Following the death of her husband Isaiah in Baldwin County, Georgia, Delila Wheeler married James Searcy, who became administrator of her deceased husband's property. According to Delila, James Searcy never settled her husband's estate and never proceeded to a division of the property between her and her children. The property included two slaves, Dave and Mary, as well as more than two thousand dollars in cash, all of which Searcy took in his possession and kept until his death in 1856. In addition, with the profits from the estate, Searcy purchased three additional slaves, one of whom, Eliza, gave birth to three children after the purchase. Searcy collected the hire of the adult slaves, which Delila asserts was worth one hundred and fifty dollars per year. Delila now sues her second husband's heirs and the administrator of his estate, seeking a distribution of her first husband's property. The division should be in three parts: one for herself and one each for her two minor children, Edwin and Cleopatra Wheeler. She adds that, if it is necessary to sell the slaves to effect the division, then the slaves should be auctioned off.
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: Henry County Courthouse, Abbeville, Alabama
