Alice Smith devised half of her slaves and monies "in trust for the separate use and benefit and for the support and maintenance of her niece Caroline Owens and such of her children as may remain with her during her natural life." During her life, Smith entrusted William Owens, Caroline's husband, "with the cultivation of her land, & the support & rearing of her negroes." He claims that when "he took charge of her business she had no property but 3 breeding negro women with about 12 or 13 children." Owens recounts that at Smith's death in 1851 "she left about fifty valuable slaves," a testament to the success of his "undivided attention." He avers that John Cocke, Caroline's trustee, left the farm and seventeen slaves in his care and that Cocke's only involvement in the trust's management has been the hiring of eight slaves, for whose hire Cocke has collected "annually to a sum ranging between $8 & $900." Owens complains that he has "found it wholly impracticable to raise adequate supplies for this large family - white and black." He cites that his expenses in running the farm have been reasonable, but Cocke refuses to settle the accounts and reimburse him for claims against the trust. He asks that "the correctness of his account; the character of his agency and management, & the value of his services" be validated by the court.
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
