From the estate papers of Colin McPherson, 1836, Cumberland County, NC, in the 
North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC:

North Carolina
Cumberland County

Court of Equity
Special Term 1857

To the Honorable the Judge of Said Court –
The petition of John McPherson Gilchrist, Mary Gilchrist and Daniel A. 
Gilchrist infants of tender years by their father and next friend S 
Sidney Gilchrist respectfully sheweth unto your Honor that Colin 
McPherson late of said county died intestate many years ago seized in 
fee simple of a tract of land in said County, leaving him surviving a 
widow, one sister, and four children of a deceased brother his only 
heirs at law – That the dower of the widow was assigned to her and the 
rest of the land was divided among his heirs at law, that S Sidney 
Gilchrist named one of the four children of the deceased brother, 
Catherine by name and had issue three children your present petitioners 
– That their mother the said Catherine Gilchrist died in the lifetime of 
the widow of Colin McPherson – That some time since the said widow died 
leaving the dower land to be divided among the heirs of her husband 
Colin McPherson, that your petitioners received one fourth of one half 
the said land in right of their mother the said Catherine being Lot no. 
four in the division between the four children of John McPherson the 
deceased brother– That said Lot consists of one hundred and twenty 
acres lying in Cumberland Co on the waters of Buckhead adjoining the 
lands of Owens, Mary McPherson and Colin McPherson. That no part of it 
is under cultivation, and is valuable only for the timber and 
turpentine. That many persons are trespassing upon the land and it 
having become known that your petitioners would endeavor to have said 
land sold. The trespassing upon the land has greatly increased and it is 
likely to become greatly impaired in value – Your petitioners further 
show that they are now inhabitants of the State of Florida, and their 
being greatly removed in distance from the land are unable to hold it 
without great disadvantage. They therefore pray your Honor to order a 
sale of the land on such terms as your Honor shall deem just and 
reasonable and that the proceeds of the sale may be placed in the hands 
of their guardian or disposed of as your Honor shall deem best for their 
interest. And your petitioners in duty bound will ever pray – BR Huske Solicitor for Petitioners

From the Colin McPherson estate, 1836, Cumberland County, NC. North Carolina State Archives and History, 
Raleigh, NC:

E.L. Winslow, Esq.
February 25, 1874

Dear Sir;

Your note of the 13th last has been recd in which you request me if I can to put you on the tract to 
find the land which formally belonged to Malcom Buie. I see from your note that you have been tracking 
about, but you have never got fairly on the right tract. You were sometimes on the Malcom Buie land and 
sometimes on the Duncan Buie land. I will give you the best information I can from memory. John Buie 
Father of Malcom owned a tract of land on Wt Side of Cape Fear imediately opposite the Bluff Church, 
after his death it was divided among his heirs, Malcom drawing a part, after the death of Colin McPherson 
Malcom administered on his estate. John McNeill and myself went on his administration Bond. He managed 
the Estate badly, the heirs complained that he was wasting the property, we the Securities had him brought 
to a Settlement, the Clerk of the County Court took the account when it was found that he was in arrears 
to a considerable amt. he was removed as administrator and I was appointed in his place. I obtained a 
judgement against him for the deficiency. Shff Johnson levied on and sold all his property Real and personal. 
It was believed that John McNeill and myself would suffer some loss but we determined to run the property 
and make it pay the debt or bid it in, consequently a considerable amt of the property fell on our hands, 
the land was bid off by John McNeill, he willed it to his son John. his lands lying in Cumberland was dived 
[divvied or divided] among his heirs last fall, If you will look on a plot made by F. Mason and attacht 
to the report of the commissioners you will find one lot composed of the Buie land and McLeran land and 
assigned to John Hodges and wife, there I believe you will have it.

You say in your note that it seems that John McNeill and myself were appointed Trustees for Malcom Buie 
and made sale of the land. No such assignment was ever made. If you will examine you will find that John 
McNeill got a Sheriffs deed for the land, the land you were trying to feret out and left in the hands of 
Rev E. McNair belonged to Duncan Buie and was sold by execution I believe in favor J & T. Wadell and fell 
into the hands of Angus Ray and I think is still claimed by his heirs.

Yours respectfully,
Jas. McKethan

©Copyright January 23, 2004
Last up-dated August 31, 2022