1843 - 1844 Union Parish LA Succession of George Craft, Deceased Submitted by: Shawn Martin Date of Submission: 11/2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== 1843 - 1844 Union Parish LA Succession of George Craft, Deceased Union Parish Louisiana Succession Book A, pp. 307 – 318 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Succession of George Craft, Deceased To the Honorable John Taylor Judge of Probates in and for the Parish of Union, State of Louisiana. The petition of Thomas VanHook, resident of said Parish and State with respect represents unto your Honor that one George Craft, late of the said Parish departed this life on or about the 28th day of September (instant) AD 1843 intestate and without any heirs known to your petitioner and leaving property consisting of real and personal estate, lands and tenements, rights and credits. Wherefore petitioners prays your Honor cause and inventory of the property of said Estate to be made and that your Petitioner be appointed Curator of said Estate and for all such other and further decrees as the nature of the case may require and as in duty bound. Thos. VanHook In person By reason of the law and evidence in this case and the legal advertisements having been made, both y posting advertisements according to law in this Parish, also having been advertised in the newspaper called the “Ouachita Courier” published at Monroe in the Parish of Ouachita for more than ten days before this date. It is ordered, adjudged and decreed that the petitioner Thomas VanHook be appointed curator of the vacant Estate of George Craft, deceased in this Parish after complying with the requisites of the law in taking the oath and giving bond and that Philip May be appointed counsel to represent the absent heirs of said deceased and that an inventory of said Estate be made according to law. Done and signed in chambers on this 10th November AD 1843. John Taylor Probate Judge State of Louisiana Parish of Union We and each of us do solemnly swear that we will appraise all the property comprising the Estate and Succession of George Craft, deceased so far as may be shown or come within our knowledge to the best of our knowledge and understanding. So help me God. F. Miller Jacob Clingfort Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of December 1843. John Taylor Parish Judge State of Louisiana Parish of Union We and each of us do solemnly swear that we will appraise all the property comprising the Estate and Succession of George Craft, deceased so far a may be shown or come within our knowledge to the best of our knowledge and understanding. So help me God. F. Miller Jacob Clingfort Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of December 1843. John Taylor Parish Judge State of Louisiana Parish of Union Be it remembered that on this 2nd day of October AD 1843 that I John Taylor, Probate Judge in and for the Parish of Union, State of Louisiana have repaired to the Court House in the Town of Farmerville for the purpose of taking an inventory and appraisement of the Estate and Succession of George Craft, Deceased and for the purpose as aforesaid. I have appointed Fielding Miller and Jacob Clingfort, residents and freeholders of said Parish and after they having been well and truly by me the said Judge have proceeded as follows together with the undersigned witnesses, parties and me Judge on this day and date above (to wit) Inventory Appraisement One old leather trunk $14.00 One lot of carpenter’s tools 150.00 Two lots laying in the Town of Farmerville 125.00 The balance of the property held jointly with John Atsill [blank] The shop standing on one of the lots 200.00 One safe not finished 6.00 The following open accounts contained in a small book marked A. All on citizens of the Town of Farmerville to wit: Acct. #1 Thomas VanHook 6.00 Acct. #2 T. T. Henderson 46.00 Acct. #3 P. May 13.00 Acct. #4 Regenburg 3.00 Acct. #5 W. M. Lawrence 13.00 Acct. #6 F. Miller 27.00 And on the evidence of John Atsill it appraised that the Descendent had in his possession on which time before his death the following notes on sundry persons, residents of the Parish of Union belonging to the decedent and the same being mislaid, lost or not to be accounted for the same are inventoried as follow to wit: One note on N. M. Bryan about 530.00 Due 1st January next One on W. B. Cooper for $36.20 with credit 5.20 Of $31.00 on it from 1st March 1843 One note on Moses, balance due about 10.00 The said inventory amounting to the sum of nine hundred and seventy one dollars and twenty cents including the one half of the amount owned jointly between the decedent and John Miller. In testimony whereof the parties, appraisers together with undersigned witnesses and John Atsill who gave in the property and me Judge signed these presents on the day and date above. John V. Robertson F. Miller Thomas VanHook Jacob Clingfast John Taylor, Parish Judge John Atsill State of Louisiana Court of Probate Parish of Union This is to certify that Philip May, attorney at law, has been duly and regularly appointed counsel to the absent heirs of George Craft, Deceased. Now therefore he is hereby authorized and fully empowered to discharge and singular the duties appertaining to said appointment according to law. In testimony whereof have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal of office on this 2nd day of October AD 1843. John Taylor Judge of Probates State of Louisiana Parish of Union Know all men by these presents that we Thomas VanHook as principal and Phillip May as Security of the State of Louisiana as held and firmly bound unto John Taylor, Judge of Probates in and for the Parish of Union, one of his successors in office in the sum of Eleven Hundred and fifty dollars and fifty cents current money of the United States of America which we promise to pay to him or his successors in office for the faithful performance of which we bind ourselves and each of us our heirs Executors and Administrators jointly and severally, firmly by these presents receiving all benefit or division or discussion. Signed and acknowledged on this the 10th day of November AD 1843. The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bounden Thomas VanHook, Curator of the vacant Estate of George Craft, deceased does well and truly according to law administer the same and further does make and render a true, just and perfect account of his actions and doings when thereunto lawfully required either by the aforesaid Judge or his successors in office agreeable to law or by the heirs of the said decedents on these lawful heirs or attorney or attorneys or by the duly appointed and authorized executor of the last will and testimony of the said deceased should it [unreadable] appear that any such will or testimony was by said deceased made then this obligation to be void or else to render in full force and virtue. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this day and year first above written and acknowledged in the presence of John Taylor Thos. VanHook Parish Judge Philip May To the Honorable Judge of the Probate Court in and for the Parish of Union, State of Louisiana. The petition of Thomas VanHook (resident of your said Parish and State) Curator of the Estate of George Craft, late of your said parish with respect represents unto your Honor, that he has not yet been able to file a complete statement of debts of the said Estate, but that there has been several claims of large amounts presented to your Petitioner for allowance a statement of which will be filed soon. Petitioner further represents that the said Estate is considerably indebted for funeral expenses, medical attention and other ordinary debts and that said Estate is vacant. Wherefore your Petitioner prays your Honor to cause the property belonging to said Estate to be sold according to law. Petitioner further prays for all such orders and decrees as the nature of the case may require and for general relief &C. Thos. VanHook, Curator Let the prayer of the Petitioner be granted and it is further ordered that all the property belonging to the Estate of George Craft, Decd. be sold for cash to pay the debts of said Estate. Done and signed in chambers on this 16th day of January 1844. John Taylor Judge of Probates Be it remembered that on this 24th day of February AD 1844 that I John Taylor, Parish Judge and Ex Officio Judge of Probates and Auctioneer in and for the Parish of Union, State of Louisiana in pursuance of a judgment and decree of the Honorable the Court of Probates of said Parish, I have at the Town of Farmerville proceeded to offer for sale after the usual advertisements in the public paper, to wit, the Ouachita Courier, published at Monroe and three places in the Parish of Union from the January 1844 until the 24th day of February AD 1844 all the property real and personal comprising the Estate and succession of George Craft, Deceased. Terms of sale cash and after due proclamation the following persons became the purchasers as the last and highest bidders upon said conditions to wit: John Atsill, leather trunk $4.00 John Atsill, 1 lot of carpenters tools 150.00 Davis Wary, one safe ___7.00 $161.00 John Taylor Be it remembered that after offering all the balance of the property for cash and the appraisement not being bid, I then offered the property not sold for what it would bring on a credit of twelve months. Whereupon the following persons became the last and highest bidders, to wit: Fielding Miller, one front lot $90.00 Francis Muldova, back lot & house 100.00 Thos. VanHook, lot of lumber ___2.37 ˝ $192.37 ˝ John Taylor, Judge To the Honorable John Taylor, Judge of the Court of Probates in and for the Parish of Union, State of Louisiana. The petition of Thomas VanHook, a resident of your said Parish and State, Curator of the vacant Estate of George Craft, Deceased, opened in your said parish with respect represents unto your Honor that the following debts and claims against said Estate has been submitted and allowed by your Petitioner as Curator aforesaid as just claims against said Estate as follows, to wit: Law Charges John Taylor, Judges fees $35.00 Philip May, Esq. Atty for absent heirs 50.00 Thomas VanHook, Curator, commission on $996 At 2 ˝ percent 24.90 Counsel and attorney fees __30.00 $134.90 Burial Expenses E. B. Whitson, to making coffin, bur. &c 40.96 N. M. Bryan, preparing grave & making Winding clothes 10.00 Jas. H. Carson, shrouding 16.40 Henry Gesson ___7.37 ˝ $740.03 ˝ Ordinary Debts Dr. I. T. Henderson, Medicine & prescription 20.37 ˝ S. B. McMay Taylor acct. 26.00 Regenburg & Nyegard, liquor bill 78.05 Jas. H. Carson 30.85 M. M. Lawrence 5.75 F. Miller 67.73 Note payable to Jacob Clingfast with [unreadable] At from 6th March 1843 36.20 N. M. Bryan Acct. 45.00 Jacob Clingfast Acct. 24.00 John Atsill Acct. __421.95 $955.90 Making in all the following [unreadable] which are[unreadable] to wit: 1st Law charges $134.90 2nd Burial Expenses 74.03 ˝ 3rd Ordinary Debts _755.90 $964.83 ˝ making the total sum of nine hundred and sixty four 83/100 dollars which has been submitted to the said curator for allowance. Wherefore Petitioner prays your Honor that the above and foregoing statement of debts be filed and after legal notice that the same be allowed and homologated and that Petitioner be authorized to pay the debts of said Estate and of the funds of the said Estate and for such other an further orders and decrees as the nature of the case may require and for general relief and as in duty bound &c. McGuire & Ray, Atty. By reason of the law and evidence in this case and by further reasons of the foregoing and within statement of Debts having been advertised according to law more than ten days before this date, it is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that the same be approved and homologated and that the Curator be authorized to pay the sum as prayed for. Done and signed this the 8th day of March AD 1846. John Taylor Judge of Probates ############################################################# File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/court/craft-george.txt