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Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions
January Session 1808
Ordered that John A. Melson have leave of administration on the estate of William Melson and has given bond in the sum of one thousand pounds Abner Alexander and Thomas Garnett Esqrs. his securities.
May Session 1808
John A. Melson returned in court on oath an inventory & account of sales of the estate of Wiliam Melson deceased also the inventory of the estate of William Hassell also the years allowance to the widdow of William deceased all filed.
February Session 1809
Ordered that Sally Melson be appointed guardian to Joseph Melson Polly Melson and Pledger Melson orphans of William Melson deceased and hath given bond in the sum of five hundred pounds John A. Melson and John Alexander her securities.
June Session 1810
Ordered that Samuel Spruill Thomas Leigh and William Combs be appointed to audite and settle the estate of William Melson and Elizabeth Hassell & make due return.
September Session 1810
The audited accounts of the estate of William Melson deceased was returned in court by the administrator of said deceased.
January Session 1813
Ordered that a rule be served on James Melson and Sarah his wife, to shew cause why John Alexander one of the securities to the said Sarah's bond for the guardianship to her children should not be released from his securityship under act of assembly and this be returned to next court.
April Session 1813
Ordered that Robert Pledger be appointed guardian to Joseph Melson Peleg Melson and Polley Melson orphans of William Melson deceased and has given bond in the sum of one thousand pounds Abram Alexander Esqr. & Daniel Batman Major securities.
January Session 1814
A division of the negroes belonging to the estate of Wm. Melson deceased was returned to court and ordered filed.
April Session 1816
Ordered that the sheriff summons a lawfull jury to lay off to Sally Melson her right of dower in her late deceased husbands lands.
Ordered that Saml. Spruill, Thomas Leigh, William Combs & Danl. Sawyer Esqr. and Thomas Hopkins be appointed to make a division of the estate of Wm. Melson deceased among his lawfull heirs and make returns to next court.
July Session 1816
Sally Melson's right of dower in land was returned to court by Henry Alexander & filed.
January Session 1817
Account of the negro hire & land of the estate of William Melson deceased was returned to court by Robert Pledger guardian & filed.
Ordered that Danl. Sawyer Saml. Spruill & Thomas Leigh audite & settle the account existing between Robert Pledger guardian to the orphans of William Melson deceased & divide & set apart the equal proportion to the widdow of said deceased & divide the negroes so far as respects her part & make returns to the next term.
January Session 1818
The accounts of sales and guardian accounts of the heirs of Jno. and William Melson deceased was returned in court by Robert J. Pledger Esquire filed.
October Session 1818
Ordered that Lemuel Basnight John McCleese & Henry Alexander audite & settle the accounts existing between Robert Pledger as guardian to the orphans of William Melson deceased and allot dower to the widdow of William Melson her equal part of her deceased son Peledge Melson's estate & make return to next term - - agreeable to former petition.
April Session 1819
Ordered that Thomas Leigh Henry Alexander & Selby Patrick audite & settle the accounts existing between Robert Pledger deceased guardian to the orphans of William Melson deceased & make report to next term.
October Session 1819
Ordered that Thomas Leigh Henry Alexander & Selby Patrick audite & settle the accounts existing between Robert J. Pledger former guardian to the orphans of William Melson deceased & also make a division so far as respects Peledge Melsons part amongst his heirs at law & that the administrator of said Peledge pay over the obligations to the present guardian & make report to next term agreeable to former petition file for this purpose.
April Session 1820
John Alexander Maj. was appointed guardian to Joseph Melson & Polly Melson orphans of William Melson deceased who entered into bond as the law directs ordered that he reeive the estate of said orphans into his possession & account for the same as the law directs.
Ordered that John Alexander guardian to the heirs of William Melson receive the estate of the said heirs out of the hands of Samuel Spruill administrator of Robert Pleger deceased and account for the same as the law directs & that T. Lee John Thoroughgood & H. Alexander audite & settle the accounts between the former & present guardian to said heirs & report to next term.
July Session 1820
Report of auditors between Robert J. Pledger former guardian to the William Melsons heirs & John Alexander present guardian to said heirs was returned in open court with a balance due the heirs $763.68 & filed.
April Session 1821
John Alexander guardian to the heirs of William Melson returned on oath in open court an account sale & rent of lands belonging to said estate & filed.
April Session 1822
John Alexander Major returned in open court an account sales of the hire of the negroes belonging to estate of Wm. Melson deceased & filed.
Ordered that John Alexander Major be allowed the sum of fifty dollars & eighty five cents for board clothing & schooling Joseph & Mary Melson orphans of William Melson deceased for 1821 account filed.
The following persons appeared in open court & renewed their guardian bonds as the law requires viz. - Frederick Alexander guardian to Brittanna Dillen Frederick Alexander guardian to Samuel Dillen Hannah Davenport guardian to Fredrick Davenport Nancy Spruill guardian to Nathan Spruills orphans John Roughton guardian Phillis Roughtons children John Alexander Major guardian to Joseph & Polly Melson John Alexander Major guardian Michael Alexander Richard Howett guardian to Elizabeth Howett Richard Howett guardian to Martha Howett Frederick Alexander guardian to Zach. Dillen & Edmund Alexander guardian to Jesse Alexanders orphans all of whom entered into bonds with approved security & their several bonds filed.
April Session 1823
Abram Pledger administrator returned in open court on oath the inventory & account of sales of the perishable estate of John Alexander deceased also inventory of Abram Alexander & William Melsons heirs to whom the said John Alexander deceased was guardian & filed.
Account sales of the hire of negroes belonging to the heirs of William Melson deceased for 1823 was returned on oath by Abram Pledger & filed.
July Session 1823
Ordered that Samuel Spruill John Thoroughgood & Edmund Alexander be appointed to audite & settle the accounts between the administrator of John Alexander former guardian to William Melsons heirs & Ephraim Mann the present guardian to said heirs & make report to the next term.
Ephraim Mann was appointed guardian to Joseph & Polly Melson who entered into bond with approved security ordered that he recieve the estate of the said orphans into his possession & account for the same as the law directs.
October Session 1823
Report of auditors between John Alexander former guardian to Joseph & Polly Melson orphans of William Melson & Ephraim Mann present guardian to said orphans was returned to court & filed - Balance due the heirs up to 29 June 1823 $1267.32.
North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.33), Box 33
Melson, William, 1808
Bond dated 27 Jan 1808 in the amount of one thousand pounds appointing John A. Melson administrator of the estate of William Melson deceased with Abner Alexander & Thomas Garrett securities.
Account of sales of the estate of William Melson deceased on 4 Feb 1808. Buyers include widow (58), John Melson (15), William McKimmey (2), Uriah Patrick (2), Silby Patrick (8), Isaac Alexander (5), James Hoskins (1), Thomas Crane (1), Spencer Midyett (1), Richard Chapman (4), Thomas Weatherly (5), Zadoc Hassell (3), Thomas Crank (2), William Clayton (5), Sarah Alexander (1), Maxey Davis (7), James Cevils (1), Nathan Basnight (2), William Twiford (8), John Pledger (6), Azeal Johnson (7), Jesse Merritt (3), Samuel Spruill (1), Robert Pledger (3), John Brickhouse (4), Jean Melson (3), Archabald Howett (1), James Hassell (2), Paul Thoroughgood (1), Joseph Tarkinton (1), Caleb Marchant (1), Joseph Pledger (1), Lemuel Basnight (7), Morris Midyett (3), James Melson (1), James Owens (4), Abram Alexander (2), Capt. William Alexander (1), Joseph Spence (4) & John Alexander (1).
Bond dated 7 Feb 1809 in the amount of one thousand pounds in which Robert Pledger is appointed guardian to Joseph Melson Polly Melson & Peledge Melson orphans of William Melson deceased with John A. Melson & John Alexander securities.
Bond dated 13 Apr 1813 in the amount of five hundred pounds in which Sally Melson is appointed guardian to Joseph Peleg & Polly Melson orphans of William Melson deceased with Abram Alexander Esqr. & Daniel Batman Major securities.
Petition in October Term 1813 by James Melson and Sarah his wife stating that Wiliam Melson late husband of your petitioner Sarah died intestate possessed of considerable personal estate consisting of negroes and other property and leaving three children named Joseph, Peleg & Polly and a wife. The wife was your petitioner Sarah who since intermarried with James Melson. John Melson administered the estate of William Melson and he has since died and that the negroes and other personal property has yet remained undivided between your petitioner Sarah and the children of William Melson. Petitioners pray for this division to be ordered.
Petition in January Term 1816 by Sally Melson widow of William Melson deceased and now wife of James Melson of Currituck County. States that William Melson departed this life about eight years ago leaving an estate of land out of which your petitioner has not had her lawful dower. Petitioner prays a jury be appointed to lay off her dower in the tract belonging to the estate of William Melson deceased adjoining the lands of John Melson & Frederick Alexander.
Laying off of 38 acres to Sally Melson as her dower in the estate of Wiliam Melson deceased as ordered in April Term 1816 and dated 12 June 1816. Surveyor was Samuel Spruill and jury of unrelated and disinterested parties was Silby Patrick Henry Alexander Senr. Ozias Roughton James Swaine William Combs Benjamin Sikes John Midyett Thomas Ludford John Alexander Senr. John Alexander Junr. Isaac Alexander & John McClees.
Account of sales and guardian accounts of the rent of lands and hire of negroes of the orphans of William Melson deceased returned by their guardian to January Term 1818. Mentions payments to James Melson for schooling and quarters for Joseph Melson & Mary Melson. Also mentions hire of negroe boy Sampson and negroe girl Joanna.
Audited accounts of Maj. John Alexander former guardian to Joseph & Polly Melson heirs of William Melson in account with Ephraim Mann present guardian dated 10 Aug 1823 and signed by Edmund Alexander, Saml. Spruill & John Thoroughgood. It appears the account of John Alexander is up to 1 Jul 1820 and the account of Ephraim Mann to 1 Jul 1823. Ballance due the heirs is $1,267.60.
Summons dated 29 Dec 1823 and issued 10 Feb 1824 for John Sanderlin to appear in court in April 1824 to answer unto the court concerning a plea by him that Joseph & Polly Melson orphans of William Melson by their guardian that they render unto him the sum of three thousand dollars which they unjustly detain from him.
Transcriber's Notes:
Tyrrell County marriage bonds show the marriage of James Melson to Sally Melson on 11 Jan 1813, James Owens security; also the marriage of
Elighe {Peledge} Melson to Betsy Linton on 29 Oct 1823, Zebulon Kemp security.
The 1807 will of Joseph Pledger cites Sally Melson as his daughter.
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