The sale of Charles Roach Senior’s goods six weeks after the inventory of March 2, 1821. Polly Roach, his executrix, bought most of the property back herself, which was a common way for a widow to keep the household together while still putting the estate’s value on record. She signed with her mark.
Account of sales of the property of Charles Roach Senr., deceased, by Polly Roach, executrix – April 20, 1821
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
An account of Sales of the property of Charles Roach Senr. Decd. Sold the 20th of April 1821 by Polly Roach acting executrix
[Articles – To whom sold – $ cts]
1 Chair and Harniss – Polly Roach – 15 00
1 lott of Barrels – ditto – 2 00
1 Side Saddle – ditto – 1 00
2 old Saddles – ditto – 1 00
1 Desk – ditto – 0 5
3 froes – ditto – 0 50
1 Lott Copers [coopers’] tools – ditto – 2 20
1 ditto tools – ditto – 1 35
1 Reel – ditto – 0 10
1 Drawing knife – ditto – 0 5
1 Lott of hogsheads – ditto – 2 25
1 tool Chest – ditto – 3 00
4 Beeding plains [beading planes] – ditto – 1 00
1 Wooling Wheel – ditto – 0 50
3 ditto ditto – ditto – 1 00
1 Linnen ditto – ditto – 0 50
1 pair of Cart Wheels – ditto – 1 35
1 ditto ditto & Saddle – ditto – 10 00
4 Wheel Barrows – ditto – 0 80
1 Lott wheel timber – ditto – 5 00
1 grind stone – ditto – 5 50
1 Lott Black Smith tools – ditto – 31 50
2 turning Lathes – Charles Smith – 0 30
1 bottle of Varnish – Polly Roach – 0 10
1 Lott bottles – ditto – 0 45
2 Large Jugs – ditto – 0 50
2 ditto – ditto – 0 80
2 ditto – ditto – 0 60
1 Jug Linseed Oil – ditto – 1 50
1 Basket and paint – ditto – 0 50
2 Large Jugs – ditto – 0 50
1 Lott Jugs – ditto – 1 50
5 Large Jugs – ditto – 1 75
1 Bottle Casteroil – ditto – 0 90
[Page total] 95 5 [?]
The amount Brought Over – $95 05 [?]
1 Linning [linen] Wheel – Polly Roach – 2 10
1 Steal [steel] trap – Arthur Edwards – 2 00
1 Carrying knife [carving knife?] – Polly Roach – 1 85
1 Remnant of a box of Glass – ditto – 0 50
2 Large Clay Jars – ditto – 0 90
1 Basket trumpery – ditto – 0 85
1 peace of Steel and spoon moles [moulds] – ditto – 1 00
1 pair Steelyards Large – ditto – 0 05 [?]
34 lb. of Wool – ditto – 6 80
50 lb. of Cotton – ditto – 2 00
17 lb. of Cotton – ditto – 6 80
2 pair of Cotton Cards – ditto – 1 30
1 ditto ditto – ditto – 0 70
2 pair of Wool cards – ditto – 0 30
2 Wooden Riddles – ditto – 0 60
1 hackle – ditto – 1 30
1 Side Soul [sole] Leather – ditto – 1 80
1 Water pot – ditto – 0 20
1 Box Lasts – ditto – 0 20
Shoe Maker’s tools and bench – ditto – 1 00
1 Garner – Charles Smith – 1 25
1 Barrel & some vinegar – Polly Roach – 1 15
2 old Hogsheads – ditto – 0 40
2 honey tubs – ditto – 1 00
2 ditto ditto – ditto – 0 80
2 ditto ditto – ditto – 0 50
1 Shot gun – Uriah Edwards – 7 00
1 ditto ditto – Polly Roach – 0 60
1 ditto ditto – Hance Roberts – 2 60
1 Lott of books – Polly Roach – 12 50
3 Slates – ditto – 00 30
Cutting Box and knives – ditto – 00 10
1 Cotton Gin – ditto – 12 50
1 Lott of rotton Corn – ditto – 3 10
40 Brls. of Corn – 25/ – ditto – 100 00
20 ditto ditto – 29/ – ditto – 58 00
5 ditto ditto – 30/ pr B[arrel] – ditto – 15 00
5 ditto ditto – 30/ – ditto – 15 00
5 ditto ditto – 28/ – Wm. Hall – 14 00
3 barrel of Shatterd Corn – 17/6 – James Anderson – 5 25
$287 65
Amt brot up – 287 65
1 half Bushel Measure – Jesse Lancaster – 0 11
1 Lott fodder – Polly Roach – 3 50
500 Cwt [?] fodder – ditto – 5 00
1 Lot peas – ditto – 6 00
2 Stocks Bees – ditto – 2 35
2 ditto ditto – ditto – 1 55
3 ditto ditto – ditto – 4 00
3 ditto ditto – ditto – 2 30
1½ ditto ditto – Weaks [?] Clark – 0 10
6 ditto ditto – Polly Roach – 7 20
1 ditto ditto – Uriah Edwards – 1 70
4 ditto ditto – Christopher Hill – 5 00
3 ditto ditto – Polly Roach – 3 25
1 Still 32 gallons – ditto – 10 60
10 Weaving Slays [sleys] – ditto – 4 00
4 ditto Gear – ditto – 0 40
1 ditto Loom – ditto – 3 10
1 Handmill – ditto – 5 10
1 Large Canoe – ditto – 10 25
1 Pair Warping Bars & screen – ditto – 0 20
16 Bushels Slips [sweet potato slips?] – Ald. Ellison – 7 60
2 Barls. 1½ bushels of corn – Ald. Ellison – 6 14
1 Negro man – Polly Roach – 218 10
1 tool Chest – Charles Smith – 0 30
15000 Shingles – Polly Roach – 4 50
74 Geese – ditto – 10 00
4000 Shingles – James Anderson – 3 00
1 half Bushel & peck Measure – Polly Roach – 0 65 [?]
1 ditto ditto – James Campbell – 0 45
Polly (her X mark) Roach Extx. to Charles Roach Senr. Decd. – $613 90
[Back:]
A/C Sales of the Estate of Charles Roach decd. sold April 20th 1821
A/c [Account written over another word] Sales of Charles Roach Decd.
About the original
One entry is for a person: “1 Negro man,” bought by Polly Roach for $218.10. His name is not given in the sale. The inventory taken in March lists fifteen slaves by name, and he was probably one of the men named there (Jack Roundtree, Sam, Merrill, Shade, Green, John, Mortimer or Henry), but this paper does not say which one. The others named in the inventory do not appear in the sale.
Other buyers were Charles Smith, Arthur Edwards, Uriah Edwards, Hance Roberts, William Hall, James Anderson, Jesse Lancaster, Christopher Hill, Alderson Ellison, James Campbell, and one buyer whose first name is read as “Weaks” (not certain). Corn prices are written in shillings per barrel (25/, 29/, 30/, 28/) and carried out in dollars.
“500 Cwt fodder” is read as written but the unit is not certain. “Slips” are most likely sweet potato slips (sprouts for planting). A garner is a grain bin. The cents for the large steelyards and for one half-bushel measure are hard to read.
Source: Account of sales of the property of Charles Roach Senr., deceased, by Polly Roach, executrix. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder b (Inventories, Wills, and Estates, 1783–1868). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fb.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View in ECU Digital Collections: 35971.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
