William Snoddy, Sr.

Rebecca Snoddy	William Snoddy, Jr.	David A. Snoddy
Elizabeth Snoddy	Adam Snoddy	Peggy Margaret Snoddy
Graham Snoddy	Sarah Snoddy

WILLIAM SNODDY, SR. was born April 20, 1749 probably in Rowan Co, NC, and died April 1812 in Sumner Co, TN. He married (1) MARGRITE MCNEELY September 26, 1782 in Rowan Co, NC, daughter of (?)DAVID MCNEELY. Her date of birth is unknown, and she died 1800 in NC. William's second wife was ELIZABETH "BETSY" ORR. They were married in October 1801 in Sumner County, TN, daughter of JOHN ORR and FRANCIS ?. She was born Abt. 1780 in Sumner Co, TN.

In the name of God, Amen. I, William Snoddy, of the county of Sumner and state of Tennessee, being weak in body, but of sound senses and disposing mind, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following:

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Rebeckah Porter, one dollar, to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Peggy Cooper, forty dollars, to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Elizabeth Snoddy, one horse, bridle and saddle. One good bed and furniture. Two cows and calves and forty dollars in cash, to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, David Snoddy, one dollar, to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, William Snoddy, one dollar to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, Adam Snoddy, one-half of the land I now live on, being the "0" end part together with the horsemill, to be divided by my Executors, hereafter to be mentioned, to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son, Graham Snoddy, the other half of my land with the horses and plantation I now live on to be equally divided by my Executors, hereafter to be mentioned, to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my sons, Adam Snoddy and Graham Snoddy, my waggon and gear, household and kitchen utensils on hand, stock of horses and cattle, sheep and hogs. My will and desire is that my said sons have the whole of the above property after a sufficient part of it should be sold to pay my just debts to them jointly. My will and desire is that of each of them should die before they arrive to the age of twenty- one years, that his part shall be equally divided amongst the surviving one, and my two youngest daughters equally share and share alike, to them and their heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Sarah Snoddy, one negro woman by the name of Patt and her increase, one good horse, bridle and saddle, one feather bed and furniture, two cows and calves and one-third part of the sheep that will be on the plantation at the time she shall arrive to the age of eighteen years, to her and her heirs forever.

Item: My will and desire is that my two youngest sons, Adam and Graham Snoddy, be liberally educated out of my estate by my Executors, hereafter to be mentioned, such of my stock that can be best spared and I do contract and appoint my friend, Samuel Banard, my son David Snoddy, my whole and sole Executors of this my last will and testament as witness my hand and seal this 13th day of April 1812.

William Snoddy

1803 - William, Sr. gave his daughter, Rebecca, a slave ("Puck"), Book 3, page 367.

July 28, 1803 - Betsy Orr Snoddy petitioned for a divorce from William Snoddy in Sumner Co, TN. The officiating judge was Andrew Jackson. Divorce was not granted.

April 12, 1812 - William Snoddy, Sr's will: names children: Rebeckah Porter, Peggy Cooper, Elizabeth Snoddy, David Snoddy, William Snoddy, Adam Snoddy, Graham Snoddy, and Sarah Snoddy.

May 13, 1812 - Inventory of estate: (one negro), witnesses: Samuel Barr and David Snoddy.

Whereas heretofore, that is to say, on the twenty-eighth day of July one thousand eight hundred and three, Betsy Snoddy by her next friend and brother John Orr, exhibited her petition to the Honorable Andrew Jackson, one of the Judges of the Superior Court of law and equity for the State of Tennessee aforesaid against William Snoddy defendant, which said petition follows in these words.

To the Honorable Judges of the Superior Court of law and equity for the State of Tennessee, the petition of Betsy Snoddy of the County of Sumner and district of Mero, wife of William Snoddy of the county and district aforesaid, by her next friend and brother, John Orr, humbly sheweth to your honors that on the ?th day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred and one, your petitioner was lawfully married to the said William Snoddy in the county aforesaid and that she has ever since endeavored to behave and conduct herself towards the said William Snoddy as became a virtuous dutiful and affectionate wife that in a short time after your petitioner was married to said William Snoddy, he said William beat your petitioner in a cruel manner and ordered your petitioner out of his house in the dead hours of the night; in violation of his marriage covenant and that afterwards the said William Snoddy out of contempt and derision to your petitioner and in order to make her condition the more intolerable; maliciously did cut with a pair of scissors the wearing apparel which your petitioner then had on her; and while it was on her, that at the time your petitioner was delivered of a child and while in child bed, the said William Snoddy locked up all the nourishment from your petitioner which it was absolutely necessary a woman should have in that situation; that a neighbor had to supply your petitioner with the necessaries of life that the said William Snoddy kicked your petitioner out of the bed in the night and kicked and bit with his teeth and beat your petitioner in a cruel and unmerciful manner - and that afterwards the said William Snoddy fastened your petitioner up in a room with the avowed intent, as your petitioner believes, to murder her or to do her some great bodily harm with a knife which the said William Snoddy then had in his hand as your petitioner believes but was prevented by the intervention of a neighbor man all which things are contrary to the intent of the marriage contract and in violation of the matrimonial vow that notwithstanding the many overtures and entreaties of your petitioner to the said William Snoddy to reform his conduct toward her and treat her as becomes a good and virtuous husband; yet the said William Snoddy proves enxorable; your petitioner therefore states that she must inevitably ware out her existence in a miserable manner; that his conduct towards her has become insupportable, your petitioner therefore, prays that on the foregoing statement being substantiated, your honors would dissolve the bonds of matrimony between your petitioner and the said William Snoddy according to act of assembly in such made and provided and also allow your petitioner such further redress as your honors in your description may think proper, and your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.

Affidavit: Personally appeared before me, Andrew Jackson, one of the judges of the Superior Court of law and equity for the State of Tennessee, the within named Betsy Snoddy and made oath the contents of the within petition are just and true to the best of her knowledge and belief that the said complaint is not made out of levity or collusion between her and her husband and for the mere purpose of being freed and separated from each other but in sincerity and truth for the causes mentioned in said petition, sworn to and subscribed this 28th day of July 1803, before me, Andrew Jackson.

And process of subpoena having been granted, and the defendant therewith duly served, he appeared and answered the said petition as follows:

The answer of William Snoddy to the petition for a divorce filed in the Superior Court of law and equity for the district of Mero, and State of Tennessee by Betsy Snoddy and John Orr her next friend. The respondent saving and reserving all benefit of exceptions to the many uncertainties and insufficiencies in the said petition contained for answer thereto or to so much thereof as he is advised is material for him to make answer unto answers and says. That, true it is that he the said William Snoddy was married to the said Betsy in the month of October in the year 1801, as in the said petition stated; but your respondent denies that the said Betsy has conducted herself as became a dutiful or virtuous wife, and avers that the said Betsy was frequently intoxicated with ardent spirits at home and abroad, that she was unfaithful to this respondents bed, and guilty of misconduct degrading to herself, injurious and destructive to this respondents peace and happiness, that this respondent being anxious to reform her and to restrain her from these vicious practices sometimes reasoned with her upon the impropriety of such conduct, sometimes he may have chided her and perhaps scolded her; but he positively denies that he ever beat or threatened her life - that his remonstances had no effect but to increase her passion - that once in particular, as well as your respondent recollects, it was in the month of September 1802, he reasoned with her requesting her not to indulge herself in such excessive drinking and other improprieties, she got angry at him and deserted his house for the space of about six weeks, that during her absence your respondent requested her to return, she after some refusals did return knowing (as your respondent presumes) what was really the fact that he was desirous to live in peace and harmony with her - this respondent denies that he ever did cut her clothes with scissors, as stated in the said petition, he further denies that he locked up the provisions so that she had not the necessary nourishment for a woman in her situation, on the contrary, he avers that he uniformly administered to her every comfort and convenience in his power, that her neighbors never furnished her with any necessaries to his knowledge, if they did it was because her wants were unknown to this respondent.

Your respondent denies that he ever kicked the said petitioner out of bed or bit her, as stated in the said petition, he also denies that he ever locked or fastened her up in the house, as stated in the petition; that on the contrary, he avers that at the time he supposes alluded to, which was in May 1803, to the best of your respondents recollection - the said Betsy had been visiting at the house of a certain Pleasant Chitwood and returned some hours after dark, your respondent was gone to bed and hearing a knocking at the door together with the sound of more voices than one, he asked the said Betsy who was with her, upon her answering, Mr. Chitwood and his wife, this Chitwood being a man with whom your respondent had that day had a quarrel and in the presence of said Betsy, your respondent told the said Betsy that he would open the door to her, but not to Chitwood an his wife, she said her company would come in and that she would not come in without them, but would break open the door if not opened and thereupon called for an axe and said Chitwood or her broke open a window in the room where this respondent lay and said Chitwood came in, the other part of the house was not shut, to wit, the other room, and your respondent in truth says that during the whole time he had not a knife in his hand, or any other offensive weapon, and that if any person was imprisoned it was himself and not the said Betsy, as stated in said petition. Your respondent further shows that he has frequently requested the said Betsy to return and live with him, that he has always had a sensitive affection for her, that he had no other motive for marrying her as she brought him no property, that all the chiding and remonstance that he ever made use of towards her was with the design to reform her improprieties which your respondent is in hope time will cure, he therefore, prays that for as much as the cause of unhappiness has proceeded from the said Betsy and he having been always willing to live with her in peace and being still willing to do so and treat her well, that the marriage may not be dissolved but that the respondent may be hence dismissed with his costs, etc.

And the cause was continued from term to term until this term, to wit, the first above mentioned, at which day came the parties, and by their consent it is ordered that this suit be dismissed and that each party pay their own witnesses and half the other costs.
Andrew Jackson