My Trails into the Past

This is my third year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways. Vincent Sievert died 23 January 1890 in Joliet, Will County, Illinois. [1] Vincent is my paternal 2x-great-grandfather. He was born 24 January 1823 in Schneidemuhl, Posen, which is in present day Poland. [2]  He, his wife, Susanna Raduntz, and their oldest child, August, came to America 23 June 1852. [3] Vincent was a stone mason. [4] They lived on North Hickory in Joliet at the time of his death at 1146 No. Hickory. [5] To them were born eleven children, eight of which grew to adulthood. Their daughter, Susanna, who married Johan Anton Hork, was my great-grandmother. At his death, Vincent had written a will. His son, John Sievert, brought the will to the Will County, County Court on 7 February 18...

Newspapers sometimes gives clues to events that one would otherwise not know about. Such was the case when last week I was searching Comanche, Texas and Stephenville, Texas newspapers for articles about my great-aunt, Beryl Johnston for my weekly Saturday Night Genealogy Fun blog post. One of the articles I found was about a court hearing to appoint Thomas N. Johnston temporary guardian for the children Beryl Johnston, Mildred Johnston, Tom Johnston Jr, Hal W Johnston, and Luther Johnston, minors. [1] The notice stated that on the 12th day of December, he was duly appointed Temporary Guardian and the appointment would be made permanent unless “the same shall be successfully contested at the next term of said Court, commencing on … 6th day of April 1924 [should be 1925] at the Court House…” So my first thought was, what had the children inherited? Usually under-aged children need a guardian to handle an estate given to them. Since their father was still alive, it must ...

We began the search for David Shotts’ estate records from a newspaper notice submitted by the administrator, Daniel Shotts asking for debtors to pay up and anyone with debts against the estate to come forward. The complete story about the notice is here . Because the notice was found in the newspaper, the probate records were searched for David Shotts. In the Testamentary Docket, the index gave two pages for David Shotts. [1] Index for Testamentary Docket showing David Shotts, decd. So on page 180, there was a summary of what happened when Daniel Shotts came to the October Term 1825 term on the 14 October 1825. “On motion and it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that the widow has relinquished her right of administering. Ordered that Letters of administration be granted unto Daniel Shotts on the estate of David Shotts decd on his being qualified and giving bond and security to the satisfaction of the court whereupon the said Daniel Sho...

In the 27 October 1825 issue of the Scioto Gazette , a newspaper published in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio, there was a notice put in by the administrator, Daniel Shotts for the estate of David Shotts, late of Huntington Township in Ross County. [1] Scioto (Chillicothe, Ohio) Gazette, 27 Oct 1825, p. 3 The administrator of the estate was responsible for collecting any debts owed to the estate and any debts that the estate owed to someone. This newspaper ad, that was likely in several consecutive issues, was asking that anyone who has a claim against the estate to “present them within one year” and that those who do owe money to the estate were “requested to make immediate payment.” This is also a clue to me that there should be probate records concerning this estate. So on to FamilySearch.org to search for a probate record for David Shotts around 1825 in Ross County, Ohio. The records are online there but are browse only records.  David Shotts was my daught...