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Syntha Cross, Guardianship


Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes Jul 1831-May 1838


p.476 Be it remembered that a County Court was open and hits for the County of Anderson at the court house in Clinton the first Monday in September 1837 being the 4th day of said month, Present John Chiles, Enoch Foster, Henry Chiles, John Seiber, James Hall, Alfred England, Michael King, William McKamey, Justice of the Peace for the County of Anderson, ready for the dispatch of public business. Synthy Cross, a minor and legatee of the Estate of Britton Cross decd. appeared in Court and chose Alfred Cross her guardian, she being over fourteen years of age, and the Alfred Cross appeared in Court and undertook as her guardian, who entered into bond with John Cross and Joseph Black his securities in the amount of eight hundred dollars granted according to law. On the petition of John Cross, William Cross, and Alfred Cross legatees of the Britton Cross decd praying the Court to appoint commissioners to divide the Slaves and the landed estate of sd. Britton Cross decd. between the several legatees agreeably to the last will and testament of the sd. Britton Cross decd. and made petition being in assigned by that Court, therefore and by the court that Alfred England, Luke Peaks, Anderson Thompson, James Noel, and Samuel C. Young be and they appointed commissioners to make partition of the said Slaves and Land agreeably to the said last will and testament of the said
p.477 Britton Cross decd. and so make their report to the next term of this Court and that sd. Samuel C. Young be appointed surveyor to make sd. partition.

Syntha Cross was the daughter of Brittain Cross and Mary (Polly) Parks.  Brittain was the founder of the other Cross family in Anderson County.  My Cross family was founded by William Cross the Revolutionary War drummer boy.  Some researchers list William and Brittain as father and son, but I do not believe that William was Brittain's father.  The trouble is, I really don't know who Brittain's father was, except to say that William and Brittain were almost certainly related.  However, it probably was not an especially close relationship.  For example, they were probably not uncle and nephew.

This guardianship case identifies four children of Brittain: sons John, William, and Alfred; daughter Syntha.  As far as I know, those four children are the only children Brittain had with his wife Mary (Polly) Parks.  In addition Brittain had an daughter Miriam Worthington born out of wedlock whose mother was Lettice Tunnell.

Bond was posted by John Cross and Joseph Black Jr.  John Cross was Syntha's brother.  Joseph Black was the father-in-law of both William Cross and Alfred Cross, who were Syntha's other two brothers.  So it appears that perhaps John Cross was posting bond in behalf of himself, and that perhaps Joseph Black Jr. was posting bond in behalf of William Cross and Alfred Cross.

Click on the page numbers to see the images of the court records.


p.481
Whereas the Commissioners appointed at the last
term of this Court to make partition of the slaves
and landed Estate of Britton Cross decd. agree-
ably to the last will and testament of the said
Britton Cross decd. between the several legatees
and to make their report to the present Term
of this Court made and tendered to this Court
their report which report was received by this
Court which is in the following words and
figures.

State of Tennessee, Anderson County
Whereas We Alfred England, James Noel,
Andrew Thompson, Luke Peak and Samuel C.
Young having been appointed by the County
Court as Commissioners to View and make
Partition of the slaves and landed Estate
of Britten Cross deceased, having met
according to appointment, we find Luke
Peak was absent, All the remaining above
named Commissioners invite and call into
our aforementioned William Peak who in
company with the above named among
?????, and Samuel C. Young, who also was
appointed surveyor, do now first make
partition of the slaves of said Estate


p.482 as follows (toward) a Certain man named Brice a Certain Woman named Viny a Certain Girl named Fandkey, We parcell together, which we call lot No. 1, which we price at thirteen hundred dollars, which by alotment falls to Alfred Cross a certain Man named Sam and a certain Girl named Mariah, which we call Lot No. 2, which we price at Eleven hundred and fifty dollars by alotment falls to John Cross, Certain man named Buttlar and a certain Girl named Esther we parcell together and call Lot No. 3rd, which we price at Twelve hundred dollars, which by alotment falls to William Cross, a certain young Woman named Matildah and a certain Girl named Kiziah, which We parcell together which we price at seven hundred dollars call lot No. 4 ^ which by alotment falls to Syntha Cross, all of which are legal heirs if the said Britton Cross deceased, also We the above mentioned Commissioners, do at this same time and by this same Authority, divide and make partition of the landed property as follows. Lot No. 1 Beginning at the mouth of the spring branch on a large oak stump, running up the mean- ders if said branch thirty poles to a stake in the branch, then South fifty West six poles to a stake then due West one hundred and twenty four poles to two Black Oaks, then North Fifty poles to a Post Oak, then due West thirty poles to three Post Oaks, then North thirty eight poles to a Hicory at the old road, then South Sixty five East Sixty poles to a Spanish Oak, then North Eighty five East twenty eight poles to a post Oak in the field then south Seventy four East Sixty two poles to a Cherry tree, then South Eighty Seven and one half East forth eight poles to three Hackberries, Thence down the river to the beginning which by alotment falls to Alfred Cross
p.483 which we price at four hundred and fifty dollars, which lot includes the dwelling house and the said Alfred Cross is to pay to the said different lots namely to lot No. 2 fifty dollars and to lot No 3 twenty five dollars, also to lot No 4 twenty five dollars. Lot 2. Begining on the Hackberries, running up the bank of the river fifty one poles to a Mulberry then North Eighty seven and one half West Seventy poles to a White Oak then North seventy West one hundred and thirty two poles to a Post Oak, then South a direct line to the Hicory corner of Lot No 1 and with said line to the River bank then up the river to the Beginning. Lot No. 3. Begin- ning on a Mulberry on the river bank, running up the River the mouth of the branch where the still house stands to a stake on the line of the seven- ty one survey of John Cross, the with said several lines to the Beginning of said tract on or near to line of that old tract then with the same due South fifty twopoles to a Post Oak corner of Lot No. 2, then with said lot lines to the Beginning. Lot No 4. Beginning on a Stake at the mouth of the branch where the still house stands running up said branch to a Stake near Alfred Norris- es old stable on the line of John Cross Seventy Two one survey, then with seventy one survey lines to where it strikes? the old survey line, then with said old survey line to a pine stump in Hick's field then South Twenty East nintey six poles to the river bank, then down the river to the Beginning which several lots contains as follows. No 1 contains fifty seven acres, Lot No 2 contains seventy one acres, Lot NO 3 containing one hundred and nine- teen acres, Lot No 4th Containing one hundred and sixty two acres, and We do now further ask and say that Alfred Cross who we allowed
p.484 Lot No 1 of the slaves to pay John Cross who has Lot No 2 the sum of sixty two dollars and fifty cents, also ha? the said Alfred Cross is to pay to William Cross who has lot No 3 the sum of twelve dollas and fifty cents, also the said Alfred Cross to pay to Synthia Cross who has lot No 4 of said slaves the sum of sixteen dollars and fifty cents, all of which is the really the property belonging to the Estate of Britton Cross deceased, which We the under signed, having carefully reviewed and examined after having first being sworn legally as the law requires on such cases, also ???? it is further and announced by us that William Cross is to have Lot No 2 of the land as above decided also that John Cross is to have Lot No 3 of the land and also that Syntha Cross have Lot No 4 as above decided, Given under our hands and seals, this 13th day of September 1837. Alfred England James Noel Andrew Thompson William Peak Samuel C. Young Commissioners by Court
p.486 Alfred Cross Guardian of Syntha Cross a Minor and legatee of the Estate of Britten Cross decd produced and tendered to the Court an Inventory of the personal Estate of the Syntha Cross minor and legatee as aforesaid which was received by the Court and Ordered to Recorded in the Estate Book and it is ordered by the Court that the property be sold by the said Guardian on auction? by the highest bidder giving legal notice of the said sale.

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This page last edited on 14 Mar 2008.