Bedford County Chancery case, September 1854
I found in the Bedford Co VA, Court Order Book 32, pgs 273-275, June 1856, reference to two chancery court
cases which list descendants of my ancestor, John Spradlin(g) who died in Bedford Co, sometime before Sep
1778.
I've transcribed the documents I received from the Circuit Court, for the case identified as 1856-055.
You'll see that the sale of the land in dispute occurred in 1854, so apparently it took another 18+ months
for the final arguments & the court's decision on how to divide up the proceeds.
Bill of Complaint
To the worshipful Justices of the county court of Bedford sitting in chancery.
The bill of complaint of John Spradling, Meador Spradling, Edwin Spradlin, Jeremiah
Meador & Rachel his wife, William G. Meador, Thomas Ellis & Mary his wife, James H. Hix & Cinderilla his
wife, James Spradling, Thomas Spradling, Nehemiah Spradling, Eli Spradling, Aunstin Starkey & Tempe his
wife, Edward Spradling junr., Pleasant Spradling, Wright Spradling, Greger Dillion & Lucy his wife, Byrd
Brown and Polly his wife, and Abner Spradling, respectfully represents that many years ago Mary Spradling
departed this life intestate, and seized, and in possession of a small tract of land in this county on the
waters of Staunton river & jumping run, containing about 50 acres. She had, at the time of her death, no
child or the descendants of any child, or father, or mother, living & her estate passed according to the
statutes directing the course of descent in this commonwealth, to the descendants of her five brothers
(they all being decd) to with, Abner Spradling, William Spradling, Benjamin Spradling, Henry Spradling, and
Edmund Spradling.
The children of Abner Spradling are as follows, viz - John Spradling, Meador
Spradling, Edwin Spradling, & Rachel Meador, -- Mary Spradling a daughter of the said Abner Spradling
intermarried with William Meador -- She and her husband are dead & left the following children to wit,
William G. Meador, Albert Meador, Finetta Morgan, John H. Meador, Mary Ellis, & Cinderilla Hix -- the above
named children of Abner Spradling, and the said children of Mary Meador are plaintiffs in this will & or
will be made defendants hereto --
The following persons are the children of William Spradling - to wit - the
plaintiffs, James Spradling, Thomas Spradling, Nehemiah Spradling, & Eli Spradling.
Benjamin Spradling left an only child surviving him, to wit, a daughter, Henrietta,
who married Richard Meador - they reside out of the state.
Henry Spradling it is supposed left children surviving him, but they also, if
living, reside out of this state, & their names are unknown.
The children and heirs at law of Edmund Spradling decd. are, the plaintiffs, Tempy
Starky, Edward Spradling junr. Pleasant Spradling, Wright Spradling, Lucy Dillion, Polly Brown, and Abner
Spradling.
Richard Meador and Henrietta his wife have sold their interest in the said tract of
land to one John Board - the dividend of no party having anterest in the said cause will exceed $300. The
plaintiffs therefore pray, that your worships will make an order directing a sale of the said tract of
land, and finally make a distribution of the proceeds of sale among the parties interested according to
their respective rights to this and they pray that the said Albert Meador, Mahlon Morgan Finetta his wife,
John H. Meador, John Board and the children and heirs of Henry Spradling decd. (whose names are unknown)
may be made parties defendant to this cause and compelled on their oaths to answer this bill, and in as
much as all the said defendants except the said John Board reside out of this commonwealth, they pray your
worships to direct the usual order of publication against said foreign defendants - and grant the
plaintiffs all each other & further relief as may be just & right & as in duty bound they will pray, &c.
Amended Bill of Complaint
To the worshipfull the county court of Bedford in chancery sitting - the amended bill of
complaint of John S. Spradling, Meador Spradling, Edwin Spradling, Edwin Spradling, Jeremiah Meador &
Rachel his wife, William G. Meador, Thomas Ellis & Mary his wife, John [sic] H. Hix & Cinderilla his wife,
James Spradling, Thomas Spradling, Nehemiah Spradling, Eli Spradling, Austin Starky and Tempe his wife,
Edward Spradling junr., Pleasant Spradling, Wright Spradling, Greger Dillion and Lucy his wife, Byrd Brown
& Polly his wife, & Abner Spradling, to an original bill heretofor filed by them in this worshipful court
against Albert Meador, Mahlon Morgan and Finetta his wife & others - the plaintiffs refering to their said
original bill, & praying that the same may be taken & regarded as a part of this amended bill - by term of
the court state further -- that in their original bill, they, by mistake, represented, that the said tract
of land in the bill mentioned descended to the descendants of five deceased brothers of the said Mary
Spradling - wheras the said tract descended to the descendants of five deceased brothers of the said Mary
Spradling and to John Spradlin, senr. the only child of Susanna Spradling a deceased sister of the said
Mary Spradling. The said John Spradling senr. before the institution of this said sold his interest in the
said land to the plaintiff Jeremiah Meador for a full and valuable consideration -- and the said Jeremiah
Meador is now entitle to the interest of the said John Spradling senr. in the proceeds of the sale of the
said tract of land. Secondly - in the said original bill, the name of one of the descendants of William
Spradling decd. was inadvertently omitted -- the said William Spradling left five children surviving him to
wit - the persons mentioned and described as such in the said bill, and a daughter Sarah Spradling, who
intermarried with James Drake, who is entitled to 1/5 of 1/6th part of the net proceeds of the sale of said
land. The plaintiffs therefore pray that the said John Spradling senr. and the said James Drake & Sarah
his wife, may be made parties defendant to this case, & compelled to answer this bill, and grant the
plaintiffs all such other & further relief as parties and the nature of this case may require, & they will
pray &c.
Answer of "Defendants"
The separate answer of John Spradling senr. to an original & amended bill filed agains
him & others in the county of Bedford by John S. Spradlin & others --
For answer unto said bill this defendant says he admits the allegations of said
original bill to be true, & is willing this worshipful court may make such cecree in the premises as the
right of the parties may require, & having answered he prays to be hence dismissed without cost.
The separate answer of James Drake & Sarah his wife to an original and amended bill, of
complaint filed against them & others in the county court of Bedford by John S. Spradling & others -
For answer unto the said bill these defendants say -- they admit the allegations
of the said bills to be true, and are willing that the court shall decree according to the prayer of the
said bill , & having fully answered they pray to be hence dismissed and that the case may be equitably
apportioned among the parties to this sale & they will pray &c.
Report of Commissioner
In obedience to a decree of Bedford October court 1854, Being appointed a commissioner
for that purpose I have proceeded to advertise and Sell the Tract of land in said decree mentioned as
Directed by said decree vis. I proceeded on the 25th day of November 1854 to Sell the the said land to the
Highest bidder at Public Auction and Thomas Kasey Being the Highest bidder became the pruchaser at the sum
of nine Dollars per acre and from a recent Surbey it appears that the said Tract contains Sixty Seven acres
and ninety poles amounting to the sum of six hundred and seven dollars 50/100 for which he executed his
Bond with Alexr. Kasey Jr. Security, returned with this report which is respectfully submitted.
Jeremiah Meador
Commissioner
Distribution of Proceeds
Amount to be divided among 6 heirs ---- 562.13
share of each heir $93.63
John Spradling senr. who was the son of }
Susanna Spradling (& her only son) }
the said Susanna being a sister }
of Mary Spradling, sold his }
interest to Jeremiah Meador who }
as his assignee is entitled to } $93.68
John Board assignee }
of of Richard Meador & Henrietta his }
wife is entitled to the like sum of } $93.68
(Abner Spradling children as follows
John Spradling $18.73}
Meador Spradling $18.73}
Edwin Spradling $18.73}
Rachel Meador (wife of Jeremiah Meador $18.73}
}
Mary Spradling's children by the ???? Wm. Meador }
William G. Meador $ 3.12}
Albert Meador $ 3.12}
Finetta Morgan (Mahlon Morgans wife) $ 3.12}
John H. Meador $ 3.12}
Mary Ellis (wife of Thomas Ellis $ 3.12}
Cinderella His (wife of James H. Hix $ 3.12} $93.68
(William Spradling's children)
James Spradling $18.73}
Thomas Spradling $18.73}
Nehemiah Spradling $18.73}
Eli Spradling $18.73}
Sarah Spradling (wife of Jas. Drake) $18.73} $93.68
Edmund Spradling's children)
Tempy Starkie (wife of Austin Starkie) $13.37}
Edward Spradling junr. $13.37}
Pleasant Spradling $13.37}
Wright Spradling $13.37}
Lucy Dillion (wife of Greger Dillion) $13.37}
Polly Brown (wife of Byrd Brown) $13.37}
Abner Spradling $13.37} $93.68
The heirs of Henry Spradling $93.68
$ Spradling vs. Board $8.74 cost.