The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-12-14
FALL TERM COURT
CLOSED FRIDAY
LAST CASE UNIQUE IN IT'S
CHARACTER, AMICABLY
SETTLED.

The fall term of the Court of Com
mon Pleas which convened here or
the morning of the 4th and adjourn
ed late Friday afternoon, was one
of the most interesting terms of the
civil court ever held in Williamsburg
county, made so by the prominence
of the litigants involved in the vari-
Gus actions. The very able and
learned Judge, ]. w. DeVore Of Edge
field, presided during the term, and
perhaps, more than ever before, en-
deared himself to the members O.
the bar, the jurors and the citizens
of this section Friday, when throue!
his clear conception of the law
his state, his kindly nature and his
sense of justice he was able to set
tie to the satisfaction of the contest
ants and their counsel one of the
knottiest cases ever tried in this
county. This case was in the matter
of Mrs. Lillian Davis Brown against
Sallie E. Davis and others for the
recovery of lands of the estate
the late Geo. w. Davis of Williams
burg county. In 1877, as shown b!
the testimony, Geo. W. Davis married
Miss Amanda Hanna, who resided
with her mother in the neighborhoot
of Lake City, then in Williamsburg
county. He took his bride to the
home of his father. DR.. Davis where
they lived together for six months
as man and wife. then Mr.. Davis re-
turned his young. and attractive wife
to her mother and there left her.
In October of that year daughter,
the plaintiff, in this unique suit was
born; she grew into maturity, beau
tiful woman, though her father never
contributed to her welfare. Seven
wears after her birth her mother
moved to Florida and took up per-
manent abode in that state, and, in
1884, remarked there. About the
same time, perhaps a year or SO
sooner or later, Mr.. Davis went into
Georgetown county and married a
daughter of the late Captain Henry
Mcdonald, whom he took to his old
home near Johnsonville and there liv-
ed happily until his death in 1916.
There was born to this marriage
nine children, seven of whom with
thei. mother, were defendants in this
action, the other two being deceased.
Testimony was adduced to prove be
yond doubt the legality Of the mai
riage of Mr.. Davis to the mother
the plaintiff, Mrs. Brown, and ac-
cording to the law of the state es-
tablished her right, as heir to the
lands of the estate of her father,
Notwithstanding his later marriage
ceremony and the claim set up b!
the issues of that marriage. 1t was
not proven that Mr.. Davis or the
mother of the plaintiff had ever OBJ
tanned a divorce outside of this state
it was believed at the time Of
remarriage that they had, but records
could not be found to substaniate this
phase of the case. Captain Davis
was a good and, useful citizen, en
ed the respect Of all who knew him.
He was elected to the legislature
and served in that body with Judf
DeVore. He was successively elect
ed to the office of magistrate in this
county for eighteen or twenty years.
There is a large family connection
on both sides, composed of the most
prominent people of Williamsburg
and Florence counties. The prepond-
erance of evidence was clearly and
ummistakably in favor of the plain
tiff, but for the sake of family har-
mony and unity, and through his re-
spect for an old friend and colleague
in the legislature, Judge DeVore pre-
ferred to see the contention between
the heirs of George w. Davis settled
outside the jury room, and as soon
as all the evidence was in and coun-
sci on both sides rested, Judge De
Wore called the parties at interest,
with their counsel, into his priv;
chamber and gave them such kindly
and timely admonition as brought
about what no one else had been able
to do-a satisfactory settlement O.
their contentions. The settlement
decreed to the plaintiff a one-half
interest in the lands Of the estate
and an equal share to the defendants.
A verdict was drawn and signed by
the foreman of the jury, w. Is Will
-~.>,,~~-.J - ~, tho ofhor Tnon1-