Nov 25, 1852 Greenberry Smith confirmed as administrator of David Carson estate paid 1000

David Carson died after a short illness on September 22, 1852. Greenberry Smith, a wealthy neighbor, was then appointed as the administrator of David Carson’s estate on November 25th, 1852, two months later. He was once considered the richest man in Benton County. Through becoming the administrator of David Carson’s estate, he was paid $1,000. Additionally, he gained revenue from estate sales of their belongings, as well as the eventual sale of Carson’s estate property. 

According to documentation, David Carson died without a will. The lack of will, in addition to Oregon’s Black Exclusion Laws, left Letitia without any legal agency in the direct aftermath of David’s death. The document does not list Letitia Carson as a known heir of David Carson's Estate. It is signed and dated by Greenberry Smith and A.G. Hovey, Clerk, Probate Court. 

The second page of this document appoints Greenberry Smith as administrator saying, "The conditions of this Bond is that if the said Greenberry Smith, administrator of the Estate of David Carson deceased late of Benton Co. O.T. shall faithfully administer said estate, account for, pay and deliver all money and property of said estate and perform all other things touching said administration required by law or order or decree of any court having jurisdiction, then the above bond to be void otherwise to be and remain in full force." The document is signed by Greenberry Smith, John Wiles, and Joseph Hughart. Despite Letitia’s two successful lawsuits against Greenberry Smith, she was not granted her land back and ultimately relocated with her two children to Douglas County, Oregon.

Greenberry Smith sold the land to George Fogle for a sum of $860. Written in 1857, this document is proof of the transfer of land ownership with the approval of the court. It cuts off in the middle of the document and is continued on in the latter half of the page, in the next document.

Greenberry Smith then owned the land for five years. It is unclear what he did with this land during this time. He was known as a wealthy landowner and farmer in Benton County, so it is likely he used it to farm.

On May 30, 1857, he sold the land to George Fogle for $860. At this point, the clear trail of land ownership documents fizzles out, and the next sign of Carson land ownership occurs in 1910.

While we don’t have a clear idea of ownership between the time George Fogle owned the land and when the Lender family acquired it in 1910, we do have photographs and other renderings of the Carson estate and surrounding land from this period.