On 19 October 1830, Washington H. Purkins, Ann W. Howerton, James Croxton Jr., Wm. Fisher, Anthony Haynes, Henry H. Boughan, John H. Micou, Amos Cauthorn, Eldred Howerton and Albert Micou were bound in the penalty of $12,000 for Washington H. Purkins’s and Ann W. Howerton’s administration of the estate of William Howerton, deceased. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 22, pages 157–158.]

The estate of William Howerton, deceased, in account with W. H. Purkins, administrator, and A. W. Howerton, administratrix, from 1830 to 1833 was ordered recorded 16 December 1833. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 23, pages 160–163.]

A chancery case in Essex County, Virginia, stated that William Howerton was “many years ago” deceased. His widow was Ann W. Howerton, who was Ann W. Covington. They had three children: Judson, Benjamin and Mary Agnes. William Howerton had been previously married and had children by his first marriage, Winnifred Howerton, Charlotte Howerton (who married Thomas Cotes or Coles), Thomas Howerton, and Eldred Howerton. Ann W. Covington had been previously married and had children Walter G. Covington and Sophronia Covington, who married Thomas Howerton. [Essex County, Virginia, Loose Papers, apparently mistakenly filed in the folder Dunn vs. Dunn, 1853.]