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Robert Poe (d. 1722)
Katherine Poe
(active 1722/23)
Somehow connected to Samuel
Poe (d.1725)
_______________________________________________________________
There are only a few court records that mention Robert Poe
and Katherine
Poe. Nothing clearly makes the case, but Katherine was likely
Robert’s widow.
At the Court held on 17 January 1722, John Getar (later as Jeter, Jetter, Jett) is granted an
attachment on the estate of Robert Poe for some amount of tobacco,
two cows and other personal belongings, such as a gun and hoes. Robert Poe
is not listed in any tax list or deed and so it is not known where Robert Poe
lived. The fact that his estate included a valuable amount of tobacco as well
as livestock indicates that he had land of his own. He could have own land outright
(although, as mentioned, no deed seems to exist), or perhaps he farmed a
portion of the 905 acres owned by Samuel Poe.
Robert
Poe, like Samuel, seems to have died without leaving a will.
However, unlike Samuel
Poe's, Robert's estate never was assigned an administrator. We can find enough connections between Robert Poe
and Katherine
Poe to surmise that Katherine was his wife. Perhaps she became the
administrator by default and that is why she is involved in lawsuits with some
of the same parties that sought judgments against Robert's estate. We have no
idea what reason the persons had for seeking to attach Robert Poe's estate, nor bring
suit against Katherine - those details are missing from the extant records.
In short, we do not know for sure the relationship between
Robert and Katherine
Poe, but indications are that they were husband and wife. We do not
know for sure how Samuel Poe and Robert Poe were related, but one
suspects they were brothers. It is certainly possible that Robert was the
oldest son who died before Samuel and no other son was yet of age to administer
the estate.
Another possibility
exists, however remote. Edmund Bewley, in his book, The Family of Poe,
adds this information about the relationship between men named Simon Poe and Robert Poe in
On
the 1st of May, 1668, Simon Poe, SR of the town
and county of Nottingham, cordwainer,
filed his bill in the court of Chancery for the purpose of recovering
possession of a messuuage, house, or tenement in Gedling, which the Plaintiff's
father, Robert Poe, had been
seized of in fee-tail, but from which the Plaintiff had been excluded by his
younger brother, George Poe, of Gedling, aided by
Richard Kemp, of Gedling, and Mary his wife. (note: The freedoms granted by the Skinners' Company in 1689
include 'John
Poe, son of Simon'
Given the
time frame, Robert
Poe who died in
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[John] Getar (Jeter) is awarded an
attachment against the estate of Robert Poe. The judgment includes some pounds
of tobacco presumably in the estate's possession as well as tobacco at a
tobacco house, whose proprietor, Isaac Truck, was owed 71 pounds of tobacco.
Robert Poe, if he was farming part of the Samuel Poe estate, definitely held
tobacco under his own name.
17th of January 1722,
p. 737
In ye attachmt (torn) Getar* agt
ye estate of Robert Poe, judgmt is granted sd
Plt. against deft. for thr (torn) pounds of Tobo with
an attorneys fee & costs & ye constable having return'd
(torn) vizt. 'Novr ye 9,
1722 attached by virute virtue of ye within
attachment. Two cows (torn Tobo in ye Tobo Hows. excepting 71 rent
to Issac Truck and all the Indian (torn) pots &
two grubing hoes, two old bed coverings, one old gun
by me (torn) part of his judgmt. aforesd,
& ye sd. attachment is continued for (torn).
* Note that
the name “Getar” is later spelled both Jetar and Jeter. Jeter seems to be the preferred family
spelling at later dates.
William Thomas is a co-defendant with Katherine Poe in a suit brought by John Askew
through his assignee John Griffin, which is dismissed.
19th of February 1722
p. 742
The suit brot. by
John Griffin assignee of John Askew, agt Katherine Poe,
Frances Gee and Wm. Thomas, is dismist.
William Thomas is also a co-defendant with the estate of Robert Poe in the suit of attachment of John Getar - the same man awarded a judgment against the estate
of Robert Poe. This indicates that Robert
Poe, William Thomas and Katherine Poe are closely connected, and further
that the estate of Robert Poe and the person of Katherine
Poe are closely associated. William Thomas is involved because he also
sought to attach the estate, but was not able to prove his case, as evidenced
in the next series of court records.
20th of March 1722
In attachmt obtained by Jno. Getar agt.
estate of Robert Poe, Wm. Thomas filed his plea & ye Plt. joyned issue, ye triall where of is referred till next court.
18 September 1723
The attachment obtain'd by Jno. Getar agt.
the Estate of Robert Poe, the
issue being upon ye Country between ye sd. Getar & Wm Thomas being waved & referr'd
to ye
Evidently
William Thomas contested the attachment of John Getar,
but could not show that he should be given property from the estate of Robert Poe.
John Griffin has some role to play in this as a witness. He also sues Katherine Poe but the case is dismissed.
p. 42
16th Day of October 1723
In the attachment obtained by Jno. Getar agt. the estate of Robert Poe, Wm.
Thomas failing to make out his claim to the 2 cows, a two year old
heifer & one yearling heifer. It is therefore ordered that the Sheriff get
the sd. cattle appraised & deliver the same to
the Plt. or so much thereof as will satifie & pay ye Balla. of ye Judgmt. which
ye sd Plt obtained agt the sd deft. on ye 17th Day of January last and sd
attachment is dismist.
Francis Starn (Stern) making oath
that he attended eleven days as an evidence for John Getar
on his Atta. aft the estate
of Robert
Poe ye sd John is therefore ordered to pay
sd. Francis for his eleven days attende.
according to law with costs.
-- it is
ordered that John Getar
pay John Griffin for two days attendance
as an evidence agt.
Robert Poe according to law with costs.
It would
appear that the estate of Robert Poe is in
the hands of Katherine Poe, which leads to
the probability that she was his wife.
7th of January 1723
p. 737
The suit brought by Jno.
John Getar and William Thomas are still disputing the attachment
of property from the estate of Robert Poe.
18 September 1723
The attachment obtain'd by Jno. Getar agt. the Estate of Robert
Poe, the issue being upon ye Country between ye sd.
Getar & Wm Thomas
being waved & referr'd to ye
p. 42
16th Day of October 1723
In the attachment obtained by Jno. Getar agt. the estate of Robert Poe, Wm. Thomas
failing to make out his claim to the 2 cows, a two year old heifer & one
yearling heifer. It is therefore ordered that the Sheriff get the sd. cattle appraised & deliver the same to the Plt. or so much thereof as will satifie
& pay ye Balla. of ye Judgmt. which ye sd Plt obtained agt the sd deft. on ye 17th Day of January last and sd
attachment is dismist.
Francis Starn making oath that he
attended eleven days as an evidence for John Getar on
his Atta. aft the estate of Robt. Poe ye sd
John is therefore ordered to pay sd. Francis for his
eleven days attende. according
to law with costs.
-- it is
ordered that John Getar
pay John Griffin for two days attendance
as an evidence agt.
Robert Poe according to law with costs.
* Note that ten months after the first mention
in court of the estate of Robert (17th of January 1722) , these chattels are someplace in the possession
of someone associated with the estate.
Several
records involve Samuel Poe and Francis
Browning, future administrator of Samuel Poe's
estate, and some of the parties involved with the suits against Robert Poe's estate and Katherine Poe. This at
least indicates, again, that these people are all closely associated in the
county.
16 June
1724
In the
action of Trespass brot. by
James Boughan & Sarah Boughan
Exrs. of James Boughan deced agt
Wm Gray, a Jury being Impand. and sworn by name John Griffin*, John Evans, Thos. Windlow. Richd Long, John Morgan,
Henry Newton. Francis Starne, Robert Pain, John Calquit, James Gillason, Wm Thomas* & Francis
Browning who having heard the evidences & arguments of both
parties withdrew & in a short time returned their Verdict which on ye Plts. motion is admitted to record being in these words:
"We of the Jury find for the Plt. Eight pounds Sterl. Jno.
16th Day of September 1724
It is ordered that Wm. Thomas
pay Samuel Poe for seven days attende as an evide. (on oath) agt Jno. Getar according to law
with costs.
15 March 1726
Pages 126-27.
Bond of Francis Browning as
administrator of Samuel Poe. Unto
Lawrence Taliaferro, Francis Thornton, Salvator Muscoe and John Battaile, Gent., justices. For 150 pounds sterl.
15 March 1725 [1726]. Securities, William Thomas
and John Saunders Junr.
Francis (F)
Browning
William (x)
Thomas
John
Sanders
Wit. W. Heny. Terrett.
15 March 1725. Acknowledged.
15 March 1726
p. 364
-- Francis Browning with William
Thomas & John Sanders Junr. acknowledged their bond
for the said Francis his just and faithful Admcon. of estate of Samuel Poe deced which is admitted to record.
-- ordered that John Griffin, John Sanders, John Ellitts and George Robinson or any three of them (being first sworn before a justice of ye peace for this county) appraise ye estate of Samuel Poe deced & return their proceedings therein to ye next court.