According to the advertisement published in The Randolph Citizen newspaper in Huntsville, Missouri, on Thursday, July 19th, 1855, Asa H. Kerby, son of Asa Kerby, deceased, is hereby notified that on the 4th Monday in August 1855, application will be made to the Randolph County Court, at the courthouse in Huntsville, Randolph County, Missouri. This application seeks the assignment of dower in, and distribution of, the slaves belonging to the estate of Asa Kerby, deceased, among the distrusters of said decedent, or for a sale of said slaves if an equal division cannot be made in kind. Additionally, the application seeks an order of court requiring the heirs of said descendant to account for advancements made to them by said descendant in his lifetime.