Estate Settlement Enoch Burson

This document was given to me recently to see what I could make of it. The owner of this document purchased it from an Internet dealer for $20.00. The provenance of this document is unknown.

From the face page of this document it appears to be a legal document. The document measures 5 1/2 inches in length and 7 1/2 inches in width. There is a fold down the lengthwise measure of the document.

Transcription from the face of the document:
Estate of
Enoch Burson
dec
__________
unable to read
__________
Minutes No 10
Page 489

The transcription the is upside down reads:
(B)
J. M. Tobias
rceipt


Transcription:
Recieved of J F Burson Executor of the Estate of Enoch Burson Decd one negro gearl Dorcus at too hundred and twenty five Dollurs. one boy allen at one hundred and fifity Dollars one bed and furniture at twenty Dollars. one lot of meat at fifteen Dollars one bay colt at thirty five dollars one lot fodder one Dollar one steer at three Dollars one ax a too weeding hoes at one 29/100 Dollars Making in all four hundred and fifty 29/100 Dollars in full of the destributive shere Mary Ann Tobias being the amount of here shere mone as render in by the (word unknown) as one of the heirs of the said Enoch Burson

1849 John C. Tobias
Mary Ann Tobias

What do I know about this document:

1. It was dated 1849. It was probably written at that time.
2. This document involves the estate of Enoch Burson
3. The document is recorded in a legal ledger, location unknown, on page 489.
4. A female slave named Dorcus and a slave boy named Allen are considered part of the monetary estate settlement. Along with some meat, a bay colt, fodder, steer and ax and a couple of weeding hoes.
5. The distribution was made to Mary Ann Tobias one of the heirs Enoch Burson.
6. Mary Ann Tobias' husband John C. Tobias is seeking her inheritance.
7. J L Burson is the executor of the estate

Research plan and analysis

Check the 1850 census. Since this was probably written in 1859 Mary Ann and John C Tobias are probably still living. The executor J. Burson may also be living as well as the slave Dorcus and slave boy Allen. Here is the results of a check of the census.

Enoch Burson, Year: 1830; Census Place: , Conecuh, Alabama; Roll: 3; Page: 106. One male between the ages of 30 - 40, one female less than 5, one female between 20 - 30, one slave male under 10, two slave males between 24 - 36, and one slave female between 10 - 24.

Mary Ann Tobias, Year: 1850; Census Place: District 2, Montgomery, Alabama; Roll: M432_12; Page: 156; Image: 174. She lives with John C. Tobias, age 32, occupation farmer, born in South Carolina and Mary age 2 born in Alabama. Birth location for Mary Ann is unknown. According to the slave schedules John Tobias has two slaves - a 6 year old female and a 4 year old male.