Below is part of my ggg-grandfather's estate papers. I hope this may, in some way, help someone else or may help someone help me! I have several questions about it so I will ask them first. First, could someone explain the process in which an estate settlement is done. It looks as if the widow may get a few things and then the rest is sold. If so, who gets the money from what is sold? It has listed that James Stagg, Archibald Nichols, and William Woods as three freeholders. What does the term "freeholders" mean? Also it says that one wheel and one pair of cards to be the absolute property of the petitioner. What is a wheel and cards? On another paper I do not have listed below it shows John C. McCown, William McCown and Frederick C. Green (I think it is Green. The handwriting is difficult to read) as the buyers. Does anyone know anything about or have any information concerning James Stagg, Archibald Nichols, William Woods, John and William McCown and Frederick Green? Please contact me directly at angela@cocentral.com as I am not a list member. NORTH CAROLINA, ORANGE COUNTY. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, February Term, 1864 Candis Rhodes Exparte Petition for Year's Allowance. This case coming on to be heard, on the reading of the Petition, and the argument and suggestion of the counsel, it is declared by the Court, that the Petitioner, Candis Rhodes is entitled to have a full year's support and maintenance for herself and family out of the personal estate of her deceased husband, Robert Rhodes. It is therefore ordered by the Court, that, William J. Duke Esq. with James Stagg, Archibald Nichols and William Woods three freeholders, be appointed to go on the premises of the deceased, view the same, and out of the stock, crop, and provisions on hand, to allot and lay off to the Petitioner, a full and sufficient quantity for the comfortable support and maintenance of herself and family for one year, and in case their be a deficiency of stock, crop & c. on hand, then to assess a sum of money sufficient to make up said deficiency to complete a whole year's allowance, and in addition thereto, appropriate and lay of to your petitioner one Bed and it necessary Furniture, and one Wheel and one pair of Cards, to be the absolute property of the Petitioner, and put her in possession of the same; and that they report to the next term of this Court, agreeably to an act of Assembly. Witness, George Sauer, Clerk of our said Court, at Office, this fourth Monday of February 1864. Issued the 25th day of February, 1864. Geo Sauer CCC