Tipton County IN Archives History - Books .....Probate Court 1883
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 14, 2006, 2:15 am

Book Title: Counties Of Howard And Tipton, Indiana

THE PROBATE COURT.

   The first probate business on record in the Clerk's office, was the
application of Thomas Cooper for letters of administration of the estate of
Alexander S. Wallace, deceased, which application was granted on the 6th of
July, 1844, by Newton J. Jackson, Clerk of the Court. Mr. Cooper must have been
a Quaker, or something of that sort, as, instead of making oath for the faithful
performance of his duties as administrator, he "affirmed." On the 5th of
September, he returned an inventory of the goods, chattels and effects of
Wallace, deceased, the amount being $199.49. He produced a bill of sale of the
property, which amounted to $214.62. All this was done before the first session
of the court. On the 11th day of November, 1844, the first Probate Court was
held by William H. Nelson, Probate Judge, the first business coming before the
court being the above. The bond of Mr. Cooper was pronounced insufficient, and
he was required to give additional security, which he did by securing the
signature of Alexander M. Young to his bond, which amounted to $150. The
lynx-eyed Judge also pronounced the bill of sale insufficient, and ordered it
returned to Mr. Cooper for correction, to be completed and returned by the 25th
of November. Before the court was held, or on the 27th of September, 1844,
letters of administration had been granted to Edward Sharp, on the estate of
James P. Woods, deceased. His bond was fixed at $500. At the above-mentioned
first term of the court, the bond was approved, but the inventory of the
property of the deceased, amounting to $357.27, was rejected, owing to the want
of sufficient affidavits from the appraisers. Time was given the administrator
for correction. Upon petition of Jeremiah Moty, infant son of George Moty,
deceased, Erasmus D. Thomas was appointed guardian, to take care of the person
and property of the said Jeremiah Moty. The guardian's bond was fixed at $200;
rather an insignificant amount, judging from appearances. Thus ended the
proceedings of the first term of Probate Court of Tipton County.

   At the February term, 1845, Thomas Cooper was charged with the bill of sale
of the estate of A. S. Wallace, the same amounting to $214.62; and Edward Sharp
was charged with the estate of J. P. Woods, which amounted to $357.25, a portion
of the estate ($114.61) having been paid over to Anna Woods, widow of the
deceased. And here the February term of the court ended.

   At the May term, 1845, Daniel Higer was appointed guardian of the estate of
Henry Higer, John Higer and Martha Higer, his own (David Higer's) infant
children, under fourteen years of age, who had been willed property worth about
$105 by Charles Baker, deceased, of Hamilton County. And thus ended the May term
of the court.

   At the August term, 1845, H. H. Hobbs was appointed guardian of the estate of
his infant children—Amanda, Elizabeth, Nancy and John Hobbs. At the November
term, 1845, Andrew J. Sharp was appointed administrator of the estate of Anna
Woods, deceased, and Jesse Brown was appointed administrator of the estate of
James Goodpasture, deceased. The inventory of Mr. Goodpasture's property, with
the appraised value, was as follows: One wagon, $40; one yoke of oxen, $30; one
milch cow, $9; one lot of bedding, $9; one table, $2.50; one small cheat, 50
cents; one lot of sundry articles, 31 cents; one tea-kettle, 37 cents; one stew
pot, 37 cents; one lot of cupboard ware, $1.75; one meal sieve, 25 cents; one
Dutch oven, 87 1/2 cents; one lot of potatoes, $2; one lot of cabbage, 25 cents;
one lot of corn, $1.75; one rifled gun, $2.75; total, $101.67. This inventory's
a fit representation of the "goods, chattels, rights, credits, moneys and
effects" of each of the early settlers. There was the wagon and yoke of oxen;
there was the one cow; there were the meager household furniture, domestic
utensils and vegetables, and there was the rifle, which played an important part
in the desolate drama of pioneer life. A volume of self-denial is told in that
inventory. Ruth Armstrong, widow of Robert Armstrong, deceased, filed a petition
in November, renouncing all claim to administer the estate of her deceased
husband, and asking that Alexander M. Young, or some other suitable person,
might be appointed. Mr. Young was accordingly appointed. Andrew J. Sharp,
administrator of the estate of Anna Woods, deceased, was cited to appear at the
next term of the court to show cause why he should not be removed or give a new
bond and give an inventory of the estate, and present a bill of sale of the
property.

   And so the probate matters ran on until 1853, when the Common Pleas Court
assumed jurisdiction of all probate business. Mr. Nelson served as Probate Judge
until February, 1851, when he was succeeded by Joseph A. Lewis. In November,
1851, Mr Lewis was succeeded by Richard Minor, who served until probate business
was transferred to the Common Pleas Court.

   The first commission of lunacy was issued in May, 1849, at which time Amos
Pharis petitioned the issuance of such commission to inquire into the sanity of
Barbara Pharis. After consideration, the court directed the Sheriff to summon a
jury of twelve men, to determine as to the compos mentis or non compos mentis of
the said Barbara Pharis. The jury found that for the space of about four years
next preceding the inquiry, the lady had been of unsound mind, and was wholly
unfit to manage her property or person; whereupon Amos Pharis was appointed her
guardian, and required to give bond in the sum of $150. The second seal of the
Probate Court was of the usual circular form and size, inclosing the
representation of a coffin, with the words on the margin of the seal, "Probate
Court of Tipton County, Indiana." This took the place of the seal adopted in
1847, which was really the seal of the "Tipton Circuit Court, Indiana," those
words inclosing a cluster of growing wheat, a harrow, a rake, a fork and a plow.
The second probate seal, above, was adopted November 13, 1849.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

COUNTIES OF HOWARD AND TIPTON, INDIANA.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ILLUSTRATED.

CHARLES BLANCHARD. EDITOR.
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO.
1883.


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