Document from PrairieQueens.com

Below is a series of Executions against Nelson T. Branch for debts.  Found in an old book in a cabinet at the Pulaski County Virginia Courthouse by Alice Gander, August 30, 2000:

June 15, 1868  (Page 186)             David Graham vs Nelson T. Branch

From page ____ [this was left blank in the book] Judgt in County Court for $16.00 Interest & $5.13 cash

(This one was settled apparently as it indicates the money was collected.)

November 9, 1869 (Page 199)  R. M. Craig adm. vs Nelson T. Branch

Judgmt from page 21 Cnty Ct for $105.89 current coin of the U.S. with legal interest thereon from the 5^th day of Jany 1865 till paid & the cash $6.86 Subject to a credit of $27.50 as of the 15^th of Sept 1869.

March 14, 1870 (Page 215)   P.L. Woolwine vs Nelson T. Branch

Judgt Cnty Ct March 5, 1870 for $51.00 with legal cost thereon from the 9^th of Oct 1857 till paid $6.86.  Subject to a credit of $6.00 as of the 9^th day of April 1868.

June 1^st 1870, no property found to satisfy this execution, J. B. Buckingham (Apparently he was the court collector and his name appears on most of the rest of the judgments.  See the separate trust deed document executed February, 1870 transferring property to Joseph H. Covey to pay five other forthcoming bonds owed by Nelson T. Branch.)

March 14, 1870 (Page 218)   A. A. Phlegar adm of John Little dec’d vs Nelson T. Branch

Judgt Cnty Ct March ten 1870 for $24.00 with legal cost thereon $23.42 part being from the 29^th of Sept 1860 and interest from the 21^st Feb 1862 till paid $6.86.

June 1^st 1870, no property found to satisfy this execution, J. B. Buckingham

April 12, 1870 (Page 222)   J. H. Lazen adm of R.M. Craig dec’d vs Nelson T. Branch

Judgt in Cnty Ct for $105.89 with legal interest from the 5^th day of January 1865 untill paid and $7.44 cash.  Subject to a credit of $27.50 as of the 15^th day of September 1869.

July 2, 1870, no property found to satisfy this execution

September 20, 1870 (Page 234)   David Graham vs Nelson T. Branch

Judgt in Co Ct for $134.08 with interest thereon from the 9^th day of March 1860 till paid and $6.99 costs.  Subject to a credit of $20.00 as of the sixth of Dec 1860.

No property found to satisfy the within execution the 8^th day of Oct 1870.

December 15, 1870 (Page 239)   Wall. T. Jordan vs Nelson T. Branch

Judgt in Co Ct for $277 71/100 with interest on $75.63 part thereof from the 26^th day of May 1857 and with like interest on $202.08 the remainder thereof from the 24^th day of February 1862 till paid and $7.56 subject to the following credits, $7.60 as of the 26^th of May 1857 & $20.00 as of the 6^th of August 1869

No property found to satisfy the within execution this 6^th day of December 1870.

December 15, 1870 (Page 241)   Nelson T. Branch vs Charles A Page

Judgt in County Court for $38 with interest thereon from the 9^th day of December 1870 till paid and $38.55 for costs.

No property found to satisfy this execution this 5^th day of Feby 1871, H.L. Wysor.

Notes:

(It isn’t clear if Nelson was actually trying to collect this money from Charles Page or if they wrote down the names wrong in terms of who was collecting from whom.)

These judgments, along with the February 1870 transfer of property to a trust and the 1876 auction of the bankrupt Nelson Branch’s farm show a long running series of financial problems.  There is so far no “smoking gun” found to prove the oral history of Iona Branch Gander that Nelson Branch had saddlebags with money swept off of a horse as he forded a flooded stream.  That may yet show up if the actual bankruptcy papers from the district court in Roanoke can be found.  But, there is clear evidence that something was terribly wrong that caused the family fortunes to decline in such a devastating way after 1860.  In the 1860 census, Nelson T. Branch is listed as having $1000 in real estate and $1200 in personal property.  He already owned his 66-acre farm by then and it was paid for.  But some of these uncollected debts date back to 1857 so it’s hard to know why he couldn’t pay his bills so far back.

This page was last updated on 02/14/18 07:12 PM