Monday, March 12, 2012

Amanuensis Monday - Administration Papers for Alpheus B. Smith Estate

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is the administration papers filed on the estate of Alpheus B. Smith (1802-1840) of Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.  This record is in:

Norfolk County (Massachusetts) Probate Court, "Probate docket books, and record books (1793-1916)," Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, on 142 microfilm reels.  Volume 73, Page 239 (accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 842817), Administration, Estate of Alpheus B. Smith, dated first Tuesday of February 1840.

The image of this record is: 




The transcription of the deed is (handwritten portions underlined and in italics): 

Decree [in right margin]
ADMINISTRATION
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Norfolk SS.  At a court of Probate holden at Dedham in said County on the first Tuesday of February A.D. 1840.

It appearing upon the representation of Hinsdale Fisher of Medfield in the County of Norfolk, that Alpheus B. Smith of Medfield in said county of Norfolk, yeoman, lately died intestate, having at the time of his decease goods and estate in said county, and leaving Elizabeth H. Smith his widow and two children his next of kin: And the said Hinsdale Fisher at the request of the widow, of said intestate, having requested administration of the goods and estate of said deceased, and having given bond in the form prescribed by law, in the penal sum of Sixteen hundred dollars, with George Fisher of Medfield and Charles Harding of Medfield as sureties: It is thereupon ordered and decreed that said Hinsdale Fisher be and he hereby is appointed and admitted to said trust: And it is also ordered that said Administrator give notice of his appointment, within three months, by causing notifications thereof to be posted up in two or more public places in said Medfield and also to be published three weeks in the newspaper called the Norfolk Democrat printed at Dedham.
.............................................................................................. S. LELAND, Judge of Probate.

Warrant to Appraise [in right margin]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Norfolk SS.  At a Court of Probate holden at Dedham in said County on the first Tuesday of February A.D. 1840.

Administration of the goods and estate of Alpheus B. Smith late of Medfield in said County, yeoman, deceased, having been granted to Hinsdale Fisher of Medfield in the County of Norfolk.  It is therefore ordered that Seth Chenery, Stephen Turner & David Clark of said Medfield be and they hereby are authorized and required to appraise, upon oath, all the real estate, goods and chattels, rights and credits of the said deceased, and to make a true and perfect Inventory, of all said Estate, except such provisions and other articles as were necessary for the reasonable subsistence of his family for forty days after his decease, and such necessary articles, not exceeding $115 in value, as have been allowed his widow by order of Court, and the same so made to deliver to the said Administrator to be by him returned to the Court of Probate for said County.
........................................................................................  S. LELAND, Judge of Probate.

 Letter of Administration [in right margin]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  

Norfolk SS. By the Honorable Judge of the Court of Probate for the County aforesaid.

To Hinsdale Fisher of Medfield in the County of Norfolk, GREETING:

Whereas, by a decree of the Court of Probate, holden at Dedham in said county of Norfolk, on the first Tuesday of February A.D. 1840.

You the said Hinsdale Fisher were duly appointed Administrator of the goods and estate of Alpheus B. Smith late of Medfield in said County, yeoman, deceased;

You are therefore commissioned in the said trust, and required to give notice of your said appointment by causing notifications thereof to be published three weeks in the newspaper called the Norfolk Democrat printed in Dedham and also to be posted up in two or more public places in said Medfield within three months, and to make affidavit thereof before some Justice of the Peace, and to return the affidavit so made, with a copy of your notification into the Probate office of said County, within one year.

This was the official piece of paper that granted Hinsdale Fisher to be the Administrator of the estate of Alpheus B. Smith.  Apparently, he was named administrator at the request of the widow of Alpheus, Elizabeth H. Smith.  

Hinsdale Fisher had quite a few duties to perform.  First, he gave a $1,600 bond with two other persons as sureties.  Then he was supposed to post a notice of his appointment in two or more public places in Medfield, and in a local newspaper for three weeks running.  He had to receive the inventory of the estate and return it to the Court after it was completed.  He had to report all of this to the Probate Court within one year.  More tasks were to come...

Thank goodness for the form - it makes the court records much easier to read!


Copyright (c) 2012, Randall J. Seaver


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