Am I Missing Something?

[Cumpston1862]

I wonder if this site http://www.swohioresearch.com might offer any leads for you? Or this one? http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~quakers/index.htm

Thank you Littlestown! I have seen the one link but not the other. I didn't have time to look through the new one but hope to tonight.

 

[Northern Light]

Interesting points. I must confess I have not gone through the 40 some pages of William Garrett's probate/estate settling as throughly as I could or should have. His wife is not mentioned at all even when there is a distribution of items to the children. William Garrett is supposed to have had a large family but off hand there only about 5-6 children mentioned in the documents. In fact even though William Garrett appears to have passed away in March/April 1825 some of the accounts are not settled until 1829.

That is not entirely surprizing. As a lot of business was transacted without actual cash at that time, it might take a man a while to amass enough to pay even a small debt. Wills are interesting and can tell us a lot about society at the time they are written and probated. Older children were often provided for when they married, boys with a piece of land, girls with a dowry. Those still at home were left something to provide for them for future marriages or just so they would not be completely destitute. It should be interesting reading, and you will probably find some of those forty pages are lists and legal speak that can be skimmed fairly quickly.

 

[Cumpston1862]

That is not entirely surprizing. As a lot of business was transacted without actual cash at that time, it might take a man a while to amass enough to pay even a small debt. Wills are interesting and can tell us a lot about society at the time they are written and probated. Older children were often provided for when they married, boys with a piece of land, girls with a dowry. Those still at home were left something to provide for them for future marriages or just so they would not be completely destitute. It should be interesting reading, and you will probably find some of those forty pages are lists and legal speak that can be skimmed fairly quickly.

Northern Light-

I agree completely. Seeing what a person owned really gives perspective on their life.

There is some "legal speak" but not a lot. It is more difficult trying to decipher the faint and unique handwriting styles that slow me down more than anything. As is there is a lot of quickly scribbled hand written pieces.

As an example, there is a short note of an amount claimed against the estate of Wm. Garrett deceased for the building of a coffin for the said deceased. Cost was $ 3.25 by the way.

When I was in college one of my history professors actually had us try and figure out the occupation of 18th and 19th century people by looking over the list of goods and chattels they owned. It is fascinating to see what items people owned and in what quantity.

Looking over William Garrett's possesions besides farming he seems to have been involved in either the production or buying/selling of fabric as there is mention of an abnormal amount of bolts of different fabrics which he was owed money for at the time of his passing.

Also it appears that they had an auction selling off his goods as one of the last documents gives a list of items formerly owned by William Garrett and who bought them with the price paid.

 

[Northern Light]

Northern Light-

I agree completely. Seeing what a person owned really gives perspective on their life.

There is some "legal speak" but not a lot. It is more difficult trying to decipher the faint and unique handwriting styles that slow me down more than anything. As is there is a lot of quickly scribbled hand written pieces.

As an example, there is a short note of an amount claimed against the estate of Wm. Garrett deceased for the building of a coffin for the said deceased. Cost was $ 3.25 by the way.

When I was in college one of my history professors actually had us try and figure out the occupation of 18th and 19th century people by looking over the list of goods and chattels they owned. It is fascinating to see what items people owned and in what quantity.

Looking over William Garrett's possesions besides farming he seems to have been involved in either the production or buying/selling of fabric as there is mention of an abnormal amount of bolts of different fabrics which he was owed money for at the time of his passing.

Also it appears that they had an auction selling off his goods as one of the last documents gives a list of items formerly owned by William Garrett and who bought them with the price paid.

That's interesting! I wonder if he had a store at one time or if someone in the family was a dressmaker? Does it say what kinds of fabric?

 

[Cumpston1862]

That's interesting! I wonder if he had a store at one time or if someone in the family was a dressmaker? Does it say what kinds of fabric?

Northern Light-

I forgot the documents at work but will try and look through them tomorrow. I do believe the types of materials are mentioned in some cases.

Although I am certainly not an expert when it comes to probates it seems there was a large amount of money owed to William Garret by a signicant amount of people. It would seem he was selling something quite regularly. In fact as I mentioned the administrators of the will had to travel to Virginia to settle several accounts. Seems like fabric would be more likely to be sold out of state than farm grown products in 1825...but who knows?

 

[Cumpston1862]

That's interesting! I wonder if he had a store at one time or if someone in the family was a dressmaker? Does it say what kinds of fabric?

Ok. A quick look through the documents has the following fabrics;

-calico
- Italian crape
-silk
-Riband
- Indigo (listed in oz.)
-bourbezette?

 

[Northern Light]

Ok. A quick look through the documents has the following fabrics;

-calico
- Italian crape
-silk
-Riband
- Indigo (listed in oz.)
-bourbezette?

Those are mostly imported goods, so maybe he had an importing business and sold to stores and individuals. The last one might be BOMbezette, perhaps a type of bombazine which was widely used for mourning clothes.