John Roland (or, John
Rowland) and Sarah H. Carter
Williamson Co, TN
John Roland (or John Rowland)
and his wife, Sarah Harriet Carter, lived in Williamson
County in the first half of the 19th century. Fortunately,
the family ran into financial difficulties and were
involved in an inheritance dispute, which resulted in a
pretty lengthy file of documents in the Williamson County
court loose papers, which provided more details about their
lives, children, and Sarah's family and her South Carolina
origins. The following information was extracted from
Sarah's file in Williamson County.
From Williamson Co Probate and Divorce Records (FHL
#2135189)
Sarah H. Roland File, #1848
Husband: John Roland
Children: Margaret E. Hopkins (Mrs.
J.H. Hopkins); Sarah J. Smith (Mrs. Harmon
W. Smith); Caroline R. Roland;
John C. Roland; Mary Ann
Paschal (Mrs. J.R. Paschal); Seprona S.
Roland, Elizabeth Roland
Brothers and sisters: Daniel Carter; Margaret
Alexander; James R. Carter; Alexander Carter; Milton
Carter; Anderson Carter; Eliza (Carter) Smith (Mrs. John W.
Smith); Agnes Caroline (Carter) Burch (Mrs. Bernard M.
Burch)
Father: Daniel Carter
Uncle: Benjamin Carter of South
Carolina
Extracts
of Bill of Complaint:
Gray J. Hopkins and
wife
Margaret (Roland),
citizens of
Giles Co TN,
and
John C. Roland of
Williamson Co &
Harmon Smith and his
wife
Sarah Jane (Roland) citizens
of
Maury County in said
state &
J.R. Paschal and his
wife
Mary Ann (Roland) citizens
of
Maury County and
[blank] Wortham and
wife
Caroline (Roland) of
Madison County MS and
Sophronia Roland and
Elizabeth Roland both
of
Williamson Co in said
state and both of whom are minors under 21 years and have
no guardian and who by their next friend Benjamin Carter
who is a citizen of Giles Co in state against John Roland
and his wife Sarah Roland both of Williamson Co. John
Roland and Sarah his wife were on 30 Jun 18?? entitled in
the right of said Sarah to an estate in South Carolina;
complainants charge that said Sarah made and executed on
that date to Benjamin Carter one of the complainants
conveying the whole of said estate to him. Estate includes
one negro man about 27 named George and one negro woman
about 27 named Louisa and one tract of land in Williamson
Co between 200 & 300 acres, whereon the defendants have
and do now reside. (Dated 1849)
Affidavit
from
Sarah (Harriet Carter) Roland. After
the inheritance her said husband became intemperate and his
business habits became greatly impaired and indeed every
prospect for the future seemed cloudy and desperate and
during this period of gloom Respondent believed about the
year 1831 or 1832 she became entitled by inheritance to an
estate worth four or five thousand dollars and as the
habits of her husband were well known and that he was
intemperate and it (?seemed) to be unsafe in his hands
Respondent and her friends in consultation did not think it
would be safe in the hands of her husband and these fears
were plainly communicated to the said John. Whereupon it
was agreed the deed which is described in complainants'
bill should be executed as charged and to secure the
property of respondent and her children free from the use
& control of the said John and it was agreed between
Respondent and her husband that the complaint should
receive the whole of her expectred legacy and should manage
and control the same to the separate use of Respondent and
her children.
Affidavit
from
John Roland.
Defendant admits that it is unfortunately true he [has]
been in the habit of occasional intemperance that habit,
however, has never been such as to occasion him to waste
any of said property or its proceeds, to neglect the
management of the same or to endanger the safety thereof in
his hands. On the contrary he says he has always taken good
care of said property and faithfully appropriated the
increase of the same as contemplated in said ? of June 30,
1830. (Signed John Rolland. Witn Campbell McEwen. 21 May
1847
Affidavit
by
Thos. A. Pope, 26
Sep 1848. I am
acquainted with John and Sarah H. Roland and have been for
upwards of 30 years, living not more than a mile and a half
from them. They have seven children living and they lost
one and their names are Margrett Sarah Caroline John Mary
Ann Saprona and Elizabeth [as written], they are all grown
the youngest one is about 15.
Deed.
Benjamin Carter, deed of trust by John Rolland & Sarah
Roland, reg’d 23 Feb 1831. John Rowland and Sarah H.
Roland his wife of Maury County TN in consideration of the
trust and uses after mentioned and the further
consideration of the sum of one dollar by Benjamin Carter
of Pulaski Giles County...all the right title in trust and
claim which they are entitled to under the last will and
testament of the late Benjamin Carter dec’d of Camden
Curshaw District South Carolina... Signed/sealed John
Rowland; Sarah Roland; Ben Carter. Witn: Daniel Carter,
Milton Carter, Anderson Carter. Indenture made between
James Re. Carter, Alexander Carter, Melton Carter, and
Anderson Carter, John W. Smith & Eliza his wife and
Bernard M. Burch and Caroline his wife on the one part and
Benjamin Carter for the benefit of Sarah H. Roland and her
children namely Margaret E. Roland, Sarah J. Roland,
Caroline R. Roland, John C. Roland, Mary A. Roland,
Sephronia A. Roland and her future issue...for a certain
tract of land lying in Williamson & Maury countys and
waters of Carters Creek...