingate vs Susan Harper, John Cox, and W.S. Hanrahan In equity. Bill of Henry Wingate in his own right vs John Cox, Susan Harper, Oliver Harper, and Francis Harper
1. Henry Wingate acting in his own right and as Administrator for Blaney Harper, Nancy Harper, and John Harper.
Wm. B. Rodman
Deposition of John Wooten of Lenoir County
Exhibit A I give and devise to my beloved wife Susan all my lands being on the south & west side of the Back Swamp including my dwelling house and all out houses, the said lands to be set out by metes and bounds so as to include my mantion house and all outhouses aforesaid together with all improvements to have and to hold to her the said Susan for and during the term of her natural life in satisfaction for and in lue of her dower and thirds of and in my real estate. I give and devise to my beloved wife Susan a negro woman Mary and her child Eveline to have and to hold for the term of her natural life. I also give her one boy Mose and red cow and calf and one black heifer one horse and a couple sows one black and the other blue. All which she is to hold for her natural life. One _____ tracs one weading how one horse and one plow all my kitchen furniture one bed and blue chess----all of which she is to hold for the term of her natural life. Exhibit A
Pitt County Superior Court vs. Oliver Harper, Francis Harper, Henry Wingate, Elisha Lang, Wm. Mumford, Henry Manning, Jonathon Lang and wife Mariza. Notice to above defendants that on 18th day of May, 1880, in the Superior Court Clerk's office of Pitt County, in the town of Greenville, in the county of Pitt, in the state of NC, before Henry Sheppard Clerk, the plaintiff will take the depositions of Oliver Harper, Francis Harper, Gideon Weatherington and others to be read as evidence in the trial of an action now pending in the Superior Court. Wherein Mary E. Cannon, Susan C. Harper,Char. Harper, James Sutton and wife Nancy E., Martha J. Harper, W.D. Harper, Mariza Harper, and Sarah R. Harper are plaintiffs and Oliver Harper, Francis G. Harper, Henry Wingate, Jonathon Lang and wife Mariza, Elisha Lang, william Mumford, and Henry Manning are defendants.
Latham T. Skinner ___________________________________________________
Pitt County Estate Records
Deposition of Oliver Harper 1881
Alexander Harper's will written by John Wooten, Atty., who is living in Kinston, NC in 1881.
Witnesses to the will of this Alexander Harper were: Oliver Harper stated he was in the house when the will was written. The house consisted of a passage and one room. Oliver was in the part of the house where his father was lying. The witnesses were in the same room. Gideon Witherington and Alfred Lane were requested to sign the will. Oliver cannot remember about John Manning. The will was submitted for probate in Pitt County about 12 months after death. Oliver: I came to Greene County and got William Moye, Clerk of court to get a copy of the will. Alexander Harper's land was adjacent to Washington lands and Cannon Stocks' land on East and West sides of Back Swamp. All that was given to the boys was on East side of run of Back Swamp, about 400 acres. 1. Oliver, the oldest, came first adjacent to Stocks and Washington lands to cultivate for life, then to children at my (Oliver's) death. 2. Brother Frank (Francis) His same as Oliver's 3. Brother Blaney. His same as Oliver's. 4. Brother John. His same as Oliver's. 5. West side of Back Swamp left to wife Susan for her lifetime then to daughter Nancy Harper (m. Henry Wingate) then their children. 6. Slave George left to estate to be hired out to pay debts. 7. Henry Wingate and Blaney Harper were named Executors of the will. 8. Oliver: Lived on part of the land left to us. Oliver's land sold off under Execution to Henry Manning. 9. Francis' land sold to William Mumford. 10. John and Blaney died with no heirs. Oliver sold his part of John and Blaney's land to Henry Wingate. Francis let Henry Wingate have his part of John and Blaney's land. 11. Present at the land sale was Nehemiah Garris. The East side was equally divided between the boys. 12. Oliver was 34-35 at his father's death and living on the land his father left him. 13. Catherine Carroll, widow of Ricky Carroll, was there the day the will was written. (She is still living in 1881)
John Manning was there (He is dead in 1881) Oliver Harper
Deposition of Henry Wingate Henry Wingate _____________________________________________________
Pitt County Estate Records
Deposition of Francis G. Harper
There were about 500 acres on the East side of Back Swamp. On the West side of Back Swamp there was a 400 acre parcel and an 80 acre parcel. These were left to daughter Nancy and wife Susan. _____________________________________________________
Pitt County Estate Records
Deposition of W.S. Hanrahan
Purchased girl from John Cox for $500 to take her out of the state and sell her. He was to share in the profits. __________________________________________________
Pitt County Estate Records Last notes on this document. Alexander Harper Will left 80 acres to wife Susan for life, then to go to daughter Nancy.
Oliver Harper's Children: Mary E. Cannon
Francis Harper's Children: William D. Harper
John Harper never married and had no issue. Walter Hanrahan was a "Soldier of Fortune" ____________________________________________________
This is all I have regarding this case. |