Amanda (Hall) Holland petitions court for support

I recently uncovered a court document revealing that Janie (Dove) Holland petitioned the court for a year’s support following the death of her husband, Elijah Jeffers Holland, who passed away at just 42. A month later, I found another court record—this one dating back to 1892—showing that Elijah’s stepmother, Amanda (Hall) Holland, had once done the very same thing after losing her husband, Elijah’s father, Leroy Thomas Holland (my 2nd great grandfather).

In 19th-century Georgia, when a husband died, state law entitled his widow and minor children to receive enough of the estate to cover their living expenses for one year. Just weeks after Leroy’s death on May 4, 1892, Amanda submitted a petition to the Whitfield County, Georgia Ordinary Court (the local probate court), requesting financial and property support for herself and the six minor children Leroy left behind.

Three of those children—Aaron, Lawrence, and Joseph—were hers with Leroy. The other three—Elijah, Andrew, and Charles—were from his earlier marriage to my 2nd great-grandmother, Amanda Elizabeth Scott. Amanda also asked for basic household furniture and goods to meet their day-to-day needs. At the time, no estate administrator had been appointed, which added urgency to her appeal.

Amand Holland, widow of Leroy T. Holland
Application for years support. Filed in office May 23, 1892. 
J. C. Norton, Ordinary 
State of Georgia, Whitfield County.
To the Honorable Court of Ordinary of said County. 
The petition of Amanda Holland respectfully showeth that Leroy T. Holland late of said County departed this life on the 4th day of May 1892 leaving your petitioner his widow and six minor children surviving him, to wit, Aaron, Lawrence, and Joseph Holland, the children of your petitioner and Elijah, Andrew, and Charles Holland, the three last named are the children of deceased by a former marriage and she prays your Honorable Court in conformity with the statute in such case made and provided to appoint five discreet and proper persons to act as appraisers in setting apart to your petitioner and her six minor children as aforesaid the sum necessary in their judgement for support and maintenance of your petitioner and her children for the space of twelve months from the 4th day of May 1892 either in money or such property as may be selected by your petitioner at a fair valuation to be made by said appraisers. And also to set apart a sufficient amount of household furniture for the use of your petitioner and her children, and further to require said appraisers to return to you for record their proceedings. Petitioner shows that there is no administrator on said estate. And your petitioner will ever pray. 

Amanda H. Holland, petitioner

The court responded by appointing five local men as appraisers, charging them with assessing the estate and determining what assets should be set aside to support Amanda and the children for 12 months. 

Whitfield Court of Ordinary at Chambers
Upon the foregoing application of Amanda Holland, the widow of Leroy T. Holland deceased for the appointment of appraisers to set apart to said widow and her six minor children a sum necessary for their support and maintenance for the space of twelve months out of the estate of said Leroy T. Holland deceased and also to set apart for the use of said widow and children a sufficient amount of household furniture. It is ordered that George P. Brownlee, Samuel R. Hackett, Joseph B. Hays, Andrew J. Womack, and John Ledford be and they are hereby appointed appraisers for that purpose and that a warrant issue to them. Further ordered that said appraisers return to me for record all their proceedings in the premises. Ordered further that this order operate as a warrant to them for so doing. Given under my hand and official signature this 23d day of May 1892.

J. C. Norton, Ordinary 

Their findings, submitted on June 4, set apart a share of household items, farming tools, livestock, and 80 acres of land for Amanda and her three children—on the condition that she pay $100 toward the estate’s debts. The three children from Leroy’s first marriage were also allocated a selection of livestock, tools, and partial land interests.

Georgia, Whitfield County 
To the Ordinary of said County. 
We the undersigned appraisers appointed by your honorable Court to assess and set apart a sum necessary for the support and maintenance of the widow and minor children of Leroy T. Hollard deceased for twelve months either in money or such property as the said widow may select, do report that we find there are two sets of children, to wit, three by a former wife, and three by the said widow and after considering the condition of the estate and the family, we have set apart as being necessary for the support and maintenance of the said widow and her own three children to wit: Aaron, Lawrence, and Joseph Holland the following to wit: One wagon $25, one keg 75 cents, one cross cut saw 50 cents, plow stocks and harness $3, 3/4 bushel grass seed 40 cents, one set buggy harness $1, one garden rake 25 cents, 2450 feet of lumber $12.25, one wash pot 50 cents, mattock 25 cents, grind stone 40 cents, 5 jugs $1, 2 kegs 75 cents, carpenters tools $3, one cow and calf $15, 8 hogs $12, two bureaus two trunks $3, one chair $1, 3 bedsteads $4, one clock $1,4/7 of $150 in lots of land no. 213, ½ of 184 (80 acres of land lot no. 184) tenth district and third section $100. We give her said 80 acres of land provided she pays outstanding debts against the estate to the amount of one hundred dollars. And we also set apart for the support and maintenance of the three minor children by the former marriage to wit: Elijah, Andrew, and Charlie Holland, aged respectively 19, 17, and 15 years, the following property, to wit: One mule $40, two yearlings $6, 2450 ft. of lumber $12.25, 1 evaporator pan $5, 1 safe $3, 3/7 of $150 interest in lots of land no. 213 and one half of no. 184, tenth district and third section.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this June 4th 1892.

G. P. Brownlee
J. L. Ledford
J. B. Hays
S. R. Hackett

After the appraisers completed their assessment of Leroy’s estate and recommended what support should be set aside for Amanda and the six children, the next step in the legal process was to notify the public. On the record for the July 1892 term, the Whitfield County Court of Ordinary ordered that a citation be issued and published—as required by law. This meant the court was now legally required to let others know that Amanda’s claim had been filed and that the appraisers’ report was available for review.

The notice read:

Whitfield Court of Ordinary 
July Term 1892

Ordered that citation issue and be published as the law requires. 

J. C. Norton, Ordinary

The notice was published publicly in The Dalton Argus on September 3, 1892 and served as a formal invitation for anyone with legal interest in the estate to object. That could include creditors, other family members, or anyone who believed the division of property was unfair or overlooked their rights. The publication fee was listed as $2.25.

GEORGIA, Whitfield County,
Notice is hereby given that the appraisers appointed to set apart to the widow and minor children of Leroy T. Holland deceased a year support from the estate of said deceased, have filed their report and all persons concerned are required to show cause if any they have on the first Monday in September 1892, why said report should not be confirmed, pf$2.25

J. C. Norton, Ordinary

The Dalton Argus, Dalton, Georgia, September 3, 1892

In Amanda’s case, no one stepped forward to contest the report. When the court reconvened in September, her petition was officially approved.

Whitfield Court of Ordinary 
September Term 1892
Notice having been lawfully published requiring all persons concerned, to show cause of any they have why the report of the appraisers appointed to set apart a years support from the estate of Leroy T. Holland, deceased, for the maintenance of Amanda Holland widow of said deceased and her six minor children, should not be confirmed at this term of the Court, and now, there being no objection presented and the Court believing the report just and reasonable, it is hereby ordered to record and made the judgement of this Court. This September 5, 1892.

J. C. Horton, Ordinary

This glimpse into 19th-century probate law shows how widows like Amanda had to not only hold their families together after loss but also navigate a system more focused on property than people. These records reflect the strength it took for the women who came before us to simply endure and survive.

References

• Notice, The Dalton Argus, Dalton, Georgia, September 3, 1892.
• Whitfield County, Georgia, Probate Records 1865–1935. Images 205–206, FamilySearch. 

Lyd, property of Samuel Winslett Sr.

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

Georgia Journal, May 29, 1827

Between the usual hours of sale, on the first Tuesday in June next, will be sold at the court-house in the town of Greenesborough, Greene county, the following property, to wit:

One negro girl by the name of Lyd, 14 years of age, levied upon as the property of Samuel Winslett, Sr. to satisfy a fi fa founded on the foreclosure of a mortgage in favor of Hardy Bridges vs. said Winslett; property pointed out in the fi fa.

One cupboard, 4 pets, 3 ovens, 3 beds and furniture, 4 sows and pigs, 8 shoats, 7 cows and calves, 1 mare and colt, 60 barrels corn, and 300 lbs. fodder, all levied upon as the property of John Thompson to satisfy a fi fa on the foreclosure of a mortgage in favor of Henry Thompson vs. John Thompson.

NICHOLAS HOWARD, D.S.

References

Georgia Journal, Madison, Georgia, May 29, 1827.

Mattie Belle Moore

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Mattie Belle Moore was born on October 6, 1886, in Polk County, likely in Cedartown, Georgia. She was the daughter of George William Moore and Margaret E. Hogg, both originally from Greene County, Georgia. Mattie was one of several children in the Moore family, including her siblings: Margaret “Maggie” Moore, Bettie Moore, Nellie J. Moore, Charles Howard Moore, Lula E. Moore, William Henry Moore, Helen O. Moore, and George A. Moore.

Mattie Belle Moore (photo from Rebecca Brightwell)

Though we share no common ancestors, Mattie is connected to my family as the mother-in-law of the niece of the husband of my 2nd great-aunt, Lillie “Della” Lankford. Della was the sister of my great-grandmother, Alice Beman Lankford, and the wife of Hayden Edgar George.

Mattie’s life was touched by loss early on. Her mother, Margaret, passed away on April 4, 1900, when Mattie was just 13 years old. Margaret was laid to rest at Lime Branch Cemetery in Polk County. She left behind 30 ¾ acres of land, part of an inheritance from her father. However, the property had to be sold by George, Mattie’s father, to settle debts associated with Margaret’s estate.

On June 21, 1900, Mattie was living with her widowed father in the Blooming Grove community, District 88 of Polk County. The household included her siblings Maggie, Bettie, Nellie, Helen, and George, ranging in age from 3 to 20. George worked as a farmer on land he owned. At the time, Mattie, Bettie, and Nellie were attending school. All members of the household, except for the youngest children, Helen and George, were able to read and write.

On January 5, 1902, Mattie’s father, George, remarried. His second wife was Emma S. Burgess, and the ceremony took place in Oconee County, Georgia.

Later that same year, on December 31, 1902, Mattie married William Henry Arthur, the son of George Hugh Arthur and Mary Caroline Johnson. Their wedding was held in Polk County, Georgia, officiated by a minister named G. B. Bowman. At the time of their marriage, there was a seven-year age difference between Mattie and Henry.

Marriage certificate from Polk County, Georgia

Mattie and Henry had a large family, welcoming nine children: Mary Arthur, George Hugh Arthur, Emily E. Arthur, Sue Belle Arthur, Nellie Arthur, Frances Arthur, William Arthur, Roy Mell Arthur, and one child whose name remains unknown. Interestingly, Mattie’s obituary notes that she was known as Sue Bell Moore prior to her marriage—possibly inspiring the name of her daughter, Sue Belle. Despite extensive searching, I have been unable to locate any record of the ninth child beyond a mention in Mattie’s obituary.

By April 15, 1910, the Arthur family was living on a rented farm along Lexington Road in Bairdstown, Georgia. The census that year recorded that Mattie had given birth to five children, all of whom were living at the time. Also residing in the household was Henry’s 22-year-old brother, John “Johnnie” Arthur. Both Henry and Johnnie were listed as farmers on a general farm. All three adults—Mattie, Henry, and Johnnie—were noted as being able to read and write. At that point, Mattie and Henry had been married for seven years.

Mattie’s family faced another loss when her sister, Lula, passed away on June 2, 1914. Lula was laid to rest at Leila Cemetery in Colquitt County, Georgia.

By 1918, Mattie and Henry had moved to Stephens, another small community in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. That year, during World War I, Henry registered for the draft and listed his occupation as a farmer working for John W. Moody.

By January 2, 1920, Mattie and Henry had purchased a farm in the Falling Creek district near Maxeys, in Oglethorpe County. Henry worked the land as a general farmer, while their eldest son, Hugh, contributed as a farm laborer on the home place. Eight of their children were living at home, ranging in age from 16 to 5. All but their youngest, Roy, were attending school. Everyone in the household could read and write, except for the three youngest—Frances (8), William (7), and Roy (5).

Tragically, Mattie passed away suddenly on December 30, 1922, in Maxeys. Her death certificate simply noted the cause as “sudden,” offering no further explanation. She was buried the next day, December 31, which marked her and Henry’s 20th wedding anniversary. Her funeral was held at Bairdstown Cemetery, where she was laid to rest.

Her passing was announced in The Oglethorpe Echo on January 5, 1923, which wrote: “The sad death of Mrs. Henry Arthur, of Maxeys, occurred last Saturday night. She was just in the prime of life, thirty-seven years of age. She was before her marriage twenty years ago to W. H. Arthur, Miss Sue Bell Moore of Cedartown. She was the splendidly good mother of nine children and her fine tender care of them was marked with the finest of motherly love. Her body was laid to rest here (Bairdstown) Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. She leaves her husband and nine children.”

References

• Charles Howard Moore, State of Texas, Certificate of Death no. 10830, 1966.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24210892/george_william-moore: accessed June 17, 2025), memorial page for George William Moore (28 Jul 1851–29 May 1927), Find a Grave Memorial ID 24210892, citing Lime Branch Cemetery, Polk County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Áine Ní Donnghaile (contributor 47214861).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24210912/margaret_e-moore: accessed June 17, 2025), memorial page for Margaret E. “Maggie” Hogg Moore (25 Mar 1855–4 Apr 1900), Find a Grave Memorial ID 24210912, citing Lime Branch Cemetery, Polk County, Georgia, USA; maintained by HistoryGeek (contributor 47373780).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51665693/lula_e-watson: accessed June 18, 2025), memorial page for Lula E. Moore Watson (16 Oct 1876–2 Jun 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 51665693, citing Leila Cemetery, Colquitt County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Brenda Arnett Darbyshire (contributor 47229861).
• Mattie Bell Arthur, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death no. 33357, 1922.
• McRee Jr., Fred W., Oglethorpe County, Georgia Deaths: 1874–1938, p. 293, (The Oglethorpe Echo, January 5, 1923), 2006.
• Miss Mattie Belle Moore and W. H. Arthur, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Mr. George W. Moore and Miss Emma Burgess, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• Polk County, Georgia, Court Minutes 1899–1910, image 61, FamilySearch.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Blooming Grove, Polk County, Georgia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Hutchings, Polk County, Georgia, 1880.
• William Henry Arthur, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.