Monday, August 29, 2022

Amanuensis Monday -- 1872 Widow's Allowance for Estate of William Seaver (1812-1872) of Worcester, Massachusetts

This week's document for transcription is from the 1872 Worcester County, Massachusetts probate file for the administration of the estate of William Seaver of Worcester, Massachusetts:

Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records - Case File 52933, image 18 of 20:

The transcription of this widow's allowance is (handwritten text in italics):

To the Honorable the Judge of the Probate Court in and for the County of Worcester:

Respectfully represents    Martha L. Seaver
that    William Seaver,    late of  Worcester
in said County, whose estate is in course of settlement in said Court, died possessed of personal estate;
that she is his widow, and has under her charge a family consisting of

Wherefore she prays that your Honor will allow her some parts of the personal estate of said
deceased as necessaries for herself and family under her care, in addition to the provisions and other
articles by law belonging to her.

Dated this    twenty first    day of    May    A.D.     1872
                                                              Martha L. Seaver

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Worcester, ss.

At a Probate Court holden at    Worcester   in and for said County of
Worcester, on the    second     day of    July    
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy    two .   

On the Petition of    Martha L. Seaver   representing
that she is the widow of    William Seaver
late of    Worcester    in said County, deceased, whose estate is in
course of settlement in said Court, and praying to be allowed as aforesaid;  personal estate of said
deceased as necessaries for herself and family under her care;

It appearing that she is the widow and entitled to allowance as aforesaid; personal estate of said
deceased to the amount of   One hundred and fifty six 50/100

dollars is hereby allowed to her as necessaries for herself and family under her care, in addition to the
provisions and other articles by law belonging to her.
                                                                       Henry Chapin   Judge of Probate Court

The source citation for this probate file is:

Worcester County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Case file 52933 (20 images), William Seaver of Worcester, 1872; "Worcester County (Massachusetts) Probate File Papers, 1731-1881," digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors  (https://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 28 August 2022).

The estate file for William Sever contains 20 images, including:

*  image 1 - cover sheet of estate packet
*  12 April 1872:  images 2-4: Inventory William Seaver estate; the personal estate totaled $606.50, including $500 in cash in safety deposit box.
*  2 April 1872:  images 5-8:  Administrator's petition, affidavit and decree.  Edward Earle named administrator, and the heirs-at-law are widow Martha L. Seaver and only child and daughter Ann Elizabeth Seaver.
*  2 April 1872:   images 9-10:  Administrator's bond in amount of $1200.
*  1 May 1872:  images 11-12:  Affidavit of Notice of Appointment.
* 18 February 1872:  images 13-16:  Administrator's Account.  Sundry payments and charges totaled $334.40 (including 106.50 to the widow), leaving a balance of $272.10.
*  2 July 1872: images 17-18:   Widow's allowance of $156.50 granted.
*  18 February 1873:  images 19-20:  Appointment of  Guardian for Ann Elizabeth Seaver, a minor,  to protect her portion of the estate.  F.W. Southwick was appointed the guardian.  

The personal estate of William Seaver was appraised to be $606.50, payments and charges totaled $334.40 (including the widow's allowance of $156.50.  The numbers don't add up to the widow's portion being one third of the intestate estate.  The widow's portion is counted as $106.50 on 18 February 1872, but is $156.50 on the Widow's allowance.  

William Seaver was born 11 December 1812 in Westminster, Massachusetts, the son of Asahel Reed and Hannah (Gager) Seaver.  He married (1)  Ruth Elizabeth Elmer (1818-1865) on 29 March 1836 in Westminster.  They  had one child, Ann Elizabeth Seaver (1854-????).  He married (2) Martha L. Rice as her first husband, on 2 September 1865.  William Sever died on 6 March 1872 in Worcester.

William Seaver is my first cousin five times removed.  Our common Seaver ancestor is my 5th great-grandfather, Norman Seaver (1734-1787).

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NOTE: 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."

Read other transcriptions for records of my ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

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