Henry Ackley’s Estate Settled June 10, 1815 Middletown, Connecticut

Some months earlier a probate document dated Feb. 27, 1815, authorized Henry Ackley’s moveable estate be sold to pay his creditors. The definition of moveable estate is personal property which can be carried from one place to another.

Shortly after Henry died, appraisers gave his personal property the value of $755.21. Nathaniel Ackley, an administrator, found an additional $77.26 bringing the moveable estate dollar amount to $832.47.  

Nathaniel also exhibited an additional $84.00 charged against the estate.

The creditors’ notes and debits had been exhibited. The estate owed $3,361.21 to its creditors. Widow Ruth Ackley and Nathaniel Ackley needed to raise $2,612.74 to cover the notes. They already exhausted Henry’s personal estate and would have to start selling his land.

First, Ruth needed to protect her dower rights.

Transcription:

At a Court of Probate held in Middletown, in and for the District of Middletown, on the

10 day of June A. D. 1815

            On Motion made to this Court by the Admrs on the

Estate of Henry Ackley late

of Chatham Deceased, that the Widow of sd Dec’d

might have her Dower set out to her in the Real Estate of said deceased. Where-

upon this Court appoints and fully impowers Messrs. David Clark, Samuel Brown &

Franklin G. Comstock freeholders in said district, to distribute and set off

to said Widow her right of Dower in the Real Estate of said de-

ceased, and then make return to this Court for acceptance.

                                                A true copy of record

                                                   Certified by                          Clerk

Lastly, the Probate Court authorized the sale of Henry Ackley’s real estate.

Transcription:

At a Court of Probate held in Middletown, in and for the District of Middle-

            town, on the 10 day of June A. D. 1815

  The Adm’rs on the estate

of Henry Ackley late of Chatham deceased,

 exhibited in court their Account of Administration on the said estate a-

mounting to the sum of $3445.21

which was accepted and ordered to be kept on file, which Account surmounts

the moveable part of said estate in the sum of $2612.74 and now

move this Court for an order to Sell Real estate

 to discharge the same.

  Whereupon, this court authorizes & fully impowers the said Adm’rs

to sell so much of the real estate

of the said deceased at private sale, for not less than the Inventory price,

 or at public vendue, after advertising the same in a public Newspaper

 printed in Middletown three weeks before said sale to be sold

 at the late Dwelling house of the Dec’d at the

beat of Drum, as will procure the aforesaid sum of $2612.74

 and to pass Deed or Deeds

            accordingly, and then make

return to this court for acceptance.

                                                A true Copy of Record

                                                    Certified by                         Clerk

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.

Notes Exhibited against the Estate of Henry Ackley, Deceased

February 27, 1815

Henry Ackley’s creditors provided the administrators Widow Ruth Ackley and Nathaniel Ackley with notes detailing money owed them.

I recognized family members immediately. James Ackley’s $3.24 claim against the estate might have come from Henry’s father or brother (both men named James Ackley). Nathaniel Ackley was owed $112.57 from his brother’s estate.

Deborah Atwood was born Deborah Purple, a sister to Henry’s widow, Ruth (Purple) Ackley. Anne Purple also was a sister to 4^th Great Grandmother Ruth. Deborah’s note was just $2.00 while Anne Purple’s claim amounted to $82.50. Another Purple sister, Statira, submitted a $62.50 note. I don’t know what kind of business arrangement Henry shared with his sister-in-laws but admit I’m intrigued. Deborah Purple’s husband, Captain Atwood, also brought a $30.00 claim against the estate.

I spotted Rodney Ackley and Samuel Ackley among those owed compensation but don’t recognize their relationship to Great Grandfather.

All of the creditor’s bills combined amounted to $2,907.04. The family incurred some expenses and court fees causing the $2,907.04 to become $3,361.21. Ruth and Nathaniel exhibited the account in Middletown, Connecticut Probate Court.

The administrators subsequently sought the Court’s permission to sell Henry Ackley’s moveable estate to satisfy the creditors. The Court agreed as stated in the following record:

At a Court of Probate held in Middletown, in and for the District of Middle-

            town, on the 27 day Feby A. D. 1815

The adm’rs on the Estate of Henry Ackley late

            of Chatham, deceased

exhibited in Court their Account of Administration on s’d Estate, a-

mounting to the sum of $3361.21

which was accepted and ordered to be kept on file, which Account surmounts

the moveable part of said Estate the sum of               and now

they move this Court for an order to sell moveable Estate

of s’d Dec’d

Whereupon, this Court authorizes and fully impowers the said adm’rs

to sell so much of the moveable Real estate of

the said deceased at private sale for not less than the Inventory Price

or at Public Vendue, after advertising the same in the a Middlesex Gazette

printed in Middletown Three Weeks before said sale--to be sold

at the late Dwelling House of s’d Dec’d at the

beat of Drum, as will procure the aforesaid sum

together with the incident charges of sale, and to pass Deed or Deeds

     accordingly, and then make Return to this Court

for acceptance

                        A true Copy of Record

                             Certified by                                       Clerk.

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. 

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