[The below was transcribed by Barbara Poythress Neal in August 2001, from one of the records found in Mecklenburg County, Virginia Circuit Court Records at the Library of Virginia, where this record has Index Number 1820-012. Square brackets enclose punctuation and comments that were added by this transcriber. The first block of info below is the index info about this record found online at the chancery court index on the Library of Virginia website. When Craig Scott furnished the photocopy of this record to me, he noted "This Lewis Poythress is likely the widower of Elizabeth Giles, deceased, daughter of Edward Giles." For additional clarification: we know that Elizabeth Giles was the first wife of Lewis Poythress; they married in Dec 1792, in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. After Elizabeth died, Lewis second married Rebecca B. Taylor, in April 1802. We now have further confirmation of an earlier conclusion that we had made in our Poythress research. Sheets 2 and 3 (below) state that Lewis Poythress is the heir of the John Poythress who was one of the two grandsons named by Edward Giles, Sr. in his Will (recorded 16 March 1818). My recollection is that we had earlier found/concluded in our Poythress research that the John Poythress who was named as a grandson in Edward Giles, Sr's will was the Jack Poythress whose will, recorded 17 Aug 1818, devised to his own father what his Grandfather Giles had willed him. The copy of Jack's will that we had earlier examined was very difficult to read. A better copy of it is on Sheet 5 below. We had earlier presumed that Jack's will read that his father was Lewis Poythress. These documents verify that. The spelling of "Poythress" varied widely, as shown below, throughout this record, which is an excellent reminder that we should always be checking for Potress, Portress, and Poytress, as well as Poythress.] Mecklenburg County, VA Circuit Court Records Index Number 1820-012 Plat? No LVA Reel Number: Not filmed Local Reel Number: Not filmed Image Number - Plaintiffs P1: LEWIS POYTHRESS Defendants D1: EDWARD GILES ADMR ETC Surnames: BASSEY GILES NANCE POTRESS POYTHRESS Wills: NONE Original Local Case Number: NONE [SHEET 1 of the photocopied record shows two items that are referred to here by transcriber as "A" and "B." Note that item "A" shows labeling on the outside of a folded sheet that was apparently used to wrap the other items of this suit's package of papers. The back side of "A" and "B" are shown on Sheet 2, below.] [SHEET 1, item A:] Poythress vs }mens fa [sic] Giles }sent [SHEET 1 - item B:] 28 of July 1820 Executed on a Martha Giles and on 31st of July 1820 Executed on Edward Giles --- [note: this long heavy dash appears to have been used by the deputy or the clerk to cover over an "&" which had initially been placed there; the long heavily-inked dash is followed by the following 5 names and comment.] Milly Nance[,] Edward Poytress[,] & Jane B Basey [sic] and Wm Giles & John Giles no[t] Inhabitants of this county. [Note: from the spacing and the use of "&" and "and" here, it is not completely clear to transcriber whether the deputy or the clerk meant that only the final name, or possibly the last two names, were not inhabitants of the county, or whether all of the last five named were not inhabitants] [signed by] Jones Daly [Daly's title] Dpy of Lewis Parham Sheriff [The following labeling is written perpendicular to the above info, so that when this item was folded up, the following label would show at top:] [in upper right corner, a squiggle that could be "21" or could be "Le" or "Sl"] Poythress's Adm v } Sub: Chy Edwd Giles' Admr &c 20 Aug't 1820 [SHEET 2 of photocopy set, showing the other side of both items A & B. SHEET 2, item A:] The Commonwealth of Virginia to the Sheriff of Mecklenburg County[:] Greeting you are hereby commanded to Summon Edward Giles adm'rs of Edward Giles dec'd & Milly Nance, Edwd Poythress, Martha Giles, Jane B. Bassey, John Giles, Wm Giles legatees of said Edward Giles dec'd __ [a long blank line extends to the paper's edge] to appear before the Justice of our County Court of Mecklenburg at the Courthouse of this said County on the first day of August __ [a long blank in mid-line; no year given] Court next[,] to answer a Bill in Chancery exhibited against them by Lewis Poythress adm of John Poythress dec'd[,] and this they should in no wise omit under the Penalty of £100:0.0. ___ [a long blank line extends to the paper's edge] and have then there this writ witness Edward L. Tabb Clerk of our said Court the 27th day of June 1820 in the [note: blank spot] year of the Commonwealth. [signed by] Edwd L. Tabb [SHEET 2, item B:] Lewis Poythress admr of John Poythress agt Edward Giles adm'r of Edward Giles decd. Examine wife of Edw Giles Sr and of John Poythress and bring a writ in chancery for a Legacy left by Edw Giles Sr to John Poythress and which was willed by J.P. to Lewis Poythress. [Note: these initials, JP, apparently refer to the aforementioned John Poythress] [SHEETS 3-4 are front & back of one sheet, labeled at the bottom of the document as "Copy Edwd Giles Will." SHEET 3:] In the name of Almighty God..Amen. I Edward Giles of Mecklenburg County and state of Virginia doth make this my last Will & Testament. It is my Will & desire that all my just debts and funeral expences [sic] be first paid from the sale of my Estate's crop of Tobacco[,] Bacon and corn remaining in hand and after these debts are paid, It is my Will and desire that all my remaining property both real & personal be sold on twelve months credit and from the moneys arising from such sale or sales to be distributed as follows Item first. I give and bequeath to my Grand-daughter Milly Nance two hundred dollars to her & her heirs. Item second. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Edward Poythress twenty five dollars to him & to his heirs. Item 3rd. I give & bequeath to my Grandson John Poythress one hundred dollars to him & to his heirs. Item 4th. I give & bequeath to my Grand-daughter Martha Giles daughter of my daughter Betsy P Giles two hundred dollars to her & to her heirs. Item 5th and last, after all my just debts funeral expences [sic] and the above Legacies are first paid it is my Will & desire that the remainder of my Estate be equally divided amongst my four living children Jean P. Bassey, John Giles, Edward Giles & William Giles to each of them & their heirs. Given under my hand this 10th day of March 1818. I appoint Edward Giles Jr & Jno Bassey Exers. to this my last will & Testament. Signed & sealed in presence of Bushrod Webb} John Cook Sr} Edward + Giles, his mark, L.S. ["L.S." is circled] Henry + Wartman, his mark} [SHEET 4, back of SHEET 3 above, containing further info about the Edward Giles, Sr. will:] At a Court held for Mecklenburg County the 16th day of March 1818 - The within written last Will & Testament of Edward Giles decd was exhibited in Court & proved by the oath of three witnesses thereto subscribed and ordered to be recorded --- And on motion of Edward Giles Jr one of the Exers therein named who made oath and gave bond and security according to law --- certificate is granted him for obtaining probate of the said Will in due form --- Reserving liberty to the other Exer to join in the probate where he shall think fit Teste Edwd L. Tabb A Copy Teste, Wm B. Easlryn[?] [Note: below a fold in the paper, just below that signature is the following label, which would show at the top of the folded document:] Copy Edwd Giles' Will 70 [Note: "70" is circled] ex'd [SHEETS 5-6 are front & back of one document, a court copy of the Will of Jack Potress. SHEET 5:] In the name of God Amen. I Jack Potress of Mecklenburg County being in sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last Will [&] Testament hearby [sic]. I desire what my Grandfather Giles left to me[,] I wish it to be paid to my farther [sic] his heirs Liwis [sic; not capitalized here] Potress[.] Edward Giles} James L. Nance} Jack + Potress, his mark, L.S. Milly Nance} At a Court held for Mecklenburg County the 19th [or the number may be "17th"] day of August 1818 This Will was proved by the oath of James L. Nance - one of the Witnesses thereto & was ordered to be recorded - at another Court held for said County the 18th day of January 1819[.] The same was further proved by the oath of Edward Giles another witness thereto - and on motion of Lewis Portress who made oath and gave bond and security according to Law --- Certificate was granted him for obtaining letters of administration of the Estate of the said Jack Portress with his Will aforesaid annexed in due form[.] Teste, Edwd L. Tabb CC [or CoS?] A Copy Teste, W.B.Easlyrn[?], D.C. [SHEET 6, back of SHEET 5 above, bears the following info toward the center of the sheet, so that the following info would appear as a label on the outside of the folded-up document:] Copy Jack Poytress Will 70 [Note: "70" is circled] [Then, below that, in a different fold-panel, and beginning at the center of the sheet below the fold line in such a way that the following info would also show on the outside of the folded-up document:] Poythress vs Giles &al Papers for suit in Chy. Subp. to Augt Court. Enquire [sic] of Lewis Poythress, which of Edw Giles['] Giles legatees are married, & who are their husbands, also as to the infants & order subpena in Chy. Milly Nance of age & single Edw. Poythress of age [next the name "John" was lined out] Martha P Giles infant by John Nance Gurdn. Jean B. Bassey wife of Jesse Bassey John Giles North Carolina Edw Giles William Giles Tennessee [SHEETS 7-8 are the left and right sides of a large sheet of paper, folded down the center. SHEET 7:] To the worshipful Court of Mecklenburg County in Chancery sitting humbly complaining sheweth to your worships your orationer Lewis Poythress, that some time past a certain Edward Giles departed this life having first published his will which is of record in the County Court office of Mecklenbg, and is here refered to, where in he bequeathed to John Poythress a legacy of one hundred dollars. That some time after the death of Edward Giles the said John Poythress died having first published his will where in he bequeathed the said legacy to your orator, -- which is also of record and is here refered to as a part of this bill. --- That a certain Edward Giles Jr qualified as Exor on the Estate of Edward Giles the testator. That frequent applications have been made to the Exor aforesaid both by the said John Poythress during his life time and by your orator since his death for a payment of the Legacy aforesaid which he has always refused. That the other persons entitled as legatees of the said Edward Giles decd are Milly Nance, Edw Poythress, Martha Giles an infant, Jean B. Bassey wife of Jesse Bassey, John Giles, Edward Giles and Wm Giles. Your orator who has also qualified as admr on the Estate of the sd John Poythress, prays that the sd Edward Giles Exor as aforesaid and the said Milly Nance, Edward Poythress, Martha Giles by a Guardian to be appointed her, Jesse Bassey and Jean B. Bassey his wife, John Giles, the said Edward Giles in his own right and William Giles may be made defts hereto. That the said Edward Giles Exor as aforesaid may be compelled to render an account of his actings and dealings as Exer, and to set forth what Estate there is in his hands belonging to the testator first mentioned. And finally that your worships will decree that he shall pay to your orator the said Legacy of one hundred dollars with its interest. To which end may please your worships to award a writ of subpena &c. [SHEET 8, which is the left side of the same large sheet of paper as SHEET 7, and which when folded would have the following info appearing as a label and summation on the outside surfaces:] Poythress vs } Bill & Exhibits Giles &c. 1820 Augt Bill filed No farther step taken[?] notice __ " Sept Cout [sic] at rules[?] __ " Octr plesd[?] __ [Below the above notations are the following two columns of figures & one lower notation] 18 8 8 18 18 18 26 26 [line drawn under this figure, for these 8 numbers to be totaled] d 140 60 105 [line drawn under this figure, for these 2 numbers to be totaled] cr 1.65 Atto[?] fare[?] 6.00 [To the right of all of the above info, is the following one short column:] d--- 1.14 l--- 81 Atto[?] Fare[?] 6.00 [this bottom figure is underlined]