After the death of James Roach (his will was proved in Craven County in September 1866), his widow Sally Roach held his “perishable” property, meaning the movable goods and livestock rather than land, for her lifetime under his will. In this report she chose to divide it right away among her seven daughters or their representatives. The property was made up into seven lots, each valued at about $59.
Division of the perishable property left to Sally Roach among her seven daughters – about 1868
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.
State of North Carolina }
Craven County }
Report of the perishable property which was given and bequeathed to Sally Roach, by her husband James Roach during her life time if not deemed by her sooner to make a division of said property whereas the aforesaid Sally Roach has deemed it wise and prudent to make partition, and devide said property amongst her seven Daughters or their representatives.
Lot No. 1. is assigned and appropriated to Nancy Roach.
Lot No. 2. is assigned and appropriated to C. B. and Lovey L. Cox.
Lot No. 3. is assigned and appropriated to Levi P. Wayne and wife Louisa.
Lot No. 4. is assigned and appropriated to Mary Vincent.
Lot No. 5. is assigned and appropriated to Berry Nelson, and wife Elizabeth.
Lot No. 6. is assigned and appropriated to Calvin Cox and wife Lovey.
Lot No. 7. is assigned and appropriated to Henrietta and Jesse Lancaster minor heirs at law of James Roach.
Lot No. 1. has the following articles, to wit,
1. Horse. | $50.00
2. Beehives. | 04.00
1. Yearling. | 05.00
| $59.00
Lot No. 2. has the following articles to wit.
1/2 of one wheat thrasher | 50.00
2. Bee hives. | 4.00
1 Yearling. | 5.00
| $59.00
Lot No. 3. has the following articles to wit.
1. Ox cart $4. 1 Buggy $25. | 29.00
1. Tin Stand, $2. 1. Brass kettle $1.50. | 3.50
1. Hatchet .75. 1 Drawing knife .50. | 1.25
1 Lot carpenters tools, $5. 1. Scythe $3. | 8.00
1. Cow $8. 1. Heifer $7. 1. Bee hive, $2.00 | 17.00
| $59.00
Lot No. 4, has the following articles,
to wit. 1. Cart. $10. 3. plows $3. [?] 1. Scythe $2.50. | 16.00
1. Grind stone, $5. 1. Dutch Oven, $10. | 15.00
1. Scythe $2.50. 1. Little pot $1.50. | 4.00
2. Wooden Stands $2.00 1. Spinning wheel $1.00. | 3.00
1. Chest. $1. 2. Blowing horns, $1. | 2.00
1 Cow $8. 2. Yearlings $10. 1 Bee hive $2. | 20.00
| $60.00
Lot No. 5. has the following articles,
to wit. 1 pair Cart or [?] log wheels. | 25.00
1 Corn sheller $5. 2. Cowhides $2.00 | 7.00
1. Cross cut saw $3. 2. Tables $5.00 | 8.00
1. Cow $8. 1 Heifer $7. 2. Bee hives $4.00 | 19.00
| $59.00
Lot No. 6. has the following articles,
to wit. 1 pr. bellows & blacksmith tools. | 5.00
1 Vice $5. 1 Anvil $5. 1 Hammer & screws [?] | 18.00
1. Cart $10. 1. Looking glass $2. | 12.00
1 Doz. chairs $2. 1 pair and irons [andirons] 2. | 4.00
1. Lot of books $5. 3 Bush hooks [?] .75 | 5.75
2. Cows $16. 2 Bee hives $4. | 20.00 [?]
| $59.00 [?]
Lot No. 7. has the following articles.
to wit. 1 Loom $10. 2. Spinning wheels $5. | 15.00
1. Table $4. 1. Wheel barrow .50 | 4.50
1. Clock $2. 1 pair sheep shears .75. 1 Broad ax $1. | 3.75
1 Single barrel gun $1. 1 Straw cutter $3. | 4.00
1. Large pot $4. 4. Tin Stands $4 | 8.00
1. pr. Scales $3. 1/2 Bushel measure $1.00 [?] | 4.00
1. Wheel barrow .50 1 Hackle [for combing flax] $1.50 | 2.00
2. Heifers $14. 3. Bee hives $6. | 20.00
| $59.00
About the original
The lots went to: Nancy Roach; C. B. and Lovey L. Cox; Levi P. Wayne and his wife Louisa; Mary Vincent; Berry Nelson and his wife Elizabeth; Calvin Cox and his wife Lovey; and Henrietta and Jesse Lancaster, “minor heirs at law of James Roach.” So the seven daughters were Nancy, Louisa (Wayne), Mary (Vincent), Elizabeth (Nelson) and Lovey (Cox), plus two daughters who were no longer living and are represented by their children: one by C. B. (Charley B.) and Lovey L. Cox, and one by Henrietta and Jesse Lancaster. The report does not name the two daughters who had died. The same heirs appear in the 1868 receipt forms in this folder and in the unsigned 1868 quitclaim deeds among the land records, so this report probably dates from about the same time.
The goods show the farm as it stood just after the Civil War: a buggy, carts and an ox cart, a half share of a wheat thrasher, blacksmith’s and carpenter’s tools, spinning wheels and a loom, a hackle for flax, a straw cutter, a corn sheller, many bee hives, cows, heifers and yearlings, a clock, a looking glass, a dozen chairs and a lot of books.
The report is not signed or dated, and the third page is blank below Lot 7. Most lot totals match their items, but Lot 3 adds to $58.75, Lot 6 to about $64.75 and Lot 7 to $61.25, against written totals of $59 (Lot 4 is written as $60). The reading “3 plows $3” in Lot 4 and the amounts in the last two lines of Lot 6 are uncertain. The middle name initial of Levi P. Wayne is written as “P.” here; the Dollie Vincent will page and other papers should be compared.
Source: Division of the perishable property left to Sally Roach among her seven daughters. 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: 35996.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
