An Unexpected End to Life

An Unexpected End to Life. Spotsylvania Court House National Historic District. , Phillip Anns, the fifth owner of the tract and building, died on August 3, 1873. He left a sum of money to his wife Lydia Anns for the care of their four children. However, Charles M. Garrett married Ann's 16-year-old daughter, Lizzie, and was appointed Executor of Ann's Estate. On September 17, 1877, James P. Hart, Commission of Accounts for Spotsylvania County, filed suit claiming the Estate of Phillip Anns still owed Lydia the money for the care of her children. Garrett had failed to pay the money owed out of his father-in-law's estate. Garrett claimed that "the brick house" and surrounding acreage did not have enough value to pay the $955.77 owed to Lydia and three other children, Lilly (14), Phillip (12), and Virginia "Jennie" Anns (8), whom were still residing with her as of 1878. Lydia leased out the store that was attached to the house to five different men between 1873 and 1877 to generate an income., During the course of the suit, Lydia Anns died of breast cancer on September 20, 1879. The County took possession of the property, and Commissioners A. H. Dickenson and J. B. Goolrick, conveyed the store, house and land to Thomas A. Harris., [Captions:] , Thomas A Harris (1844-1912) was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on August 29, 1844. Farmer, Sheriff and Clerk of Court, he also acquired as much land in the Courthouse area as he could., Closeup view of the store (above) from the background photo as it appeared in 1905. A view of the store front also taken in 1905, is at the right., The 235 1/2 acre farm and store Harris acquired from the Ann's Estate lay on the east side of Brock Road. The deed below clearly identified the tract as "Chancellors'. after the original owner. In 1898, Harris sold the store separate of the property and renamed it "Cash Corner." Today, Civil War books and photos refer to the store during the war as "Cash Corner" which is in error. Unwittingly, Harris changed history., Phillip Anns' and Lydia Anns' gravestones are located in Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery, Russellville, Pennsylvania., Plat map of the tract owned by T.A. Harris, as surveyed in 1898.