Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a 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 document this week is the Final Account filed by the administrator of the estate of my great-grandmother, Hattie L. (Hildreth) Seaver (1857-1920), who died 29 November 1920 in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Hattie's husband, Frank Walton Seaver, died after she did on 27 November 1922. However, Hattie's mother, Sophia (Newton) Hildreth, died after both of them on 29 August 1923. The estate of Sophia (Newton) Hildreth included the property in Leominster that she and Hattie inherited from Edward Hildreth (1831-1899), their husband and father, respectively.
Here is the Final Account of the estate of Hattie L. Seaver, including the property schedules:
The transcription of this document is (handwritten portions in italics, blanks underlined):
R.L., Chap. 150, § 2
The first and final ACCOUNT OF J. Ward Healey
administrat or
of the estate of Hattie L. Seaver
of Leominster in the County of Worcester, deceased.
This account is for the beginning with the seventh day of
September A.D. 19 23, and ending with the fifteenth
day of December A.D. 19 23.
Said accountant charges himself with the several amounts received as
stated in Schedule A, herewith exhibited, ................................ $ 6546.99
And asks to be allowed for sundry payments and charges, as stated in Schedule
B, herewith exhibited, ................................................................. $6546.99
Balance as stated in Schedule C, herewith exhibited, ...........$ .........
...................................................... J. Ward Healey, Administrator
?The undersigned, being all persons interested, having examined
the foregoing account, request that the same may be allowed without further notice.
Frederick W. Seaver
Harry C. Seaver
J. Ward Healey, as Admr. Estate of Frank W. Seaver
Worcester, SS, December 10th, 19 23.
Then personally appeared the above-named accountant and made oath that the within account
is just and true.
..................... Before me,
...................................................... Ethel H. Divoll, Notary Public.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
WORCESTER, SS. At a Probate Court held at Worcester in said
County, on the eighth day of September A.D. 19 24
The foregoing account having been presented for allowance, and verified by the oath of the
accountant, and all persons interested having been duly notified
having consented thereto in writing, and no objections being made thereto, and the same having been examined and considered by the Court.
It is decreed that said account be allowed.
............................................................ Fredk H. Chamberlain
............................................................ Judge of Probate Court
Schedules A (real and personal property), B (Payments, charges, losses and distributions) and C (possessions with the Accountant) are below (two page images):
The transcription of these Schedules is:
SCHEDULE A.
1. Amount of personal property, according to inventory, or ................ 33 10
2. Balance of next prior account .......................................................
3. Amounts Received from income, gain on sale sale of personal property
4. over appraised value, and from other property as follows:
5. Interest from Bank deposit .................................................................. 5 03
6. Insurance Rebates, P.H. Killelea .......................................................... 5 80
7. Received from J. Ward Healey as Admr. of Estate
8. of Frank W. Seaver Personal Estate consisting
9. of Cash $230.13, Furniture $100 ...................................................... 330 13
10. Received from Sale of Real Estate, being two-
11. thirds proceeds, or $4000 as share of Hattie
12. L. Seaver Estate and one-third share or $2000,
13. of Frank W. Seaver Estate ............................................................ 6000 00
14. Cash from Harry C. Seaver ............................................................. 90 00
15. Rents from tenement Oct. Nov. Dec. 1923 .................................... 45 00
16. Rebate Interest from Merchants Nat. Bank
17. for H.C.S. ........................................................................................... 13 07
18. Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 24 86
19. ........................................................................................................________
20. .......................................................................................................... 6546 99
SCHEDULE B.
Showing payments, charges, losses and distributions.
1. Furniture of Frank W. Seaver Estate divided be-
2. tween Harry C. Seaver and Frederick W. Seaver ........................ 100 00
3. Paid Merchants National Bank, for Harry C.
4. Seaver a/c $1600 as amount borrowed by him in
5. anticipation of his distributive share in these
6. two estates ...................................................................................... 1600 00
7. Cash paid Harry C. Seaver by Administrator ............................. 1100 00
8. Paid Harry C. Seaver, Interest rebated by
9. Merchants National Bank on above mortgage ................................ 13 07
10. Cash paid Frederick W. Seaver as his partial
11. distributive share in this estate .................................................... 2700 00
12-16 ..........................................................................................
................................................................ Brought forward, .................. 5863 07
17. City of Leominster taxes ................................................................. 80 14
18. City of Leominster Water rates ........................................................ 1 54
19. H. A. Draffin Roofing Co. ................................................................... 8 10
20. Leominster Granite & Marble Works ........................................... 55 00
21. Dr. N.R. Nye $30.00 Dr. W.E. Currier $8.00 .............................. 38 00
22. John C. Hull, appraisal services ....................................................... 10 00
23. P.H. Killelea, Insurance premium ..................................................... 7 73
24. Chas. H. Richardson Co., Undertakers ......................................... 294 00
25. Leominster Electric Light & Power Co. .............................................. 0 73
26. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Taxes ......................................... 2 27
27. Document Stamps on Deed ................................................................. 6 00
28. Registry of Deeds, Record fees .......................................................... 0 70
29. Leominster Daily Enterprise .............................................................. 4 95
30. ..................................................................................................... _________
31. Total payments and distributions ............................................... 6372 28
32.
33. City of Leominster for perpetual care of
34. Cemetery lots of Edward Hildreth and Frank
35. W. Seaver ....................................................................................... 150 00
36. Retained by Administrator for future charges
37. of administration ................................................................................ 24 71
38. ........................................................................................................... _________
39. .......................................................................................................... 6546 99
SCHEDULE C.
As seen in earlier posts for this estate settlement, the administrator sold the house (after paying fees and repairs), paid off the funeral and cemetery charges, and the two heirs-at-law. Somehow, he got it to come out to $2,700 even for each heir. There is no fee listed for the administrator, other than what was retained by him for future charges of administration.
Copyright (c) 2012, Randall J. Seaver
