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Dollars and seventy six cents of interest. On the first day of October one thousand Eight Hundred and thirty five see page 31.~
To John R. Armistead in the sum of five thousand and Eighty seven Dollars and fifty nine cents of principal, on the same day see page 43. To W.M.H. Armistead in the sum of Five thousand six hundred and seventeen Dollars and seventy eight cents of principal on the same day see page 57.
To Mrs. Matilda W. Spooner late Armistead, in the sum of thirty six dollars and ninety six cents of principal, and twenty Dollars and twelve cents of interest on the same day see page 53.
The Commissioner further reports to the court that the amount headed "The Banister Plantation & etc in account with M.A. Armistead Advisor etc" Commissioner there transaction of the Advisor with the Estate. In which the three children of the descendant alone, are interested, & the amount was raised under that head because the children mutually agreed to keep their interest in the estate together, and to cultivate the plantation on joint account for the year 1834. See note on page 24._ The Commissioner further lastly reports That account No.2 herewith returned, comprised the transactions of Geo W. Harrison as guardian of the late Mrs. Adelia H. Armistead, which is also directed to be settled by the order in this cause.
Very Respectfully,
H.B. Gaines, Commissioner
Commissioner fee $ 62.25
Copy for admin. 11.50
73.75 charged to Admin.
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John Armistead died sometime prior to 1834. Armistead's large estate included lands in Virginia and Florida, homes, tools, commodities, and slaves. His will divided the estate between his widow and their three children, including Adelia H. Johnson. Before the estate was settled, Adelia died intestate (without a will). The court determined that her share of the estate would revert to her young son, John Evans Johnson. Her husband, William A. Johnson, represented John, referred to as an infant under 21 years of age throughout the case documents.
In order to account for young John's portion of the estate, it had to be determined with exact details what property remained in the estate. The majority of the documents in this case file consist of an accounting of lands, debts, credits, and various economic activities related to the estate of John Armistead. The value of this case for researchers is in the details contained in the list of property attributed to the estate of John Armistead, a wealthy Virginia planter.
Marcus Armistead administered the estate of John Armistead and agreed to ensure the timely and proper transfer of inheritance to the young John Evans Johnson. Like many other landed elites, the Virginians Latimus and Marcus Armistead came to Florida in search of economic opportunity. They established a trading firm on the Lower Chattahoochee River and later conducted substantial business in Jackson County, Florida. Other members of the Armistead family, including John Armistead, had acquired lands in Jefferson County, Florida by the time of this trial. It is possible that the Armisteads living in Florida requested copies of this document for their own legal purposes, and that the documents later ended up in the files of the Florida Supreme Court.
This case serves to illustrate the economic connections between Florida and other southern states in the 1830s. It also provides a glimpse into the operation of an antebellum Virginia plantation.
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Chicago Manual of Style
Florida Supreme Court. Johnson v. Armistead. 1834. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/260669>, accessed 21 June 2026.
MLA
Florida Supreme Court. Johnson v. Armistead. 1834. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/260669>
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(State Archives of Florida/Florida Supreme Court)
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