Obituary: Rev. John R Pickett.
The Fairfield Herald, Winnsboro, South Carolina, March 23, 1870. [33]
We seek help in identifying which of these men named Reuben Pickett was a son of James Pickett, and in identifying who the others were.
1817 A land survey was made for Reuben Pickett of 102 acres on Wateree Creek on the waters of wateree River, Fairfield District, South Carolina. Jos Long, John McRoy, Jas ?ear, Mary Johnston, and Turner Starke were shown as adjacent landowners on the survey map. [1] [2]
1820 Reuben Rickett lived in Fairfield County, South Carolina in a household with free white males: 3 (under 10), 1 (26 thru 44); and free white females: 2 (under 10) and 1 (26 thru 44); and 20 slaves. [3]
1824 Reuben L. Pickett, brother of Thomas, dated his will on September 1824. He died by October 25, 1824 with wife Rebecca, apparently childless. His father was still living. [4] It is possible that this was a son Rubin, whose will was witnessed by mother Mary Ann Pickett and whose brother Thomas later married his widow.
1824 Reuben L Pickett, deceased, Fairfield County, South Carolina. "The last will and testament of said deceased was this day duly proven by the oath of Patien? Cassity. Robert L Knox and William W Lewis named executors in the will duly qualified Letters testamentary and Warrant of A? paid." Dated October 25. Recorded in Book G page 3, 27, 109. [5]
I Rubin L. Pickett being of sound mind and memory …
First I give my beloved wife Rebekah Pickett all my negroes, Will, Nancy, Betsy, Elery, Josias, Polly, Berry, and Jim. … My father to be paid for the hire of his negroes out of the crop. and increase of said negroes to my beloved wife.
I give my gun and wearing apparel to my brother Thomas Pickett. I appoint William W. Lewis and Robert L Knox my lawful executors in such manners that the property is to be kept for the use of my wife if she has children at her death it will go to them, if not it will go to my brothers and sisters. …
Witnessed by Patience Cassity and Mary A Pickett.
…
Proved October 25, 1824 in Fairfield District, South Carolina.
1824 The account of the estate of Reuben L Pickett was made by Thomas Lumpkin, Reuben B. Pickett, and Reuben Wilmore. [6]
1826 Siblings, in Fairfield South Carolina, of Reuben made a petition to the Chancellors of South Carolina that clarified that Rebecca had no children. [7]
The siblings of the late Reuben Pickett ask that Reuben's widow, Rebekah, and her current husband, Thomas Pickett, give security to protect their interest in Reuben's estate. Reuben's 1824 will bequeathed the whole of his estate, including eight slaves, to Rebekah, with the stipulation that after her death, the estate should be divided among her living children. If Rebekah had no issue, the estate should revert to Reuben's brothers and sisters as tenants in common. Rebekah has no children, and the petitioners opine that "it is probable the said Rebekah will never have issue." Rebekah and Thomas are shortly planning to move to Mississippi, and the petitioners fear that they will carry off "the whole of said property" without regard for the siblings' reversionary interest in the estate. They ask that the Picketts be restrained from leaving the state until they provide proper security.
1842 Rebecca Lewis petitioned the Judge of the fourth District in the State of Louisiana and Parish of Point Coupee to separate from Thomas Pickett. [8]
Rebecca Lewis petitions for a separation of property from her husband, Thomas Pickett. Married in June 1825, Lewis brought into the marriage sixteen slaves and sundry property. Pickett sold three of these slaves in 1826 and "appropriated the proceeds of their sale." Five of the other dowry slaves have died since the marriage. In 1836 Rebecca's father, William Lewis, gave her another slave named Daphney, valued at $800. Now, due to the "misfortunes & mismanagement of her said Husband and the derangement of his affairs," Rebecca fears she will lose the rights to her remaining slaves and other property. Therefore, she prays for an inventory to be made of her remaining property and asks to "be separated in property from her said Husband." Further, she seeks to be "authorized to administer her own estate" as a feme sole and to be compensated for her loss of property with a judgment of $6,398.50 with interest. In addition, she requests a writ of injunction to prevent Pickett from removing any of the disputed property out of the court's jurisdiction.
Another Reubin Pickett was a law student in 1825:
1825 Reuben Pickett, of North Carolina, was a student at the Litchfield Law School, Connecticut. [9]
A Reuben Pickett reportedly married Mary Ann Lewis:
1810 Reubin Pickett married Mary Ann Lewis (1792-1852). [10]
1824 A land survey was made for Reuben Pickett of 908 acres on both sides of the North Prong of Wateree Creek, Fairfield District, South Carolina. John Woodward, Quffen?, Silas Gladden, John McCrory, Jesse Gladden, James Gladden, John Barber, Hardaway Watson, and Lewis were shown as adjacent landowners. [11]
1825 A land survey was made for Reuben Pickett and Robert L Knox of 1060 acres being old granted land belonging now to the said Reuben Pickett & R Knox including the plantation they now live on situate on the North Prong of Wateree Creek, Fairfield District, South Carolina. Wm Lewis, John Woodward, John Watson, Griffin, Silas Gladden, John McCrory, Wm Gladden, Widow Gladden, and Jas Barber were named as adjacent landowners. [12] [13]
1831 Reuben B Pickett and Martha Simmons were married on December 22 in Madison County, Georgia. [14] [15]
1832 Reuben B Pickett was granted land in Madison County, Georgia. [16]
1837 Letters of administration were issued to Thomas Briggs for the estate of Susanna Pickett of Fairfield District. [17] [18] [19]
1839 Patience Pickett (1820-92), daughter of Reubin Pickett and Mary Ann Lewis, married Abraham F. Lumpkin (1819-75). [20]
1841 An inventory of the estate of William Lewis was ordered in Fairfield, South Carolina. John Lewis, Edward Lewis and Littleton Lewis were named to make the inventory. [21] [22] [23]
1845 William Pickett [named by several researchers as a son of Reubin Pickett and Lewis] held slaves from the estate of his wife Arabella Peay. [24]
Robert Mickle and John A. Peay, trustees for Arabella Peay Pickett, request an injunction to prevent the sale of two trust slaves. The petitioners explain that John Peay, who died in 1839, bequeathed seven slaves and their increase in trust for his niece Arabella and her children. John Peay specified that the slaves were "not to be subject to the debts or contracts of any husband she might marry." Recently, the sheriff seized two of the slaves, Duncan and Helen, to satisfy judgments against Arabella's husband, William Pickett. The trustees assert that Duncan and Helen belong to Arabella's trust, not to Pickett. They also inform the court that John Peay's estate still owes debts and that Arabella's trust slaves "are liable therefore in case of a deficiency of assets." The trustees ask the court to prevent the defendants from selling the slaves.
Some relations of Reuben Pickett claimed that Robert Knox and Susannah Pickett colluded with James B. Pickett, perhaps a son of John Pickett, to gain assets from the estate of Reuben Pickett.
1839 James Pickett of Fairfield District, South Carolina, relationship unclear, petitioned the Chancellors of the state concerning debts due to him and due to the estate of John Pickett. [25]
James Pickett seeks repayment of a debt. He states that Reuben Pickett, Robert Knox, and Susanna Pickett owed him $4628.80 and that he "obtained from them a confession of judgment" in 1827 in order to secure payment. He contends that the debtors were able to pay this debt, as they jointly owned and operated a 1200-acre plantation with seventy slaves, worth about $30,000, and had mostly settled some prior debts owed to the late John Pickett. He also declares that James B. Pickett, executor of John Pickett's estate, agreed that "your Orators debt should be paid in preference" to the remainder due to the estate. Later, though, James B. Pickett conspired with the three debtors, his uncles and grandmother, to prevent payment by various fraudulent means, including fictitious debts and rigged sales. Robert Knox, Reuben Pickett, and Susanna Pickett are all dead, and James B. Pickett controls most of their property, although no one has officially administered their estates. The petitioner asks the court to investigate the transactions, to void all improper ones, and to order James B. Pickett to pay the debt owed him.
1843 William L. Pickett and Abraham F. Lumpkin were appointed as administrators of the intestate accounts of Reuben B Pickett of Fairfield District South Carolina. Note that Reuben B Pickett was one of the signators of the 1824 account of Reuben L Pickett. [26] [27]
1845 William L. Pickett and Abraham F. Lumpkin petitioned the chancellors of South Carolina in Fairfield, South Carolina. [28]
William L. Pickett and Abraham F. Lumpkin, administrators of the estate of Reuben Pickett, seek to retrieve property that they claim for Reuben Pickett's estate. The petitioners explain that Reuben Pickett, Robert Knox, and Susannah Pickett "owned and worked together" about 70 slaves and 1200 acres, valued near $30,000. Knox and the Picketts owed money to various people, including $4,628.80 to James Pickett and more than $7,000 to the estate of John Pickett, administered by James B. Pickett. The petitioners charge that James B. Pickett colluded with the three debtors to defraud their creditors, but later used the various transactions to obtain the debtors' property for himself. The petitioners allege that James B. Pickett kept three slaves out of Reuben Pickett's estate without ever accounting for their hire or purchase. All of the original parties involved have since died. The petitioners ask that James Gilmer, administrator of the estate of James B. Pickett, return or account for the property that Pickett fraudulently acquired from Reuben Pickett.
1850 John R Pickett (age 36, born in South Carolina) lived in Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, North Carolina, in a household with S R Pickett (age 38), A C Gibson (age 16), J W Caloway (age 34), Anne C Caloway (age 28), Thomas Allen (age 25), and Margarett Johnston (age 15). John R Pickett was a meth minister. [29]
1863 John R Pickett, administrator for Philip H Pickett, deceased, petitioned the Chancellors of South Carolina concerning the estate. [30]
John R. Pickett, the administrator of the late Philip H. Pickett, asks that over 100 slaves be partitioned. The petitioner represents that his late brother was seized and possessed of certain tracts of lands and that he "was also possessed in full and complete ownership" of 40 slaves. Pickett further recounts that the intestate "had in his possession" 61 slaves, whom he had received from the estate of his father-in-law, the late Samuel McCullough, and that said Philip "had an estate in fee simple in said slaves;" his brothers-in-law now share a "contingent interest" in said slaves. Citing that he and Mary Jane McCullough Pickett, as administrators, "have paid off" most of the estate's debts, the petitioner therefore prays that "a Writ of Partition may issue ... directed to certain persons therein to be named commanding them to make partition and division of said real and personal estate, among the parties interested, according to the respective interests therein."
1870 Rev John Raiford Pickett died on March 15 and was buried at First United Methodist Cemetery, Fairfield County, South Carolina. Rev John Raiford Pickett was born on April 2, 1811. [31] [32]
Death of the Rev. John R. Pickett.
It is with a feeling of deep regret, that we are called upon to chronicle the demise of the Rev. John R. Pickett, which occurred in Chester village, on Monday night last.
He was for many years the Pastor of St. John's Church, Charleston, S. C. until declining health nocessitated his removal to a more salubrious portion of the State, where he remained until his death.
He was buried with Masonic honors, yesterday evening, at the M. E. Church, at this place. To the bereaved we extend our heartfelt sympathy.
"Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither, in the north wind's breadth;
And stars to set-but all,
Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O death!"
Mr. Pickett was born on the second day of April, 1814, and was baptized by the Rev. Hilliard Judge in 1817. He was licensed to preach at Gladden's Grove Camp Ground, Sandy River Circuit, October 11th, 1834, and was immediately sent into the itinerancy by his Presiding Elder, Rev. Bond English, in which sphere of usefulness he continued until his death on the 15th instant.
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[2] South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Series: S213192 Volume: 0044 Page: 00493 Item: 002, [Image], [Search1], [Search2].
[3] United States Federal Census, 1820, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, Fairfield County Will, G9-27, FHL film 292434, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
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[7] Race & Slavery Petitions Project, [SlaveryProject].
[8] Race & Slavery Petitions Project, [SlaveryProject].
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[10] North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
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[12] Commissioner of Locations, South Carolina, Camden District, Plat books, 1785-1841, B1-105, map on B1-106, [FamilySearchImage], [FSCatalog].
[13] South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Series: S213192 Volume: 0048 Page: 00011 Item: 000, [Image], [Search1], [Search2].
[14] Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
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[16] Georgia Cherokee Land Lottery, 1832, [AncestryRecord].
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[18] South Carolina, Court of Ordinary (Fairfield District), Estate records, 1800-1847, P(17)-57, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[19] South Carolina, Court of Ordinary (Fairfield District), Estate records, 1800-1847, P(17)-3, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[20] North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[21] South Carolina, Court of Ordinary (Fairfield District), Estate records, 1800-1847, P(17)-435, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[22] South Carolina, Court of Ordinary (Fairfield District), Estate records, 1800-1847, P(17)-487, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[23] South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[24] Race & Slavery Petitions Project, [SlaveryProject].
[25] Race & Slavery Petitions Project, [SlaveryProject].
[26] South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[27] South Carolina, Court of Ordinary (Fairfield District), Estate records, 1800-1847, P(17)-44, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[28] Race & Slavery Petitions Project, [SlaveryProject].
[29] United States Federal Census, 1850, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[30] Race & Slavery Petitions Project, [SlaveryProject].
[31] Find A Grave Memorial 54978884, [FindAGrave].
[32] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[33] The Fairfield Herald, Winnsboro, South Carolina, March 23, 1870, page 2, [NewspapersClip].
[34] The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, March 24, 1870, page 2, [NewspapersClip].