Notes on Our Genealogy

After my 6th great grandmother Nancy Shelton died in 1839, her children fought over possession of an enslaved woman named Sylvia. Nancy’s husband Jeremiah Shelton had left all of his possessions, including his three slaves, to his children when he died in 1829. But as his wife, Nancy had dower rights to a third of his estate during her lifetime, and in this case that portion included Sylvia. Once the old widow died, her dower portion reverted to the heirs. Shelton et al vs Figg et al ( original document ) As Nancy and Jeremiah Shelton entered the autumn of their lives, all of their children had moved out of the area except their daughter Sarah and her husband Robert Figg. The Figgs and Sylvia took care of the old couple, and some time after Jeremiah died Nancy and Sylvia moved into the Figg home. By the time Nancy died in 1839, Sarah and Robert would have known and lived with Sylvia for over 30 years. The Figgs wanted to keep Sylvia, and the other heirs wanted to sell her off and split...