POYTHRESS Family

Bill of Sale Merideth POYTHRESS to William CLEATON, Dated 1 Mar 1786

Know all men by these presents that I Merideth Poythress of the County of Mecklenburg have Bargained and sold unto William Cleaton of the same county two feather beds and furniture one Iron Pott one Dutch Oven one Iron skillet one half Dozen house chairs one chest one Sow and six piggs one heifer yearling one Woolings wheel and Cards one flax wheel one Table two pewter dishes five plates two basins three punch Boles half Dozen knives and forks one looking Glass one Mare filley one water pale one washing tub two Small Axces Two plow hoes three weeding hoes one coffee pot two small ____ one Grid Iron one cheese Toster one Rost Meet Spit two flatt irons one pair of fire tongs one Shovel one hoecake one half Dozen Spoons two small casks one Churn one furkin* one Candle Stand one reel two geese forteen pottrey one canteen two Sugar boxes two flags** three bottles one raw cow hide one _____ and all the Rest of my Goods and Chattels for the sum of five hundred and fifty weight of Inspected Petersburg Tobacco and thirteen pounds Eighteen shillings and the tax of three hundreds and seventy five Acres of Land of two years paid in hand. I, the said Merideth Poythress do warrant these said articles to him the said Cleaton from persons whatsoever as witnessed by my hand and seal.

Signed Sealed and Delivered March 1st day, 1786
Merideth Poythress (LS)

in presence of
Isham Eppes
Alexander hisXmark Pointer
Henry Wartman

At court held for Mecklenburg County the 10th day of July 1786.
This Bill sale was acknowledged by Merideth Poythress ______ and ordered to be recorded.
John Brown

*firken=small pail for clabber, butter, etc.
**Flagons ?

Notes

Merideth spelled with the "i" first instead of the "e" first as later.
Unless Merideth had inherited someone's household goods, it can be suggested that he is selling his household goods to his father-in-law, William Cleaton, preparatory to moving to Georgia.
Had Edith Cleaton Poythress (married 1781) died? Nothing in this document suggests yes or no even though she is not mentioned.
It appears to be reasonable for Merideth to want to sell his household goods for liquidity and simply buy more in Georgia. Five Hundred & Fifty weight of tobacco would likely have been in negotiable warehouse receipts.
Is Merideth liquidating because of financial difficulties? The case can't be made off this document.
Friendly transaction"? Likely. Especially since Merideth would have needed these items between 1 Mar and 10 July (date recorded, for which Merideth was present). Probably reasonable to speculate that William Cleaton didn't take delivery of the goods until 10 July.

*document offers a good hypothesis for date Merideth left Virginia for Georgia.
Document interesting for insight into what would have been likely contents of a rural household in Virginia in 1786.

Contributed by John M. Poythress 15 Aug 2003
Transcribed from Photostat of original record by Maynard Poythress 2 Dec 1993