Benjamin Powers and Polly Powers Slater, of Mississippi, represent that they are two of the heirs of the late Andrew M. Powers, their brother, who owned property valued at $4,000 at the time of his death in 1832, according to their estimates. The property consisted of land, personal belongings, and four slaves. Benjamin and Polly allege that one Joseph Cooper, their late sister Judith’s husband, has got himself appointed “provisional” administrator of the estate and has purchased their other two sisters’ shares in the estate. They further charge that Cooper has been part of various “simulated” sales and a law suit, which have resulted in the disposition of the land and slaves for his financial advantage and at the expense of the estate. Claiming a two-fifth-interest in the estate, Benjamin and Polly pray that the fraudulent sales and the associated court case be declared “null & void,” and that the land and slaves be “bound” to them for the payment of $1,600 plus $500 in damages. They also ask that, “in default,” the land and slaves be seized and sold to satisfy their claim. In addition to Joseph Cooper, Benjamin and Polly cite three other men as defendants, who they claim were parties to the fraudulent transactions.
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: East Baton Rouge Parish, Clerk of Court Archives, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
