Guardian Bond for Catherine (Jewell) Jennings (1813-1854)

Catherine Jewell married Powhatan Perrow Jennings on 23 February 1836 in Amherst County, Virginia, and was the daughter of Thomas Jewell and Sarah Downs. She was also my great great grandmother. She was born in 1813 and her parents died before she was 21 years old. As a result her eldest brother, Jesse, signed a bond promising to pay Catherine her share of her father's estate when she became an adult.

The bond was abstracted in a book entitled The Wills of Amherst County, Virginia, 1761-1865:

CATH. JEWELL -- Book 8, Page 355 -- Guardian Bond -- October 21, 1833. JESSE JEWELL, JAS. JEWELL, and TERISHA JEWELL for JESSE as guardian of CATH. JEWELL, orphan of THOS. JEWELL, deceased

Earlier this year, we stopped in Amherst County on our way to North Carolina and visited the courthouse. I photographed several documents related to the Jewell and Jennings families in will, marriage, and deed books.

Amherst County, Virginia courthouse; personal collection

The complete text of the bond abstracted above is as follows:[1]

Amherst County, Virginia
Will Book 8, Page 355

Know all men by these presents that we, Jesse Jewell, James Jewell, and Terisha Jewell are held and firmly bound unto Ambrose Rucker, William M. Waller, Jonas Pierce, Zacharias Drummond, Gentlemen Justices of the County Court of Amherst, in the sum of two thousand dollars current money of Virginia, for the payment of which well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents.

Sealed with our seals and dated this 21st day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the 58th year of the Commonwealth.

The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bound Jesse Jewell shall well and truly pay and deliver, or cause to be paid and delivered unto Catherine Jewell, orphan of Thomas Jewell, deceased, all such Estate of Estates as is now, or shall hereafter appear to be due to the said Catherine Jewell, when she shall attain to lawful age to demand the same, or when thereto, required by the Justices of the Court, for the time being, do also save harmless and indemnify the first above mentioned Justices from all trouble or damage that shall or may arise about the said Estate or Estates, then this obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue.

Jesse Jewell (signed and sealed)
James Jewell (sealed)
Terisha Jewell (sealed)

At a court held for Amherst County on the 21st day of October 1833.

This bond was acknowledged in open Court by the parties thereto, and ordered to be recorded.

Teste,

Robert Tinsley, Clerk

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[1] Transcribe by Schalene Jennings Dagutis, 1 May 2018