From the Probate Files: William Coale - Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1678/9

If William Coale's estate was as substantial as it appears from the bequests in his will, the tobacco which he was to receive as noted in the Quaker Mens Meeting of 1676 doesn't appear to have been an act of charity.

I William Coale of ye County of Ann Arundell in the
Province of Maryland being sick and weake of Boddy
but of Sound and Perfect memory calling to mind [ye]
ffrailety & Mortality of all man kinde doe make
Ordaine Constitute and Appointe this my Last will
& testament in Manner & forme following & I give &
Bequeath my Soule unto god that gave it my Body
unto ye Earth from whence it was taken to be buried
at ye discretion of my Executrix hereafter to be 
named. Imprimio I give and Bequeath unto my [Sonne]
William Coale Borne of ye Boddy of Hester my
wife all my Land Knowne by ye name of Great
Bonnerstum Seituated Lyeng & being in west Ri[ver]
In ye county of Ann Arundell According unto the
meates & Boundes contained in ye land Pattint
ye same Bearing date the 16 day of ffebruary 16[59]
unto him & his heirs forever with one ffeather B[ed]
Curtaines & vallued of ye price of Seven poundes w[ith]
two pairs oof Sheetes one man servant A new hand {for]
terme he shall have to serve this to be delivered
next shiping after my decease with two Cowes {&]
two Breeding Sowes
(2 O doe give & Bequeath unto my Second Sonne W[m]
                           Coale
=====
Coale Begotten of Ye Boddy of Hannah my Second
wife One Hundred Acres of Land part of ye Sd Land
Knowne by ye name of Hickrey Hills being ye lower pat
theirof next unto Potexson River unto him & his heires
for Ever with one ffeather Beed & Curtaines and 
Valleined of ye Price of seven poundes & two pairs of
Sheetes together with ye Sume of four thousand 
poundes of tobacco when he attains unto age of one 
& twenty with one man Servant two Cowes with  
Calve or Calves by theire sides two breeding Sowes: and
ffoure thousand poundes of Tobacco when he attains
ye age of two & twenty
3 I give & Bequeath unto my Sonne Samuell Lawfully
Begotten of ye Boddy of my wife Elizabeth Eight
thousand poundes of tobacco to be paid unto him
when he shall Attaine to ye age of one & twenty together
with two men servants one of them my Negro Knowne
by ye name of Jack if he Shall then be alive & in case of
his mortality one Abell man Servant a new hand for
ye terme he shall have to serve, Alsoe two hundred
Acres of Land Part of Portland Mann: next unto
Potucson River & soe downward unto him & his
                               heires

Heires Lawfully Begotten of his Boddy & for w[ant]
of such heires to come Descend unto Phillip my
Sonne & his heires Lawfully Begotten of his boddy
& if my Sonnes should dye without Issue my Will
is ye ye Said Land descend unto ye next heire maile
of ye Coales & for want of such heire Maile to go[e]
unto ye next heire femaile
4) I doe give & Bequeath unto my Sonne Phillip
Bournn of ye Boddy of my wife Elizabeth three
hundred Acres of Land ye Resedew of Portland
Mann. after ye decease of Elizabeth my wife
unto him & his heires lawfully begotten of his
Body & for want of such heires to come and c[?]
descend unto my Sonne Samuell & his heires [?]
lawfully begotten as aforesaid & In case they
shall both dye without Issue then ye said Land [?]
fall & go unto ye next heire male of ye Coales and
for want of such heire hale to descend unto ye n[ext]
heires female & theire heires for Ever  I doe al[soe]
will unto my Somme Phillip two men Servants one of
them my Negro Knowne by Ye name of Roger if [he]
                            shall
======
Shall then be Alive & if not then one New hand & in
his Toome for ye terme he shall have to serve together
with two Cowes with Calfe or Calfesby theire sides &
two Breeding Sowes a ffeather Bedd & curtaines of
furniture of ye value of Seven poundes & two pr: of sheetes
& Eight thousand poundes of Tobacco
5) I doe give unto my daughter Elizabeth Eighteen
thousand poundes of Tobacco ye one helfe within
one year after she att ye age of fifteen together with
one ffeather Bedd Curtaines & Vallens of ye Price
of seven poundes & two pr of sheetes
Lastly  I doe constitute Ordaine & Appointe my ???
and well beloved wife ElizabethCoale my Sole &
whole Exe'x. of this my last will & testam: giving unto
my said Exe'x: my now Dwelling plantacon and three
hundred Acres of Land Adjoyning unto her owne
Proper use to her for during her naturall life & after
ye Exspiation theirof to descend unto my Sonne c
Phillip According and ??m this my Last will before
Expressed I doe also give & Bequeathunto my
Said Loving Wife & Ex'x: after my Just debts are
                   paid

[Will books; Author: Maryland. Prerogative Court; Probate Place: Maryland. Notes: Wills, vol 4-10, 1670, 1676-1679, 1682-1700. Ancestry.com. Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1777 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Maryland County, District and Probate Courts.]

Paide & satisfyed & those my Legacies delivered
all ye Reaining of my Said Estate whither in
goods or Merchandize Tobaccoe goode or Moneys in
England unto her owne proper use [?] behoofe In
Confirmacon wheireof I have sette my hand & Seale
this twenty Six day of Octob: one thousand Six
hundred seventy Eight
Signed Sealed & delivered in 
the presence of ??                          WM Cole (Sealed]
Samuell Lane
Thomas ffrancis
And on ye Backside of ye Said will was written
Febry ye 6:78
Came Maj'r Samuell Lane of An Arundell County &
at ye house of ye Said Samuell Lane did then & th[ere?]
make oath & he ye Said Samuell saw ye testa[tor]
within menconed Instrument to be his Last will &
Testam: & that he was of a sound disposinge m[ind]
when he saw signed published & delivered &
further ye said Maj'r Lane as Physician to ye
Testat'r doth upon his oath further declare
said Testat'r not Long after ye publishing of [ye]
=====
Instrument was not capable of making another &
doth veryly believe that neither did or could make
another sworne before me  Thomas Taylor
Febr'y 24|78 then came Thomas ffrancis one of ye evidences
to ye within menconed testamt: before me at my
dwelling house & made Oath to ye same and the
above menconed Maj'r Lane verbatim Jurat Cor????
                            Thomas Taylor

As you can see from the will, William Coale's two surviving oldest sons were both named William*.My direct ancestor is the second one, the child of Hannah, whose first husband's surname was Galloway** but whose maiden name is unknown.

It seems likely that this William Coale was born in England and came to Maryland in the 1640 or 50s, although there are some believe that he was born in Virginia. You can read about the various claims here and decide for yourself.



*It isn't uncommon to find the same given name used by different wives of a man.
**The Galloways were a well-known family in the area.

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Timney P. Watts (1805 - 1863) - Probate Records, Part 15, Final Settlement

I don't know about you, but I'm certainly happy to come to the end of this examination of the probate records for my 3X great grandmother Timeny P. Watts Warren Phillips. 

Timney died on September 5, 1863, by which time  Lee's invasion of the North had been turned back at Gettysburg (July 1-3), Vicksburg had fallen (July 4), the Mississippi River was in Federal control and the South was on the defensive.  Perhaps events during the months leading up to the Confederacy's final defeat in 1865 are part of the reason why it took 3-1/2 years for the final distribution  which took place in 1867.

Estate of
Timney P. Phillips

J.D. Phillips
     Admr

Final Settlement

Recorded Book 11 Page 353
     C.A. Stanton
          Judge of Probate

Filed in Office   Sinclair[?]
Feb 18th 1867

Set for 2nd Monday
April 1867--

C A Stanton
     Judge
R F Ligon

J D Phillips Admr of Timney
P. Phillips dec'd. in account
current for final Settlement

Admr charges himself as
follows----                       Dr[?]

To Amt of Sale of personal property
on the 15th day of December 1863
and which was in Confederate
Money-------------------     $12175.71

To amt of sale of Real estate
in the                                     $120.00
                                            12295.71

Admr ask to be Credited as following
                                                   Cr
By amt paid  R A Johnston {?]nd  1   394.68
 "     "       "    W D Hall                  2     47.60 
 "     "       "     T H Phillips             3     25.00
 "     "       "    W C Martin              4       6.75
 "     "       "    Henderson & Baith  5       5.00
 "     "       "    J W Webb & Co       6      23.20
 "     "       "    Taxes 1863               7      25.25
 "     "       "    R A Johnston           8     185.60
 "     "       "    R A Johnston           9       80.00                
 "     "       "    R A Johnston          10    200.00
 "     "       "    W H Hodnett          11    183.00
 "     "       "    Court Costs            12      54.00
 "     "       "    Attorneys fees        13      30.00

By amt of Confederate Money on hand 4015.63

[Description : Estate Papers, Phillips, Nancy (Minor) to Piques, Sarah. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

                             Amt brt forward
By amt paid A Lockwood Guard
=ian for Elizabeth A Lockwood as per recpt $1500.

By amt paid James O A Adams as
     per receipt on file            --------------     $1950

By amt paid Isabella Varner 
     as per receipt on file       --------------     $1950

By amt paid L B Phillips
     as per receipt on file       --------------     $1500


The State of Alabama          }
   Macon County                  } Personally appeared before C.A. Stanton
Judge of he probate Court J D Phillips Admr of Timney Phillips dec'd who being
duly sworn says that the foregoing account for final Settlement is just
true and Correct and that the heirs at law are, Thos H Phillips and 
your petitioner who reside in Macon Co Ala, W.R Phillips and L.B. Phillips who
reside in Geo, Josiah Phillips in Texas, Mary E Lane wife of 
Alexander Land in Barbour Co Ala, Martha Adams wife of  James O.
Adams in Pike Co Ala all of whom are of full age Elizabeth
Lockwood who resides               County Ala, also the children
of Thadeus Phillips dec'd, to wit, Elizabeth, Eugenie, Columbiana
and John H Philips who are minors and live in Georgia--
Sworn to & subscribed before me   }
22 January 1867  ------                      }       J.D. Phillips
   C A Stanton Judge of Probate


If I'm reading this correctly everyone received Confederate money which was worthless.

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Timney P. Watts (1805 - 1863) - Probate Records, Part 12, Two More Phillips Daughters

Last week I dealt with the Phillips men whose names were discovered through my research into the probate records of my great great great grandmother Timney P. Watts Warren Phillips. Now I'm turning to what the various records can tell us about the two women whose existence was uncovered at the same time:

[Description : Probate Records, Vol 10, 1863-1866; Probate Records, Vol 11, 1866-1868. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

Mary Emily Phillips (1826-1907)*, whose mother Nancy Ann Pennington Phillips died the year she was born, married Dr. Alexander Lane (1818-1887) in Macon County on October 12, 1843. By the 1850 U.S. Census the Lane household comprised Mary E., her husband, their three children and a Georgia farmer no doubt hired to run the farm while Dr. Lane practiced medicine.

[Year: 1850; Census Place: District 21, Macon, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; Page: 284B; Image: 191. 

Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

The ink on this page is badly faded and even inverting the colors didn't help me decipher the value of the real estate he owned--perhaps you can do better.

Although I wasn't able to locate Dr. Lane's name in the 1850 Federal Census - Slave Schedules I did find him listed in the 1855 Alabama State Census as the owner of 26 enslaved persons.

[County : Macon. Ancestry.com. Alabama State Census, 1820-1866 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. This collection was indexed by Ancestry.com World Archives Project contributors. Original data: Alabama State Census, 1820, 1850, 1855 and 1866. Montgomery, Alabama: Alabama Department of Archives & History.

Rolls M2004.0008-M2004.0012, M2004.0036-M2004.0050, and M2008.0124.]

The 1860 federal enumeration shows that the Lane family has added their fourth and last child and according to the Slave Schedules the number of enslaved persons doubled in the past five years.

[Year: 1860; Census Place: Southern Division, Macon, Alabama; Roll: M653_14; Page: 724; Image: 243; Family History Library Film: 803014. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.]

[Township : Southern Division. Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1860. M653, 1,438 rolls.]

Ten years later Mary Emily, her husband and their youngest child Richard Q. were living in Tanyard in Pike County, Alabama, with a freedwoman Violet Malone keeping house for them. Despite the effects of the Civil War, the Dr. Lane is still a rich man-- worth $40,000.

[Year: 1870; Census Place: Tanyard, Pike, Alabama. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.Minnesota census schedules for 1870. NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.]

By the 1880 U.S. Census the Lanes had moved east to Dawson, Terrell County, Georgia. Their son Richard and his young family are living with them. Dr. Lane's profession is listed as "Grocer" in this census.

[Year: 1880; Census Place: Dawson, Terrell, Georgia; Roll: 166; Family History Film: 1254166; Page: 156B; Enumeration District: 077; Image: 0937. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

Seven years later Mary Emily was widowed when Dr. Lane died on March 28, 1887; with the loss of the 1890 census, the next record we have for her is in the 1900 U.S. Census when she was living in the household of her son Richard and his family, this time back in Alabama in Hartselle, Morgan County.

[Year: 1900; Census Place: Hartselle, Morgan, Alabama; Roll: 35; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 0136; FHL microfilm: 1240035. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.:

National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.]

The 1907 Birmingham Alabama City Directory listed her as a resident** and that's where Mary Elizabeth Phillips Lane died on May 18th of that year. She and Alexander are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Birmingham. All of their known children survived them and left descendants.

[Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1907. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995

[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. 

Original data: Original sources vary according to directory. ]

The other previously unknown Phillips daughter Martha Norman Phillips (1833-1916) was Timney's third child with John P. Phillips***; she married South Carolina native James O.A. Adams (1826-1900) on November 15, 1849, in Macon County.

A year later the 1850 U.S. Census enumeration listed only Martha and her husband who was described as a farmer with no real estate assets although the Slave Schedule lists him as the owner of a 22-year old enslaved woman and her 4-year old son.

The 1855 Alabama State Census also lists only the couple but without slaves.

[County : Macon. Ancestry.com. Alabama State Census, 1820-1866 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. This collection was indexed by Ancestry.com World Archives Project contributors. Original data: Alabama State Census, 1820, 1850, 1855 and 1866. Montgomery, Alabama: Alabama Department of Archives & History. Rolls M2004.0008-M2004.0012, M2004.0036-M2004.0050, and M2008.0124.]

In the 1860 U.S. Census the Macon County enumeration of the Adams household included 10-year old Willis (born in Florida) and I have no idea who she could be (nor is there any other mention of this person). As we can see James O.A. has become a person of substance--perhaps due to his wife's inheritance after her father's death in 1852.

[Year: 1860; Census Place: Southern Division, Macon, Alabama; Roll: M653_14; Page: 767; Image: 286; Family History Library Film: 803014. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.]

According to the 1870 U.S. Census Martha's husband had become a successful businessman in Bughall in Bullock County and her widowed sister Lucinda Isabelle P Phillips Varner (1837-1904) and her two daughters Viola and Martha Mary were living with them.

[Year: 1870; Census Place: Bughall, Bullock, Alabama. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.Minnesota census schedules for 1870. NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.]

A decade later Martha**** and J.O.A. had returned to Macon County where he was described in the 1900 U.S. Census as a "Merchant." He died on November 20, 1900, and was buried in the Tuskegee City Cemetery.

[Year: 1880; Census Place: Tuskegee, Macon, Alabama; Roll: 21; Family History Film: 1254021; Page: 406D; Enumeration District: 118; Image: 0315. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

Martha survived her husband by 16 years and by 1910 she was living in Macon with Lucinda's oldest daughter Viola Varner (1857-1941) who had married Francis Joseph DeBardeleben in 1875. Viola was listed as the head of the household because her husband was no longer living with her.*****

[Year: 1910; Census Place: Precinct 1, Macon, Alabama; Roll: T624_23; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 0122; FHL microfilm: 1374036. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

When Martha made her will on November 25, 1916, she was a resident of Alabama's Chilton County. Her heirs included her niece Viola Varner DeBardeleben and the children of Viola's eldest daughter Phala Belle****** and her husband Evan M. Pinckard.

[Description : Estate Case Files, Abbott, Fannie - Armstrong, Laura, 1868-1919. Ancestry.com.

Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

Martha Norman Phillips Adams died on Christmas Day, 1916 and was buried near James O.A. Adams in the Tuskegee City Cemetery.

The probate court estimated her estate to be worth about $5,000.



*So according to Ancestry she's my step third great aunt.
**Another of her sons, Alexander Oscar Lane (1848-1916) is the attorney at the top of the list.
***Which makes her my third great aunt.
****This record shows that she never had any children.
*****I wasn't able to locate Francis Joseph DeBardeleben until 1920 when he was living in Seattle, Washington, where he remained for the rest of his life, outliving Viola by six years. In various census records he called himself either married or widowed. Viola's tombstone names her as his wife.
******Phala had unexpectedly died only four days before Martha signed her will.


© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Timney P. Watts (1805 - 1863) - Probate Records, Part 11, Sorting Out the Male Heirs

You may recall in my last post that dealt with her probate records there was a list of heirs of Timney P. Watts Warren Phillips named in the depositions which included the names of eight individuals I didn't recognize: William R. (W.R.) Phillips, Josiah Phillips, Martha Adams, Mary Lane, and Elizabeth, Eugenia, Columbiana and John T. Phillips.

In my efforts to discover who these people were, I returned to the probate records for Timney's second husband, John P. Phillips (1792-1852) and found a list of his heirs filed by her attorneys* on July 15, 1852 in connection with her dower claims.

[Description : Probate Court Record, Vol 4, 1850-1853. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.. Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

where your petitioner Sheweth the following persons are the heirs and
legatees of said Estate Thomas H Phillips William A Phillips Frederick Phillips
Josiah Phillips Thadeus Phillips Mary E Lane wife of Alexander Lane &
Martha A Adams wife of James Adams all of whom are over the age of
twenty years -- also Jeremiah D Phillips Lucinda I Phillips Littleberry B Phillips
John C Phillips and Elizabeth Lockwood who are under the age of twenty
one. Your petitioner prays that your Honor upon the hearing of this petition
order and decree that her dower in Said lands be advanced and 
allotted to her in accordance with the statute in such cases [?] and
provided.                                  Timney Phillips
                                                  per Clopton & Ligon her attys

From this record we can confirm that William R and Josiah Phillips have to be added to the family tree along with Martha Adams** and Mary Lane. And two more sons have been revealed who weren't included in the later list--Frederick and Thad[d]eus.

From a later probate record (February, 1856) we can learn more about Frederick (1820-1855).

[Description : Estate Papers, Petteway, Ignatius W to Phillips, Nancy. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

The State of Alabama     {Personally appeared before me
   Macon County             {Linus Alexander Judge of Probate
when being duly  Thomas H Phillips admin of John Phillips dec'd
when being duly sworn says this [?] account for final
settlement is just & true and that the following persons are the heirs
at law & distributees[?] Timney P. Phillips widow of intestate
Thos. H Phillips admin, William R. Phillips, Mary P Josiah
Phillips, Thaddeus, Jeremiah D. Lucinda I Littleberry
B. & John C the last four of whom are minors and 
reside in Macon except Littleberry B. who lives in Geo.
and Mrs Mary Phillips & her child Nancy the widow
& only child of Frederick Phillips, and Elizabeth
Lockwood the only child of A. Lockwood & Elizabeth
Lockwood & that Affiant Swears that he had
not used for his own purposes any of the money ofor
said estate that he knows of-----

From the 1850 U.S. Census we can learn a bit more about Timney's stepson Frederick and his wife Mary.

[Year: 1850; Census Place: District 21, Macon, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; Page: 201A; Image: 25.

Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

As you can see in 1850 the couple had two children, Matilda and Simeon. Simeon died at 13 months old and is buried in the Fort Family Cemetery in Macon County; we don't know any more of his older sister than this census record but she must have died sometime before the 1856 list of heirs. Although I've found no supporting documentation, some believe that Mrs Mary Phillips was Mary A. Peteet (1832-1857) who was married to Menafee Tatum*** at the time of her death and is also buried in Fort Cemetery. Since little Nancy Phillips isn't mentioned in any of the lists of heir for Timney in 1863 she had probably joined the rest of her family in the local cemetery.


The other hitherto undiscovered stepson Thaddeus (1823-1857) and his wife Mary H. Slaughter (1828-1884) had three children by the time of the 1850 U.S. Census.

[Year: 1850; Census Place: District 21, Macon, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; Page: 233A; Image: 85. 

Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

Since Thaddeus pre-deceased his stepmother, Mary Elizabeth (1844-1915), Francis G. Eugene (1847-1916), his only son John T. (1848-1884) and his youngest surviving child Columbia Ann (1856-1920) inherited their father's share of Timney's estate.

Stepson Josiah Phillips (c1822-aft1880) married Martha Ann Chappell (1826-1894)**** and they were living in Cass County, Texas, by 1854.

William R. Phillips (1818-1890) remained in Georgia where he and his wife Mary Smith Johnson (1859-1905) had 11 children. One of their younger daughter was named Nancy Timney Phillips, honoring both his birth mother Nancy Ann Pennington (1798-1826) and stepmother Timney.

Next week I'll present what I've learned about Mary and Martha.


*Her attorneys,Clopton & Ligon, were the same ones who set out the interrogatories for the Commission referred to in my previous post.
**Martha Norman Phillips was one of Timney's daughters.
***

Ancestry.com. Alabama, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Court, and Other Records, 1784-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors.

Original data: Alabama Department of Archives and History, comp. Public information subject files—Card index of personal and corporate names and of subjects, ca. 1920–1960. Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama.

****She is the granddaughter of John Chappell (c1763-1828) my fourth great grandfather, and therefore my first cousin, four times removed.


© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Timney P. Watts (1805 - 1863) - Probate Records, Part 10, The Commission and the Depositions

As we saw in the previous post about probate records for my third great grandmother Timney P. Watts Warren Phillips, her heirs petitioned the Court to allow her land to be sold because "Said lands cannot be equitably fractioned or divided between Said Joint Owners without a Sale [.]" and that the Court appointed W.F. Hodnett as Commissioner empowered to take depositions of witnesses. Here's the official Commission signed by Judge C.A. Stanton which was misfiled in John P. Phillips' probate records.

[Description : Estate Papers, Petteway, Ignatius W to Phillips, Nancy. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

Below is a printed form* describing the process.

[Description : Estate Papers, Phillips, Nancy (Minor) to Piques, Sarah.

Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

[Description : Probate Records, Vol 10, 1863-1866; Probate Records, Vol 11, 1866-1868. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

Thomas H Phillips       } Petition in Macon Probate Court
Jeremiah D Phillips     } to Sell Real Estate for a division
          vs                       } Interrogatories to be propounded
William R Phillips       } to William H Stanton & Alanson
                           Etal   } Lockwood Material Witness for the
Petitioners
Interrogatory 1, Are you acquainted with Certain lands, Situate
in Said County of Macon, and Known as the South half of the
north west Quarter, and Eighty Acres on the west half of the
South half of Section Eighteen (18) Township Fifteen (15) of Range
Twenty Four (24) being the dower Interest of Mrs Timney Phillips

Interrogatory 2, Are you acquainted with the heirs of John
Phillips? if Yea, name them, which are Minors, can or not
cannot Said land be equatably divided between said heirs without
a Sales? if not, state why not?                       Clopton & Ligon
                                                                      Attys for Petitioners

Depositions of Alanson Lockwood and William H Stanton
witnesses Sworn and examined under and by Virtue of a Comm-
-mission issued out of the Probate Court of the State of Alabama
for Macon County, in a Certain Cause therein depending between
Thomas H Phillips & Jeremiah D Phillips Plaintiffs and
William  R Phillips Etal Defendants,
   The witnesses being duly sworn to tell the truth, the whole
 truth and nothing but the truth, do depose[?] and Say as follows

To the first Interrogatory, they say they are acquainted with the
lands described in Said Interrogatory.

To the Second Interrogatory, they Say they are, their names are 
as follows W.R. Phillips, Josiah Phillips, Thomas H. Phillips,
Littleberry B Phillips; Jeremiah D Phillips, Lucinda I Varner

[Description : Probate Records, Vol 10, 1863-1866; Probate Records, Vol 11, 1866-1868. Ancestry.com. Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Alabama County, District and Probate Courts.]

Martha Adams, Mary Lane, Elizabeth Ann Lockwood, Elizabeth
Phillips, Eugenia Phillips, Columbiana Phillips & John T Phillips
of who the last named five (5) are minors, they further answer,
that Said lands cannot be equitably divided without a sale for
the following reasons (Viz, 1st there is not enough of it, 2nd there is
no timber on it, 3rd there are two public Roads running through
it, with a lane fence to be Kept up
                                                                     A. Lockwood
                                                                    W.H. Stanton
We the Commissioner in the Said Commission named, do hereby
Certify, that the evidence of the witnesses A Lockwood & W H
Stanton, was taken down under Oath & Subscribed by them in
in our presence on the 4th day of November 1863 at Cotton Valley in
the County of Macon State of Alabama, and that we have
personal Knowledge of Said witnesses
                          Witness our hand and Seal
                                            W F Hodnett {L.S}

The living children of John P. Phillips (1792-1852) by both his wives** are named as Defendants in this "Certain Cause." And the first two men, William R. (W.R.) and Josiah***, weren't previously identified as his sons. Because William's name leads the list I'm assuming he's the eldest. It's equally unclear to me who Martha Adams and Mary Lane are as they aren't accounted for in our family tree.

The named minor heirs include Elizabeth Ann Lockwood (1851-1917) the only child of Timney's oldest daughter Elizabeth Ann Phillips and her husband Alanson Lockwood. However the connection of Elizabeth, Eugenia, Columbiana and John T. Phillips to this family are unknown to me at the moment.

So thanks to these two pages of probate records I have new people to research.



*This form is part of the records for the 1866 petition but it's unlikely that the procedure changed in the meantime.
**His first wife was Ann Nancy Pennington (1798-bef.1827).
***Our tree did have a Josiah Phillips (b.1822) who married my first cousin 4 times removed Martha Ann Chappell but we hadn't connected him to John P. Phillips and Nancy Ann.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Memento Mori: Memorial Day

My original intent for today was to re-post last year's Memorial Day tribute; next I thought I might highlight those individuals (most, but not all of them, my direct ancestors) whom I've posted about under my Gone for Soldiers label.

Then I recalled this photo of the air crew with my maternal uncle Jack Slater's notes written on the back. I don't know where it was taken, but assume that it must have been during his training as a B-17 pilot in the Army Air Corps. Not only does Jack list himself as the pilot here--and he was co-pilot on his three missions in Europe*--but close inspection of the lettering on the object to the left of the group reveals it to be a practice bomb.

[All courtesy of Olive Slater-Kennedy]

Here's my transcription of Jack's notes above:

Here we are, Crew 21 of the Bartholmess** Provisional Group. We are a typical combat crew - typical in that we represent all sections and elements of the country, in that we consider ourselves the best of the lot. We are the All American team of this or any other war year. We shall carry the war to the enemy, and hit him hard. Pardon me, if I sound like the proud parent, telling of his very ordinary children. We are, starting with the front row, reading left to right:
1. Pilot - You know me; I shan't describe myself.
2. Co-Pilot - Lt. Charles M. Guyler is at present newly-married. His wife, also from Pennsylvania, calls him "Chub". He is a level-headed, likeable young man of 25, an excellent pilot. I'd be lost without him.
3. Navigator - Lt. William R. Jones is the senior member at 33. A native Texan, he washed out as a pilot, and is the best Navigator in the group. Also married.
4. Bombardier - Lt. Jack L. Kipnis is at 26 still rather boyish. A Jewish boy from Brooklyn, he is a typical devil-may-care, efficient bombardier. Outwardly he seems to know only bombing and women.
5. Engineer - St Sgt Jackson G. Osborne has a mechanic's tasks. The boys call him "Bulldog", because of his noisy, husky egotism. He'd run the plane (and crew) if we'd let him. West Virginia (20).
6. Assistant Engineer - Sgt. Vito W. DiSabato is a native-born Italian with Latin good looks and personality. Lately from New York, he is also a waist gunner. He is 21.
7. Radio Operator - Sgt. Lowell T. Birdwell at 23 has been in the Army for 3 years. He has served in his native Texas and the Caribean [sic]. He is the "character" of the crew, very droll.8. Asst. Radio Operator - Allan V. Kangas is the baby at 19. Typically Scandinavian and a native born Finn. Very quiet. The Boys call him "Smiley" as he has no front teeth.
9. Cpl. Robert L. Lane is the Armorer - Ball turret gunner. He is 21, typically New England, the best gunner on the crew. Why the boys call him "Rabbit" I can't say. They also call him Jr. because he looks so young.
10. The tail gunner is Sgt. Ralph E. Martinez of Texas. Another quiet boy, well liked by us all. "Rocky" is also 21. Another excellent gunner.

Based on the information Jack has put in his notes, I was able to trace all of his fellow crew members except William R. Jones. Only Jack and Vito DiSabato didn't survive the war.

• Charles Miller Guyler (1918-1991)
• Jack L. Kipnis (1917-1978)
• Jackson G. Osborne (1923-1981)
• Vito W. DiSabato (1921-1944)
• Lowell T. Birdwell (1919-1995)
• Allan V. Kangas (1924-1994)
• Robert L. Lane (1922-2111)
• Ralph E.Martinez (1922-1981)

Thanks to the internet and YouTube I was able to locate several of the training films that Jack would have seen during his training.

[How to fly the B-17: Ground Operations

1943 US Army Air Forces Training Film World War II]

[How To Fly The B-17: Flight Operations

1943 US Army Air Forces Training Film World War II]

*Missions flown according to database at the American Air Museum in England.
29 Nov 1843 Bremen link here   plane name unknown 42-31171
30 Nov 1943 Solengin link here  Mayfly 42-3356
5 Dec 1943 Bordeaux/Merignac link here  Fighting Cock 42-3397
**I believe this refers to Lt. Col. Karl T. Barthelmess.


© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.