“Essex County to wit:
“Inquisition indented taken at Jno Crows in the County aforesaid on the 2d of Febry 1835, before me Thos. Wright Sr Coroner for the County aforesaid upon the view of the body of Alexr. Houston late of said County then and there lying dead and upon the oaths of Richd. L Covington Foreman, Richd. D Dunn, Sthreshley Dunn Jno H Smith, Walter G. Covington, Leroy Taylor, Thos. Greenwood, Lowry Norris, Fontaine Wood, Robt T Shackelford, H H Cauthorn, Ach Lumpkin good & lawful men of the County aforesaid who being sworn & charged to enquire on the part of the said Commonwealth when where how and after what manner the said Alex Houston came to his death do say upon their oaths that having examined the said Houstons body are of the opinion that his death was caused from blows inflicted upon his head — by whom they were inflicted we know not — In witness whereof as well the aforesaid Coroner as the Jurors aforesaid have to this Inquisition put their seals on the day and year aforesaid and at the place aforesaid—“
Richard L Covington, Richard D Dunn, Sthreshley Dunn, John H Smith, Walter G Covington, Leroy his x mark Taylor, Thomas Greenwood, Lowry Norris, Fontaine Wood, Robt T Shackelford, H H Cauthorn, Achilles Lumpkin. Thomas Wright Cr. Doctor J Minor attended as a physition. Ordered recorded 17 March 1835.
[Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 23, page 318.]

On 20 June 1836, Frances Taylor, Walter G. Covington, and Leroy Taylor were bound in the penalty of $1,000 for Frances Taylor’s administration of the estate of William Taylor, deceased. Walter Covington had been named an executor of the will, but declined to take on the burden. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 24, page 46.]

1850 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Page 72A, Dwelling 107, Family 107
Covington, Walter, 34, male, farmer, $5,000 real estate, born in Virginia
Covington, Lucy, 26, female, born in Virginia
Covington, Joseph, 12, male, born in Virginia, attended school
Covington, Richard, 10, male, born in Virginia, attended school
Covington, Thomas, 5, male, born in Virginia
Covington, Arthur, 3, male, born in Virginia
Covington, Ann, 2, female, born in Virginia

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.]