Case Documents

Book A-85, Page 298, Marion County. Required by SC law for valid 1966 conveyance. If Lucile's signature is forged, the 1966 deed transferring Tract A to Fowler is void.

A ~1981 Renunciation of Dower uses "LUCILLE" (two L's) in the body. The signature line must be physically inspected. If it also reads "Lucille," that is strong forgery evidence.

Required to validate the ~1981 deed conveying 1/2 of Lot 14 to Willie Gene Jacobs. If no valid POA was executed, the deed may be void.

Conveys Tract B (32.5ac) as life estate to Lucile and William A. Jacobs, remainder to 12 named heirs including Barbara J. Graves, Minnie Lee Fore, Carolyn V. Jacobs, Shirley Mae Barnes, Willie Gene Jacobs, and 7 others. Attorney: Charles T. Speth, Marion SC.

R.M. Fowler to Willie AND Lucile AND THE SURVIVOR OF THEM. 32.5ac Ed Bethea place, north of Latta. Annual rent: $1.00 paid in advance. Expires March 13, 2066. Tenant must maintain farm, cannot assign without written consent.

Speth encloses deed of William Albert Jacobs and children for the 32.5ac Dillon tract. Confirms recording: Deed Book 195, Page 143, Dillon County Clerk of Court. February 11, 1986.

William Albert Jacobs and children, acknowledged before notary. Recorded February 11, 1986 at Deed Book 195, Page 143. The deed delivered under the Speth letter establishing Jacobs deed title in Tract B.

USDA Farm Service Agency, Dillon SC 29536-1108, writes to William A. Jacobs about Farm Form 2151 (crop allotment power of attorney). Confirms Jacobs family actively farming and managing the Skillet in 2001 — 6 years after Lucile's death. Establishes continuous possession.

Partition agreement for Tract B, never executed. Confirms awareness of the family's continued interest in the Skillet after the 1967 lease.

Federal Land Bank mortgage. Encumbers BOTH Tract A (Marion) and Tract B (Dillon) as collateral for $4,000. Both Willie and Lucile signatures questioned vs. 1967 baselines. Notary: S.R. Pridgen — also on Fowler instruments.

Production Credit Association mortgage, Book 127, Page 288. Second encumbrance in the same week. Same notary S.R. Pridgen. Consistent pattern of discrepancies vs. 1967 baseline across all three 1959 documents.

Dillon County lease instrument bearing confirmed authentic signatures of Willie and Lucile Jacobs. Lucile's one-L "Lucile" spelling is confirmed. These are the forensic comparison standards for all questioned signatures.

Geraldine U. Fowler and Phyllis H. Merck renounce dower "unto LUCILLE JACOBS." Notarized by S.R. Pridgen — same notary who notarized the 1959 questioned signatures. Two-L spelling confirms Fowler side did not know Lucile's correct name spelling.

~1981 Marion County dower renunciation using "LUCILLE JACOBS" (two L's) in instrument body. Notary: Kuna B. Foctis. The signature line has NOT been physically inspected. If the signature itself uses two L's, this document is a forgery.

Harvey Woodberry conveys 62.3ac in Marion County to Willie Jacobs. Establishes Jacobs owned the homestead free and clear before any Fowler contact. BASE DOCUMENT — needed to establish family ownership.

Willie leases both the Marion and Dillon farms to Beeson for $1,500/yr. Establishes financial distress prior to 1966 sale — context for coercion argument.

R.M. Fowler's option described 85 acres. The July 1 deed describes only 62.3 acres. Approximately 23 acres are unaccounted for — a red flag for the 1966 transaction.

The primary transfer instrument. Deed Book A-85, Page 297. Willie sells the homestead. Willie's signature on this document has not been compared to the 1967 forensic baseline.

Alex J. Green and Johnny Green convey to Lucile W. Jacobs and Willie Gene Jacobs for $3,500. Marion County. Grantee spelled "Lucille" (two L's) — scrivener error by grantor's attorney, not Lucile's hand.

Book 414, Page 21, Marion County. Filed February 1955. Chain of title document for Ellerbe Heights area prior to Jacobs ownership. A.B. Lineage, Clerk of Court.

"Lucile W. Jacobs by attorney-in-fact Carolyn Foxworth" conveys 1/2 undivided interest in Lot 14 to son Willie Gene Jacobs for $1.00 + love and affection. CRITICAL: Power of Attorney not located.

Fowler and Merck sell Lot 4 (Pittman survey, Plat Book 22) to Lucile Jacobs for $1,500. Grantee spelled "LUCILLE" by Fowler attorney. L.D. Williams, Auditor, Marion County. Same Fowler who bought the homestead in 1966.

All real and personal property to wife Geraldine U. Fowler, Executrix without bond. Witnesses: Charles Merck. September 1964. Both this and the 1967 will conflict with the April 1992 $5 deed to son Robert.

Supersedes 1964 will. Same terms — all real and personal property to wife Geraldine U. Fowler. September 1967. Witnesses: Charles Merck. Conflicts with 1992 $5 deed to Robert.

Deed Book A-309, Page 139. R.M. Fowler transfers Tract A to son Robert for $5 + love and affection — 7 months before death. Directly conflicts with both 1964 and 1967 wills. Title defect in Robert's chain.

Marion County Probate Court. Robert C. Fowler as Personal Representative. Confirms death: November 24, 1992 (born July 31, 1923). SSN 248-14-0486. Devisees: Geraldine U. Fowler, Karen F. Ballenger, Robert C. Fowler. Attorney: Robert H. Corley, Mullins SC 29574.

Probate inventory showing Schedule categories. Schedule A (real property) contains 16+ entries. SCHEDULE A #16 lists a 344.5-acre parcel. Full Schedule A must be obtained from Marion County Probate Court to determine if any Jacobs-adjacent land is included.

Attorney letter stating no Jacobs interest of record on TMS 019-00-00-101-000 (Tract A, Marion County). NOTE: This letter addresses Tract A only. It does not address Tract B (Dillon County), where Barbara Graves is a named remainder heir in the 1985 deed.

Active foreclosure against Robert C. Fowler on TMS 019-00-00-101-000 (Tract A, 62.3ac, Marion County). If the property is sold at foreclosure before heirs file an appearance, family claims to Tract A may be permanently extinguished. TIME-SENSITIVE.

Fowler and Merck sell Lot 4 of the 1974 Fowler subdivision to Lucile Jacobs for $1,500. Plat by Louie Pittman RLS, July 1974, Plat Book 22 p.216. Dimensions: 254.4ft N, 100ft E, 250ft S, 146.8ft W. Grantee spelled "LUCILLE" by Fowler attorney — consistent scrivener error. L.D. Williams, Auditor. This lot was NOT transferred and no probate found for Lucile — it may have passed as heirs' property to all 12 children. Requires Marion County title search.

Companion: Senate Bill 950. Received favorable committee recommendation with amendment; placed on House calendar April 2026. Once signed: exempts family title-clearing transfers among qualified family members from triggering Assessable Transfer of Interest (ATI) property tax reassessment. Applies to spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins. Requires affidavit to county assessor. Critical caveat: once title is fully cleared, the property is no longer heirs' property and loses the ATI exclusion going forward.

Full cross-reference of all 22 instruments. Covers all 4 parcels (Tract A, Tract B/Skillet, Tract C/Lot 14, Tract D/Lot 4), complete document timeline, 10 critical inconsistencies for attorney review, current ownership assessment, and prioritized action list sorted by urgency. Includes family member identification and heir count discrepancy analysis.

Family-facing brief on the 32.5-acre Dillon County parcel. Explains heirs' property vulnerability and forced partition risk, UPHPA protections (SC Code 15-61-310), H.4477 legislative window, Inland Port Dillon economic context, and 6-step action plan. References Center for Heirs' Property as free legal resource. Not legal advice — written for family meetings and community presentation.

Forensic comparison of confirmed 1967 baseline signature (99-Year Lease, Dillon County — family-corroborated genuine) vs. three questioned 1959 signatures (Federal Land Bank mortgage, PCA mortgage, dower renunciation). Documents characteristic features of the authentic "Lucile" one-L signature. Critical open question: the 1966 Renunciation of Dower (Book A-85/298) authorizing the homestead sale is NOT included — that document must be retrieved and compared by a certified Questioned Document Examiner (QDE).