I’m still trying to fully understand this document, as the legal mumbo-jumbo is like a foreign language to me.

Some of the facts I know:

Charles Moorman, Sally’s father, died October 23, 1803.

Nancy Moorman, Sally’s mother, received Land to live on after the death of her husband. (I have a document which shows her allotment dated 1804).  I’m not sure when Nancy died.  I have seen some list her death in 1847, but I have nothing to back that up.  Does this document mean that she has died and Sally is getting a portion of her mother’s allotted land?  Is that what “Dower Land” is?  I’m not clear on this.

Lemuel Moorman is Sally’s brother.

From what I understand, Francis & Sally sold their portion of this land to Sally’s brother Lemuel.  Sally wasn’t able to come to town to acknowledge that she wanted to sell the land.  They were either concerned that maybe her husband was selling it without her consent (since it was her mother’s land) or else they wanted to make sure that she was relinquishing her right to dower in the land (and couldn’t get the land back upon her husband’s death).  They sent out 2 Justices to speak with her privately and make sure that this was what she wanted to do.

I’ve transcribed this document to the best of my ability under the images.  (I’m always happy to receive corrections of my mistakes!!)

I would love to know what the full meaning of this document is if you understand it.

The CommonWealth of Virginia to David Pegram and Richard Hobson Gent. Justices of Bedford County _____ whereas Francis L. Lee + Sally his wife by their certain Indenture of bargain  + Sale bearing Date the 23rd Nov. 1813. have sold and conveyed unto Lemuel Moorman the fee simple Estate of their portion of Dower Land of Nancy Moorman widow ___ of Charles Moorman Dec’d lying and being in the County of Bedford and State of Virginia whereas the said Sally cannot conveniently travel to our Court of our said County of Bedford and State of Virginia to make acknowledgement of the same. Therefore we give you or any two or more of you power to receive such acknowledgement as the said Sally shall be willing to make before you of the conveyance aforesaid contained in the said Indenture which is hereto annexed and we do require you that you do personally go to the said Sally and examine her privately and apart from the said Francis L her husband, and whether she be willing the said Indenture together with this acknowledgement should be recorded in our said County Court and when you have received her acknowledgement + examine her as afors’d that you distinctly + openly certify us thereof in an ___ Court under your Seals sending then there the s’d Intenture and this ____ Witness James Steptoe Clerk of our said Court the 28th day of Nov’r 1813.

In the 38th Year of our Independence.

J Steptoe [signed]

Bedfort County to wit

In obedience to the within Commiss. to us directed we did go to the within named Sally Lee and examined her privily and apart from her husband whether she freely and voluntarily relinquished her right to the within mentioned Land and she saith she doth freely and willingly relinquish her right to the same in fee simple without the threats or persuasions of her husband and is willing that the same should be recorded in the County Court of Bedford.  Given under our hands and Seals this 30th day of November 1813.

Dan’l Pegram {seal}

Rich’d Hobson {seal}

At a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 27th day of December 1813.  This Commission was returned executed + Ordered to be recorded.

Teste  J Steptoe CBC

Transcription follows the images.

The thirds of Mrs. Nancy Moorman
Beginning at an Old Willow Stump on the _ bank of little Wolf Creek in the Plantation of Charles Moorman Dec’d near where the Spring branch formerly emptied into said Creek at A thence off a new line from A to B N16 W 162 poles to a W. Oak in the Edge of a small road in Hobson’s lines thence with his lines from B to C N 50 W 23 1/2 to a red Oak on same Road from C to D N 17 W 41 1/2 to a large W. Oak at Hobson’s and Derrett’s corner thence with Derretts line from D to E S 83 E 200 to pointers in said line thence off from E to F new line S 15 E 76 to a R. Oak from F to G S 20 E 50 to Pegrams corner B. Gum on Wolf Creek aforesaid and down the same as it meanders to the beginning.

In obedience to an order of the Court of Bedford to us directed we have assigned to Mrs. Nancy Moorman 197 acres of Land which we are of Opinion is one equal third part of her deceased husband Charles Moorman’s Lands and that the same is bounded as above. Given under our hands this 21st day of December 1804

David Crenshaw
Dan’l Pegram

In a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 24th day of December 1804. This allotment of the Thirds of the Lands of Charles Moorman Dec’d to Nancy Moorman the widow of the said Decedent was exhibited in Court + Ordered to be recorded.
Teste J. Steptoe CBC

Here is a Google map of the entire town:

View Larger Map

I find it interesting that Sally is the first one listed on the deed, instead of her husband.

I wonder why they decided to sell their land in town.  Ari was a blacksmith and would have been about 68 in 1922. Perhaps he sold the land, because he retired and was passing his shop onto another person.  Just a guess.  In the 1925 and 1930 census, Ari and Sally were still living in Delphos, so it doesn’t look like they moved far.