My 4th great grandfather, Adam Close, wrote his will on February 1st, 1865. He stated he wanted his debts and “funded expenses” to be taken care of, and then he proceeded to give money to his heirs. He bequeathed five dollars to each of his daughters: Catharine intermarried with M P Crosthwaite, Julia Ann intermarried with John W. McClintock, Jane relict of David W. McKay, and Harriet intermarried with Doctor John W. Riddle. And then he gives five dollars to his “son, James M Close (if living).” From Adam Close’s Will in Mercer County, Pennsylvania 1865 When I first came...
(Thanks to Amy Johnson Crow at “No Story Too Small” for creating “52 Ancestors” where we can share our ancestors stories, one week at a time.) Thomas B Whitwell, my 5th great grandfather, wasn’t even a year old when he was legally declared an orphan. I say “legally” because we are uncertain as to whether his mother was still living or not. But, the law stated that he was an orphan if his father died. So, Thomas and his older brother, Robert, were orphans. What happened to orphans in the 1770’s in Virginia? They’d be legally “bound out” to a...
Randy has posted another Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge. This week we are looking at Sarah’s in our database with ‘last names unknown’ or LNU. I’m going to summarize the rules this time: Basically, search your database and see how many females you have with the first name of “Sarah” where you don’t know the last name. Then, do a little research and see if you can discover her maiden name. If you don’t have any Sarah’s, feel free to use a different first name. Then, post your findings! So, here goes! I have two Sarah’s, but they are such...
