Inventory of the Real and Personal Property of Henry Ackley, Chatham, Connecticut

June 27, 1814

Henry’s inventory was exhibited by his Widow Ruth Ackley and brother Nathaniel Ackley in Middletown, Connecticut Probate Court June 27, 1814. The estate’s total value was deemed to be worth $4,773.21. The three-page inventory listed and assessed his belongings.

As I read through the inventory, I could picture the appraisers David Clark, Samuel Brown and Franklin G. Comstock as they began their task. They started with 4^th Great Grandfather’s wardrobe examining his clothing, bedding and linens. They then entered the kitchen area pricing a kitchen table, ten chairs, various cooking utensils and assorted food preparation items. Perhaps the barn housed a secondhand cart, barrels, numerous tools and farming instruments. The livestock included cows, oxen, sheep, lambs and swine.

Henry Ackley held two notes against Enos Johnson for $100 each. Henry’s earlier dealings with Enos Johnson dated back to December 1811, when he sold him two pieces of land for $650.

Great Grandfather's lands appraised at $4,018.00 accounted for the bulk of his estate. He acquired land in the town of Chatham on nine occasions per the town of East Hampton deeds and later sold four of those parcels keeping 167 acres mentioned in the inventory:

   $ 325.00    Sillamen Lot - 13 acres @ $25.00 p/acre                

        65.00    East Champion Lot - 5 acres @ $13.00 p/acre          

      120.00    Kellogg Lot – 8 acres @ $15.00 p/acre                    

   1,408.00    Whitmore, Smith and Colley lots – 88 acres @ $16.00 p/acre                

   2,100.00    Home Lot with building together with 2/3 of the

           Champion barn said called 53 acres                           

 $4,018.00 

As customary, the Court allowed six months for Henry Ackley’s creditors to submit their claims to the administrators.

I haven’t yet transcribed the inventory but included images and hope you find time to read it.  

Source Citation

Probate Files Collection, Early to 1880; Author: Connecticut State Library (Hartford, Connecticut); Probate Place: Hartford, Connecticut

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Connecticut County, District and Probate Courts.

Henry’s Administrators and Appraisers Appointed in Chatham, CT

Henry Ackley, age 34 years, died unexpectedly April 24, 1814, in the town of Chatham, Middlesex County, Connecticut. A sickness traveled throughout his neighborhood claiming his life after a week’s illness. His wife and children mourned his passing as well as his mother, father and siblings.

4th Great Grandfather Henry had not yet prepared a written will leaving his widow Ruth (Purple) Ackley and brother Nathaniel Ackley to settle his estate.

May 30, 1814

About a month after Henry’s death, Ruth and Nathaniel petitioned the District Probate Court of Middletown, Connecticut to be appointed his administrators.

The bond was dated May 30, 1814 in the penal sum of $5,000. I’ve been told the $5,000 bond value correlated with the estimated value of the estate. The Widow Ackley and Nathaniel were responsible for seeing an inventory be taken and exhibited in Court by the last Monday in July 1814. They also needed to make an account of Henry Ackley’s estate the following year by the last Monday in May 1815.

Ruth Ackley, Nathaniel Ackley, and Sparrow Smith all signed the bond. However, Ruth didn’t appear at the court proceedings. Her signature was witnessed by Eli William and Ogden S. Ackley. (Ogden S. Ackley was Nathaniel’s son and Ruth’s nephew by marriage.)

The Middletown Probate Court also appointed David Clark, Samuel Brown and Franklin G. Comstock to appraise Henry's estate.

The administrators have been appointed and now the appraisers will list and value Henry’s estate.  Google searches for David Clark, Samuel Brown and Franklin G. Comstock reveal all were members of the Chatham community.

Source

Probate Files Collection, Early to 1880; Author: Connecticut State Library (Hartford, Connecticut); Probate Place: Hartford, Connecticut

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Connecticut County, District and Probate Courts.

All brothers-in-law by marriage—the other father-in-law by marriage left 4 widows and about 30 fatherless children

Telling my 4^th Great Grandfather’s story has been a difficult chore. I knew very little of Henry Ackley aside from a few vital facts. He was born about 1780 in Middlesex County, Connecticut, married Ruth Purple in Chatham Dec. 26, 1801 and passed April 24, 1814.

When I read the following newspaper article published in May of 1814, I knew I found something unique.

Middlesex Gazette, Middletown, Connecticut, May 19, 1814

   Singular instance of Mortality in Chatham, East

     Hampton Society

DIED—At Chatham on Sunday the 8^th inst.

Mr. Nathaniel Gates, aged 50, being the 4^th head

of a family that has died within a short time past

out of three houses within the distance of about

20 rods, and all males, and near related by mar-

rage and family connections, three of whom with-

in one month, all brothers-in-law by marriage—

the other father-in-law by marriage to the three

and have left four widows and about 30 fatherless

children to mourn their loss; about 20 of them

young and unsettled in the world. A number

still remain sick in the different families with the

prevailing fever—Mr. Stephen Knowlton died

January 29^th, aged 83, left a widow and 7 or 8

children—Mr. Timothy Fielding died April 8^th,

aged 40, lived five days, left a widow and 9 chil-

dren—Mr. Henry Ackley died April 24, aged 34,

lived 7 days, left a widow and 5 small children—

Mr. Nathaniel Gates died May 8^th, aged 50, left a

widow and 8 children.

N. B. The widow of Timothy Fielding, and the widow

of Nathaniel Gates, are daughters of Mr.

Stephen Knowlton, deceased. The widow of Hen-

ry Ackley is daughter of Mrs. Knowlton.

The family connections need some explanation. I mentioned earlier Henry Ackley married Ruth Purple. Ruth’s parents were Edward Purple and Mary Hodge. Edward Purple died in 1794 and the following year Ruth’s mother married Stephen Knowlton.

Stephen Knowlton married three times. A daughter, Hannah, from his first wife married Nathaniel Gates. Sarah, who married Timothy Fielding, was Stephen Knowlton’s daughter by his second wife. Mary (Hodge) Ackley became his third wife in 1795.

Middlesex Gazette

Published Middletown, Connecticut

May 19, 1814

Daniel Piper’s Ten Children, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 4

When Daniel Piper died in 1823 at Augusta County, Virginia, I knew about six of his children. After his death, a flurry of documents would reveal four more youngsters.

Henry Stofer administered what little remained from Great Grandfather’s personal estate. Henry was Daniel’s son-in-law and the husband of Polly Piper. Henry and Polly were Augusta County residents too.

April 1, 1823, a guardianship bond in Rockingham County, Virginia named William K. Piper an ‘orphan of Daniel Piper’. William was a minor under the age of 21 years. George W. Piper petitioned Rockingham County Court to be his younger brother’s legal representative. He married Evaline Walters July 1, 1839 in Albemarle County, Virginia. They had seven children and resided in Augusta County.

In October 1823 another son-in-law, John Joseph, purchased ¼ acre at a public auction in Staunton that Daniel mortgaged in 1813 to Adam Shuey. I haven’t yet found what John Joseph did with the ¼ acre.

Several months later guardianship bonds in Augusta County identified three of Daniel Piper’s younger daughters—Fanny, Sarah, and Eliza. December 22, 1823, Joseph Piper, Christian Echard, and Henry Stofer appeared in Augusta County Court on behalf of the three sisters.

Joseph became guardian to his sister Fanny. A few years passed, and Frances married Lawrence Snapp August 1, 1827 in Rockingham County. I couldn’t locate Fanny or Lawrence in 1850 but found three of their children in her sister Sarah’s household.

Eliza Piper’s guardian, Christian Echard, was the husband of her older sister Margaret. Eliza married John Hartigan March 10, 1825 in Rockbridge County Virginia. I don’t know much about Eliza and John. They were living in Botetourt County, Virginia when the 1850 federal census was taken with seven children.

Henry Stofer became Sarah Piper’s guardian. Sarah and Henry’s wife, Polly Piper, were sisters. Sarah and Isaac Craver wed in Augusta County June 6, 1826. She died Feb. 28, 1869 at Barterbrook (Augusta Co.).

The siblings lost a sister April 21, 1825 when Polly Stofer died. Polly’s husband Henry seemed to be a trusted family member when he acted as Great Grandfather’s administrator and became Sarah Piper’s guardian. The year after Polly’s death, Henry remarried. It wasn’t until 1827 that a hint of trouble surfaced.

Rockingham County, Virginia Chancery cause 1829-0002 Daniel Piper vs. James F. Patterson documented a new sibling, Daniel A. Piper. Henry Stofer played a role in this suit. Daniel’s bill of complaint explains:

   “To the worshipful the County Court of Rockingham in Chancery Sitting humbly complaining Sheweth to your worship your orator Daniel Piper that sometime in the year 1827 when your orator was confined by severe illness and totally incapable of attending to business a certain Henry Stofer who was considerably indebted to your orator on various accounts came to the Town of Harrisburg and under pretense that he had consulted your orator and obtained his consent to the arrangement called on your orators Brother and stated to him that your orator himself had agreed on a settlement of their accounts to execute his note to your orator for the sum of $100 and that the said Stofer was to have a note executed by your orator to him for the sum of $50. Your orator denies that any such arrangement took place between your orator and said Stofer. Notwithstanding which your orators Bro. G. W. Piper gave to the said Stofer a note for fifty dollars to which he signed your orators name and took at the same time the said Stofers note to your orator for the sum of $100. On the day after the said fifty Dollar note was executed to Stofer assigned your orators note to a certain J. F. Patterson who sued our orator on such note in the County Court of Rockingham . . .”

Edward T. Schultz’s book Maryland Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar, Stationed at Baltimore, State of Maryland contained a biography and portrait of Daniel A. Piper. He was born in 1802 and moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1838. Daniel A. Piper filled several positions in the Grand Lodge of Masons of Maryland and was a member of the group for almost 50 years. He was initiated into the Order in Rockingham Co., Virginia. He died June 25, 1875 survived by a wife and two daughters. The wife passed five days after Daniel.

Now I would like to turn my attention to the older siblings:

Joseph Piper was born in Virginia about 1789. On April 1, 1812 he married Lydia Lowman, a daughter of Barnhard Lowman. Joseph Piper remained in Augusta County for some years before relocating to Hawkins County, Tennessee by 1840. His known children were George M. Piper, Albert M. Piper and William Piper.

Elizabeth Piper born on Oct. 26, 1790 married John Joseph in Staunton, Virginia Feb. 2, 1809. They became parents to nine children—Alfred, Eliza, Mary Ann, Julia Ann, John Andrew, William Wilson, Daniel Piper, Mary Jane, and Elizabeth Eve. Elizabeth died March 22, 1873 in Churchville, Augusta County.

George W. Piper, probably born in Shenandoah County Dec. 7, 1792 married Jane Young Rutherford June 3, 1816. When a young man, he lived in Harrisburg, Rockingham County. I found the family in Washington County, Virginia when the 1850 federal census was enumerated.  According to Find-A-Grave.com, George and Jane’s children were Caroline Helen, Elizabeth Miranda Jane, Archibald Rutherford, Jane Ann Burgess, Maria Elizabeth, Daniel Robert, Mary Frances and George Elbert Piper.

Polly Piper born about 1794 married Henry Stover Feb 4, 1814 in Augusta County. She died a young woman April 21, 1825 and is buried in Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery located at Middlebrook. Polly and Henry’s home place was at Middlebrook per the 1820 census. Young children were in the home so perhaps Polly was a mother.

Margaret Piper was born Feb. 10, 1796. She married Christian Eckart (also known as Echard) in Rockbridge County, Virginia July 6, 1818 where they made their home and raised eight children—John C., William King, Elizabeth E., Martha Ann, Francis Catherine, Caroline H., Joseph, and Mary Virginia. Margaret died Jan. 4, 1842.

Although Daniel Piper is still my brick wall ancestor, I’m glad I was able to add some details to Great Grandfather’s life story. Piper family feel free to contact me. Maybe we’ll break down that brick wall.

Note to Reader:

Tough Nut to Crack, Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor began my recent blog post series about my 4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Piper from Augusta County, Virginia. I told of his marriage in Shenandoah County, Virginia to Elizabeth Acker. By 1800 they had moved to Augusta County. Constable Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 2 continued his work history in Staunton, Virginia beginning in 1805 lasting until 1815. The City of Staunton’s land records prompted me to write Daniel Piper’s Staunton, Virginia Properties, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 3.

Daniel Piper’s Staunton, Virginia Properties, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 3

4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Piper bought a lot in Staunton’s oldest residential neighborhood in the Newtown section April 28, 1800 from Michael Seyford and his wife Catherine. Although I expected to find the deed in the City of Staunton documents, the sale was recorded in Augusta County Court (which I haven’t yet viewed). Staunton is an independent city physically located in Augusta County, Virginia and maintains their own deed books.

Courtesy Library of Congress

Edward Beyer, 1820-1865, artist

Woldemar Rau, 1827-1889, lithographer

I learned more about the property when Great Grandparents Daniel and Elizabeth Piper sold the lot to Jacob Leas Sept. 19, 1803 for 75 Pounds. The parcel was described as Lot No. 14 in Staunton known as Newtown containing ¼ acre being part of 25 acres that formerly belonged to Alexander St. Clair. The indenture noted this was the same parcel conveyed to Daniel Piper by Michael and Catherine Seyford April 28, 1800. I found a record of the indenture in Staunton Deed Book 1, pages 22-23.

The following year Archibald Stuart and his wife Eleanor sold a ¼ acre to Daniel Piper on Nov. 1, 1804. It was Lot No. 6 in the Town of Staunton and described as

   “One certain Lot or parcel of ground, lying and being in that part of the Town of Staunton, which from the Lands of the said Archibald Stuart, hath been surveyed and laid off into Lots and Streets, and by Law lately added to the said Town of Staunton”

The selling price was 35 Pounds and a margin notation indicates the sale was examined and delivered to the grantee April 25, 1805.

One-fourth of an acre is too small for much farming. Daniel Piper wasn’t yet a Staunton constable; perhaps he worked as a tradesman or merchant.

Daniel still owned a ¼ acre in Staunton when he purchased Lot No. 47 in Middlebrook, Augusta County from William Scott and his wife Nancy Nov. 25, 1805. I haven’t yet read the Augusta County deed and don’t know any details. Middlebrook is located 12 miles south of Staunton. By this date, Daniel had been working as a constable in Staunton a few months.

The following year he would sell Staunton Lot No. 6. Daniel and Elizabeth made a nice profit when they sold it for 100 Pounds to John McDowell July 21, 1806. The sale was presented the same day at the Court of Hustings held for the Corporation of Staunton.

Several years passed and on March 20, 1811 Archibald and Eleanor Stuart sold another small parcel to Daniel Piper containing 25 poles. The sale of Lot No. 32 was acknowledged in the Court of Hustings the same day.

Then on April 20, 1812 Great Grandfather acquired part of Lot No. 14 from the Stuart’s for 20 Pounds—another ¼ acre parcel.

Daniel Piper needed $300 and arranged to mortgage the most recent ¼ acre to Adam Sheuy Nov 13, 1813. Jacob Leas and Andrew Haroufe served as trustees in the arrangement. The following summer the indenture in trust with Adam Shuey was acknowledged in the Staunton Court of Hustings.

More family business occurred in Middlebrook when Daniel’s son-in-law and daughter, Henry Stover and Polly, sold him Lot No. 35. The Middlebrook sale was recorded with the Augusta County Court.

In April of 1821, Daniel sold his Middlebrook property (Lot No. 47 he acquired in 1805) to James Cosby. As was the case with the other Middlebrook, Augusta County deeds, I need to view the county clerk’s copies.

Daniel’s last Staunton transaction was dated October 20, 1823. This occurred after his death. It involved Lot No. 14 that he had mortgaged in 1813 and the debt owed Adam Shuey. It appears Jacob Leas and Andrew Harouf had to sell the ¼ acre for nonpayment. John Joseph, Daniel’s son-in-law, purchased the property at a public sale for $175.

While pleased to know more about my ancestor, I have new questions. What happened to the Middlebrook lot that Henry and Polly Stover conveyed to Daniel? And what did my 3^rd Great Grandfather John Joseph do with the ¼ acre lot he bought at the public sale?

An inventory of Great Grandfather Daniel’s personal estate didn’t answer my questions. However, it did reveal Daniel owned a German Bible and German books hinting at his origins. I know he couldn’t fulfill his mortgage commitment and his personal estate reflected his financial hard times valued at $35.20.

Son-in-law Henry Stover’s final accounting of Daniel’s estate showed only a $12.16 balance after his bills were attended to.

Excerpt Augusta County, Virginia

Will Book 15, page 137

I’ll post next time about Daniel Piper and Elizabeth Acker’s children.

Links to:

Tough Nut to Crack, Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor

Constable Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 2