Monday, June 30, 2014

Amanuensis Monday - Post 224: 1818 Inventory of John Able Property in Sussex County, New Jersey

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday."  John offers this definition for "amanuensis:" 

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

The subject today is an inventory in the Probate Court records of Sussex County, New Jersey, for the estate of John Able of Byram, who died in 1818:




The transcription of this Inventory is:

[page 178]

Byram Township Sussex County
New Jersey an Inventory of the pro-
perty of John Able deceased as ap-
praised this 14th day of April 1818.

[in the left margin]
John Able

1 Dining Table ...................................... 4.00
1 looking Glass ..................................... 1.00
1 Wooden clock & case ...................... 30.00
1 Bed & Bedding ................................ 10.00
1 Bed stead & cord .............................  1.25
1 feather Bed & Bedding ...................... 8.00
4 Winsor chairs .................................... 2.40
1 old chest ........................................... 0.20
1 small dresser ..................................... 0.18
1 Tea pot & wine glass & Grater ........... 0.12
2-1/2 Bushels of Potatoes ..................... 0.94
2 Jugs .................................................. 0.12
5 old chairs .......................................... 0.50
1 pair of Stilyards ................................. 0.28
1 Kitchen table ...................................... 0.25
1 cubboard Dresser .............................. 0.12
1 Lanthorn & candlestick ...................... 0.20
a lot of crockery Knives forks }
& spoons                               } ............ 0.75
                                                         $ 50.28

[page 179]

amount Brought forward ................... $50.28
1 earthen pot .......................................  0.12
1 churn ................................................  0.25
1 Pail & tray ........................................  0.30
1 Tea Kettle .........................................  0.35
1 Griddle frying pan & kettle ................  1.25
1 Iron Kettle ........................................  0.25
1 pair of hand Irons & tongs ................  1.75
1 smoothing Iron .................................  0.06
1 lot of old Iron ...................................  0.90
1 Iron Pot ...........................................  0.18
2 Barrels 1 old wheel ...........................  0.50
1 saddle & Bridle ................................  1.00
1 Large Iron Kettle ...............................  0.50
2 ox chains ..........................................  1.50
4 axes .................................................  1.00
1 Spliting ax & 2 wedges .....................  1.25
2 shovels 1 hoe ....................................  0.55
1 Choping ax .......................................  0.45
1 Bushel Basket ....................................  0.25
1 pair of Traces & Lots of harness ......... 0.50
2 Bed steads & cords ...........................  0.40
1 piece of sole Leather ..........................  0.85
2-1/2 Bushel of Buckwheat  }
& 1 old Barrel                     } ................  1.25
5 old Bee hives dryed apples & Beans ...  0.50
2 Bee hives & 1/2 Bushel of Salt ............  0.50
2 Bushels of oats ..................................  0.52
1 Box of old Iron ..................................  0.40
little wheel & 1 Big wheel ......................  1.25
1 lot of feathers ....................................  0.12
1 large tub & 3 Bushels of Rye .............  2.25
1 Bee hive & 1/2 Bushel of corn ...........  0.37
1 large tub & 5 Bushl salt .....................  2.00
1 cask of flour .....................................  1.00
1 Lot of wool ......................................  0.40
1 pork yammon ...................................  1.50
1 Beef yammon ...................................  0.37
1 Coal body ........................................  0.50
1 Waggon ...........................................  5.00
                                                         $93.67

[page 180]

amount Brought forward ....................  93.67
1 Iron dog & small Iron hoop ..............   0.25
1 Plough ............................................  0.50
1 Plough ............................................  3.50
1 Set of harrow Teeth .........................  1.00
1 Sled ................................................  1.00
1 Pitch fork ........................................  0.25
1  Cutting Box ....................................  0.25
1 Barrel & Rye ...................................  0.75
Rye & Straw in the sheaf ....................  1.50
26 cords of Wood @ 3/- ....................  9.75
1 hole of Potatoes ..............................  1.50
11 cords of Wood @ 3/- ....................  4.12
1 dog ................................................  1.00
3 Shotes ............................................  6.00
1 Sow ...............................................  7.00
1 yearling calf ....................................  4.00
1 line Back heifer ............................... 17.00
1 Red cow ........................................ 24.00
1 line Back Cow ................................ 20.00
1 pair of oxen yoke & chains ............. 65.00
3 Dung hill fowls ................................  0.50
1 Turkey hen .....................................  0.50
2 Geese ............................................  1.00
6 Sheep ............................................  9.00
6 Bushel sowing of Rye ..................... 12.00
                                                     $ 285.04

1 note of John Able Given to          }
John Drake 3d with Interest & cost } .. 10.00
paid to John Able Junr to               }
John Drake 3d                               } ..  3.50
1 note of John Able Junr .................... 10.00

We the subscribers do certify the within 
Inventory according to the Best of our
Judgment to be the value of the afore
said property that came to our hands
& knowledge appraisers
                          David Casterline }
                          William Seeh      }

[page 181]

Sussex County SS  David Casterline one
of the appraisers of the within invento-
ry being duly sworn did depose & say
that the Goods chattels and credits in the
said inventory set down & specified were
by him apprised according to their Just
& True respective rates & values & the
best of his Judgment & understanding
and that William Seeh the other
appraiser whose name is thereto sub-
scribed was present at the same time
& consented in all things to the doing
thereof & that they appraised all
things Brought to their view for ap-
praisement.

Sworn at Newton the 15th May  }
Anno Domini 1818 before me    }
D. Stuart Surrogate                   }  David Casterline

Catherine Able & Josiah Munson
the admrs &c of the within named John
Able decd being duly sworn did several-
ly declare that the within writing con-
tains a true & perfect Inventory of all
& singular the Goods chattels & cre-
dits of the said decd as far as have
come to their knowledge & possession or
to the possession of any other person or
persons for their use.

Sworn at Newton the 15th day of May
Anno Domini 1818 before me  }
D. Stuart   Surrogate               }   her
                                   Catherine  X Able
                                                mark
                                     Josiah Munson


The source citation for this record is:

"New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980," digital images,  FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/), Sussex County, "Inventories 1803-1819 vol A-C," Volume C, pages 178-181 (images 552-553 of 643), John Able inventory, 1818.

Unfortunately, other probate records from the Administration of this estate are not available online or on FHL microfilm.  I don't know if they might be available at the Sussec County Probate Court or at the New Jersey Archives.

I believe that this "John Able" is my 4th great-grandfather, Johannes Able (1758-1818) who married Sophia Trimmer in 1777 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.  They had 7 children baptized in Zion Lutheran Church between 1778 and 1796, including John Able (1780-1831), my third great-grandfather.  Sophia died in about 1810.  

I did not have a woman named Catherine Able in this family.  She is probably the widow of John Able, and was perhaps a second or third marriage of John Able who died in 1818.  She died in 1847 and also left an inventory in Sussex County Probate Records.  Widow Catherine Able/Abel is enumerated in Byram, Sussex County, New Jersey in the 1830 (under age 60) and 1840 (under age 90) U.S. Census records.  

UPDATED:  Thanks to Geolover for the corrections to stilyards and dung hill.


Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver




1 comment:

Geolover said...

How about "Stilyards" in the first column, and "Dung hill" in the last. The former should commonly be seen in inventories, appraisements and sale bills.

I hope your frequent posts of these estate records will encourage others to look for them. They can be so useful!