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97
Doby
Probate of the estate of Thomas Doby proves interesting in a number of ways. Thomas was one of two sons of Jean Baptiste Doby (also spelled D’Auby, Dobe, Dobee, Daube), mentioned previously as having settled 1,280 acres from 1809. Both Thomas and another son, Louis, and a sister appear in the early censuses. There is no evidence that Louis ever married, but is shown as living in the same household as his mother, age between 80 and 90, in the 1840 census. Prior to 1820, the sister married Francisco Netto, the father of Annette Netto Koch.
Brother Thomas did marry, and had seven children. It would appear that he died just before the 1850 census, and that he was a widower. An inventory made by Samuel White in December 1850 included the two sections of land (1,280 acres) that had been owned by Jean Baptiste,98 plus 224 head of meat cattle, and eight slaves. The slaves and their ages were listed as follows: Paul 35, Teressa 22, Octavine 5, Octave 2, Madaline 23,
Mary Ann 2, Washington 16, and Rose 2 months. Also mentioned was a note for the sale of the schooner Elizabeth.99
Thomas’ children were orphans in 1853, when the court appointed White to administer the estate. White and Thomas Brown and William H. Brown were required to bind themselves, heirs, and executors to the tune of $8,000 for White to serve.100 A number of reports were made to the court in 1853. In one of the earliest, White listed seven children: Thomas, Eliza, Estelle, Raphael, Jose, Elizabeth, and Elodie. Later, in June of 1853, White found it necessary to report information that he had not had previously. It was a “report of the death of two of said to wit Raphael who died in New Orleans some time in the fall of the year of 1850 and Eliza who died of consumption in April 1852 at Madam Gabrail’s near Pearlington.” In addition, he reported “the accidental burning of the slave child Octave belonging to the heirs of said Doby.” It is apparent that Octave died, as a later list includes only the other seven slaves. In an accounting, there is a mention of an item paid J. W. Pendleton who was in “attendance on Octave, a slave burned - $2.00.”
Detailed accounts of debits and credits of the estate were kept, some including amounts of tuition for the children, taxes paid, and “sundry bills.” Guardian compensation was listed as 10% of $465, coming to $46.57. In June 1853, White reported that Estelle had married on the 9th of the month, “and wishes to come into possession of her share... and as your petitioner believes it to be impractable to divide the property among all the children equally and even could such divisions be made would subject the Minors to great expense and inconvenience in managing the same through the guardianship whereof your petitioner prays that an order be filed by your honor for the
98	The land is said to be known as the Doby Claim, “located between Bayou Cowan and Papes Bayou, branches of Mulatto Bayou, also ? the 80 acres adjoining said location including the Point ?
99	Probably named after Thomas daughter. In a footnote in the Claiborne section, an incident is described having to do with a schooner named Elodie, probably named after another daughter. In both cases, John Favre was involved with the schooners.
100	In the Wilkinson probate, White, William Brown and Rebecca Nixon were “bound to the State of Mississippi in the penalty of $15,000,” for White to serve as guardian of two orphaned children.