Probate records for MILES W. PORTER (circa 1821-1856); born in N. C., died in Fairfield County. Married Mary J. (Unknown) Porter (b. circa 1822); children Abner and Mary J. Porter.  Brother of Charles M. Porter. Parents unknown at this point.


The State of South Carolina, Fairfield  District, in the court of the ordinary, to George W. Woodward ordinary in and for the district aforesaid.

The petition of Charles M. Porter, respectfully showeth that Miles W. Porter, the brother of your petitioner, late of the district and state aforesaid, departed this life intestate, on the first day of June 1856 leaving as his distributees a widow, Mary  J.  Porter, and  two children, infants, namely Abner and Mary J. Porter; that besides two small tracts of land of which the intestate was seized,  he was also possessed of a personal estate worth about $2,000; your petitioner therefore prays this court for letters of administration with all and singular  the good and chattels, rights and credits of said intestate upon his giving the usual bond and complying with the law in that behalf; and from petitions will comply.
(signed) Charles M. Porter



Citation by Ordinary
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA	
Fairfield District
In the Court of Ordinary
BY G. W. WOODWARD, Esq., Ordinary of Fairfield District

Whereas Charles M. Porter has applied to me for Letters of Administration, on all and singular goods and chattels, rights and credits, of Miles W. Porter, late of the district aforesaid, deceased: 

These are therefore to site and admonish all and singular, the kindred and creditors of the said deceased, to be and appear before me, at our next Ordinary's Court, for the said District, to be holden at Fairfield Court House, on the fifth day of July next to show cause, if any, for the said Administration should not be granted. 

GIVEN under my hand and seal this seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six and in the eightieth year of American Independence. 

Signed:
G.  W. Woodward, OFD


Warrant of Appointment
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Fairfield District
IN THE COURT OF ORDINARY
BY G. W. WOODWARD, Ordinary of Fairfield District

These are to authorize and to empower you, or any three or four of you, whose names are here under written, to repair to all such parts and places within this State as you shall be directed unto by Charles M. Porter, administrator of Miles W. Porter, deceased, wheresoever any of the said goods and chattels are, or do remain within the said parts and places, and which shall be shown unto you by the said Administrator and there view and appraise all and every the said goods and chattels, being first duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist Almighty God, to make a true and perfect inventory and appraisement thereof and to cause the same to be returned under your hands or any three or four of you, unto the said administrator on or before the fourteenth day of September next.  

WITNESS, G. W. Woodward, Esq., Ordinary of the said District, the fourteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six in the 81st year of American Independence.

To Messrs. J. B. Coleman
A. H. Craig 
Jno. L. Ford
W.  McQuatten

(signed) G. W. Woodward, OFD


Administration Bond

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Fairfield District
In the Court of Ordinary

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that we, Charles M. Porter, Jesse B. Coleman and Arthur H. Craig, are held and firmly bound unto George W. Woodward, Esq., Ordinary for the District of Fairfield in the full and just sum of $4,000 lawful money of this state, to be paid to the said George W. Woodward or his successors, Ordinaries of this District, or their certain attorney or assigns. To which payment well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and every of us, our and every of our heirs, Executors and Administrators, for the whole, and in the whole, jointly and severally, firmly by these Presents.

Sealed with our Seals, and dated the fifteenth day of July, in the Year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.  The CONDITION of the above OBLIGATION is such THAT if the above bound Charles M. Porter, Administrator of the goods, chattels and credits of Miles W. Porter, deceased, do make a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased, which have or shall come to the hands, possession or knowledge of the said Charles M. Porter or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons or him and the same so made, do exhibit into the said Court of Ordinary when he shall be thereunto required, and such goods, chattels and credits, do well and truly administer according to law, and do make a just and true account of his actings and doings therein, when required by the said Court, and all the rest of the said goods, chattels and credits, which shall be found remaining upon the account of the said Administration the same being first allowed by the Said Court, shall deliver and pay unto such persons respectively as are entitled to the same by law; and if it shall hereafter appear that any last Will and Testament was made by the said deceased, and the same be proved in Court, and the Executors obtain a certificate of the Probate thereof, and the said Charles M. Porter do in such case, if required, render and deliver up the said Letters of Administration, then this obligation be void, or else to remain in full force. 

Sealed and delivered in the presence of: 
George W. Woodward
C. M. Porter
J. B. Coleman
A. H. Craig


553
MILES W. PORTER
Estate
Letters of Administration

C.  M. Porter
Administrator

Recorded in Book V
Vol. 23
Page 448

15 July 1856

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA 
FAIRFIELD DISTRICT

IN THE COURT OF THE ORDINARY

By G. W. Woodward
Ordinary of Fairfield District

To Charles M. Porter

WHEREAS, Miles W. Porter, late of Fairfield District, deceased, lately died intestate, having whilst lived and at the time of his death, divers goods and chattels, rights and credits within the district aforesaid, by means whereof the full disposition and power of granting the administration of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the said deceased, and also auditing the accounts, calculations and reckonings of the said administration, and a final discharging of the same, to me as manifestly known to belong: I, desiring that the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the said deceased, may be well and truly administered, applied and disposed of, "according to Law", do hereby grant unto the said C. M. Porter, Adm. In whose fidelity in this behalf, I confide full power by the tenor of these presences to administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the said deceased, which to him in his lifetime, and at the time of his death, did belong: And to ask, demand, recover and receive the same, and to pay whatever pay the said deceased, at the time of his death did owe, so far as such goods, chattels, rights and credits will extend, according to their rate and order of law; being first sworn on the Holy Evangelist Almighty God to make a true and perfect inventory thereof, and to exhibit the same into the Ordinary's Office, Winnsboro in order to be recorded, on or before the fifteenth day of September now next ensuing; and to render a just and true account calculation and reckoning of the said administration when thereunto required: and I ordain, depute, and constitute you, the said C. M. Porter, Administrator, of all and singular the good, chattels, rights and credits of the said deceased.

In testimony whereof, I  have hereunto set my Hand and Seal of Office the fifteenth day of  July in the Year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six and in the eightieth Year of the Sovereignty and Independence of the United States of America.

(Signed) G.  W. Woodward, OFD (Ordinary Fairfield District)


MEMORANDUM. That on the twenty-first day of July in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six (1856) personally appeared before me Elisha H. Jones one of the Magistrates of  said District J. B. Coleman, A. H. Craig, John L. Ford and William McQuatten being the four appraisers appointed to appraise the goods and chattels of Miles W. Porter late of Fairfield District deceased, who being duly sworn, made oath, that they would make a just and true appraisement of all and singular the goods and chattels of the said Miles W. Porter, deceased, as shall be produced by C. M. Porter, administrator, of the estate of the said deceased, and that they would return the same, certified under their hands, unto the said George W. Woodward, on or before the fourteenth day of September next. 

Sworn, the day and year above written, before me, Elisha H. Jones, Magistrate

(Signed) 
J. B. Coleman
A. H. Craig
J. L. Ford
Wm. McQuatten


Miles W. Porter Est.
Appr.  Bill
Recorded in Vol. 29
page 204
filed 4th Augt. 1856
(Signed) G. W. Woodward OFD

The appraiser's bill of the personal estate of Miles W. Porter, deceased July 31, 1856.

(Note: partial listing as some items are illegible.)

one lot cattle five head $40
one lot sheep seven head $10.30
one buggy and harness $50
one cradle $1.50
one lot kitchen furniture $7
contents of dairy $1.50
contents of meat house $20
lot wheat 10 bushels $10
lot b. s. tools $20
lot oats $10
lot hay $9
lot corn $5
one riding saddle $1
 rifle gun $10
lot carpenter tools $4
room no. 1 $15
room no. 2 $20
room no. 3 $40
one lot wool $1
one negro. Ann. $500
Total: $852.20

We whose names are underwritten have appraised all the personal property of Miles W. Porter deceased as shown to us by C. M. Porter, adm. to the best of our ability.
July 31st 1856
(Signed)
J. B. Coleman
A. H. Craig
J. L. Ford
Wm. McQuatten
~~~~~




Petition and Order for Sale
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
FAIRFIELD DISTRICT
To: G. W. Woodward, Ordinary of Said District

The Petition of Charles M. Porter, administrator of Miles W. Porter deceased, respectfully sheweth: That your petitioner, in order to prevent the loss of property, and to pay the debts, and in order to facilitate the distribution thereof, finds it necessary to make sale of all the personal property, consisting of one negro, mules, cattle, sheep, and hogs, corn, fodder, household and kitchen furniture, etc., plantation lands and blacksmith tools, etc. of the said Miles W. Porter, deceased, and therefore praise your order directing a sale, the time, place, and credit to be given.
(signed) 22nd day of October 1856
To Charles M. Porter The Administrator of Miles W. Porter deceased, is hereby authorized to make sale of all the personal property as set forth in the above petition of the said deceased, at his late residence on the 3rd day of  December allowing to purchase at said sale a credit of twelve months for all sums exceeding $5, and for $5 and under, ready cash. Purchasers at sale to give note and two good securities, with interest from day of sale. 
Given under my hand and seal of office this 22nd day of October AD 1856 in the 81st year of American Independence. Signed G. W. Woodward OFD


M. W. PORTER
Estate
Sale Bill

Recorded in Vol. 29
pages 249 and 250
File 6 January 1857

Signed G. W. Woodward, OFD

(The Estate Sale Bill is at the South Carolina Archives, but it is mostly illegible due to a bad xerox). A few of the items include:

Sale Bill of the Property of M. W. Porter, deceased, Dec. 8, 1856.
Mary Porter 1 brindle cow $9.25
Mary Porter 1 black heifer $10
Mary Porter 1 lot cotton seed $2
Lemuel H. Robinson rifle gun and horn $9.35
C. M. Porter 1 powder horn 25 cents
Mary Porter contents, kitchen $4
Mary Porter one lot sweet potatoes $2
William Robinson one set blacksmith tools $20
Mary Porter 1 negro girl Ann $500

Whole amount of sale bill $807.55

A List of Notes Due Estate of Miles W. Porter now in my hands, to wit:
One note of J. W. Hudson dated 1st Jany. 1856 interest from date for $400
One note on R. M. Bracey dated the 7 Jany. 1856 interest from date for $505
One note on M. Harmon dated the 12th of May 1856 interest from 12 May 1856 for $65
One note on C. M. Porter dated 30 Apr. 1856 at one day after date for $80
Total: $1,050

Also the following accounts:
One account on A. Hayes 12 Oct. 1855 $1.68
One a/c on D. Hayes 12 Oct. 1855 $1.88
One a/c on B. Smith 12 Oct. 1855 $1.85
One a/c on Jackson Coleman no date $9.15
One a/c on L. Brazell 1856 $11.40
Total: $1,75.96
Signed C. M. Porter Adm.

May 3, 1858



I, C. M. Porter Adm. 

1857
June 1 received from C. and S. R. Road $35
received J. A. Coleman ? $4.15
received rent from land in North Carolina $22.50
received rent from land in Fairfield County $16.38

1856
Dec. 3 to amount of sale bill $807.55
Dec. 3 interest up to 1st Jany. 1858 $61.23
received as his own note and interest received to date $91.20
from M. Harmon note and interest $71.07
J. W. Hudson note and interest $438.50
R. M. Bracey note and interest $575.70

$2065.25
$2143.25
$312.54

Amount in hands of administrator for distribution: $1,830.71
To be distributed as follows:
To the widow		$610.23
James F. Porter		$305.12
Wm. J. (?)  Porter	$305.12
Abner Porter		$305.12
Mary Ian Porter		$305.12	
Total:                                $1,830.71

Examined and approved and sworn to 3 May 1858 James Johnston, OFD


Disbursements
1857
The estate of M. W. Porter Dec. 2 paid:
 Dugal and ??   $3.75
J. N. Shields $14.92
G. W. Woodward $4.24
D. B. Kirkland $5.96
Noah Rhine $5.00
A. Hood $1.50
Thomas Davis $6.50	

1858
(?) S. Garnett $52.89

Taxes on land in NORTH CAROLINA   .97
Taxes in Fairfield $1.44

G. H. Jones .51
Oxnor and ? $1.80
John Allen for timber $13.25

James Johnston OFD, $5
C. M. Porter $71.91
Total: $252.65

??? as received $2,143.25                $53.58
Paying out: $252.65	$6.31	$59.89
$312.54

(Signed C. M. Porter)