ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NC - WILLS AND ESTATES - John Crouse Estate Records ----¤¤¤¤---- John Crouse of Alleghany County, deceased September 1874, wife Jane Original papers in box C.R.004.508.6 in NC Archives Transcription by Carolyn Spence, papers furnished by J. Shumate. John Krowz, Crows, Crouse of Alleghany County, NC. aka John Crouse, Senior Estate administrators appointed Sept. 18, 1874: David Holbrook and J. F. Caudill Named heirs: Children: Mrs. Margaret Holbrook, wife of David Mrs. Lucinda Watson, wife of William Mrs. Matilda Douglas, wife of Thomas Mrs. Mary Blevins, wife of Ralph Mrs. Phebe Blevins, wife of Hamilton Cynthia Crouse Reeves Crouse, deceased Mrs. Katherine Caudill, wife of J.F. Caudill Grandchildren: Children of Reeves Crouse, deceased,: Sarah J. Crouse Blevins, wife of Houston, Elizabeth Crouse and Rosamond E. Crouse. Children of deceased daughter Katherine Caudill,: John R. Caudill and David R. Caudill. Real estate owned: 100 acres on Corn Camp Creek at headwaters of Roaring River and 200 acres in 4 tracts on Little River adjoining Caswell Taylor, Franklin Hoppers, I.C. Waggoner, J.P. Caudill, Stpehen Hoppers, Benjamin Billings and Caroline Johnston. no date: Jane Crouse versus the heirs of John Crouse for years allowance: States that John Crouse died in October 1874. Heirs named, but Reves Crouse, son of Reeves Crouse is not listed. Sept. 17th, 1874 and October 15, 1874 ....Widow's petition for years allowance: jurors went upon the premises of John Crouse deceased and proceeded to allot and lay off the petitioner's one year allowance to wit: 200 bushels of corn 100.00, all the hay fodder & shucks on the home farm 25.00, one horse 40.00, 7 head of cattle 50.00, 19 head of hogs 25.00, 22 head og sheep 33.00 for a total of 273.00. We find a deficiency to the amount of 127.00 in the personal property. Signed James R. Caudill, Isom Waggoner, Daniel Whitehead. Jan 13, 1875 Widow's petition for dower land allotment, 100 acres on Corn Camp Creek and Roaring River adjoining J.M.D. Caudill, Reed Holloway and J.F. Caudill, 4 other tracts adjoining each other on waters of Little River. Jane was alloted 100 acres adjoining J.P. Caudill, Alex Richardson, and Stephen Hoppers on the north, on the east Caswell Taylor, the John Billings tract on the west. Mention of a conditional line between John Crouse and Josiah Caudill. Committee to allot: John Phipps, John Whitehead, B. Edwards, William Hoppers and H.C. Reeves. Summons for relief issued by Administrators against Thomas Douglas and Wife and other heirs of John Crouse, dec.March 2, 1875, in Probate court, Petition to sell lands: the petitioners submit that: 1. John Crouse died intestate in Alleghany county in October of the year 1873 (?) and left him surviving, Matilda Douglas, Polly Blevins, Margaret Holbrook, Lucinda Watson, Phebe Blevins, and Cynthia Crouse, his children, and John Reeves Caudill, David R. Caudill, children of Catherine Caudill, wife of James, and Sarah Jane Blevins wife of Houston Blevins, Elizabeth Crouse and Rosamon E. Crouse, ( and Reve Crouse is inserted above the line) children of Reeves Crouse, deceased, his heirs at law and next of kin and Jane Crouse his widow. 2. That at the time of his death John Crouse had but a small amount of personal property, not so much as what his widow was allowed for her years allowance and that the whole thereof has been laid off and set apart for her years allowance. 3. That at the time of his death the said John Crouse was indebted to the following persons in the following sums as mostly as can be asertained: Jane Crouse.... 25 dollars Jane Russell...... 5 dollars F.M. Mitchel...l 50 dollars M. F. Jones/Joines....2.00 E.L. Vaughn.... 10.00 R.P. Stamper.....50.00 W.K. Holbrook....10.00 Sarah Spicer.....11.00 Jesse Bledsoe..... 15.00 The heirs of Daniel Crouse....50.00 John R. Wyatt....10.00 with several other small amounts of which is not fully asertained. 4. that John Crouse died owning the following lands, and they are described elsewhere in my transcriptions. 5. That H.S. Edwards is the duly qualified guardian of Elizabeth Crouse and Rosamond E. Crouse and Reves Crouse, minor heirs of Reeves Crouse, deceased. 6. That John R. Caudill and David Caudill are minors without guardians. Prays court: 1. Appoint a guardian for minors John and David Caudill. 2. Allow administrators to have authority to sell as much of the lands as necessary to pay the debts against estate. Jan. 29, 1875: H.S. Edwards appointed guardian of Reeves Crouse minor children. Sarah J. Crouse Blevins was of legal age. James R. Caudill appointed guardian of minors John R. and David R. Caudill. * note the following is included in this file: Probably misfiled. Berry Edwards overseerer of road from Henry Edwards, colored, to C.J. Edwards, list of names. Wesley Gilham Starlin Edwards Henry C. Macemore John Anders Hiram Estep, recommed for overseerer. Jo Edwards, colored Dock Edwards, colored. Land sale report of May 8th, 1875. First tract of 36.5 acres sold to J.M.D. Caudill known as first lot, 2nd lot to Reeves Holloway 60.5 acres, 3rd lot to Reeves Holbrook 125 acres. Total sold 222 acres. Paid from estate: William Watson, 6 dollars, 11-15-1875. Richard Joines, one dollar and 50 cents. E.L. Vaughn 2-16-1878 E.L. Vaughn 7-8-1878 E. L. Vaughn, 4 dollars, tax, 3-11-1876. John Watson for 7 days work, 3.50, 3-28-1876. I, James F. Caudill maketh oath that he has paid back one dollar and 65 cents to Reed Holloway on a ? of land for which he, Reed Holloway had executed his note to the Admin. Also one dollar for copying a deed concerning the lands of the intestate, July 6, 1878. Rec'd of James Caudill, five dollars from the estate of John Crouse, deceased. This money was paid me by Caudill at the sale of Daniel Whitehead, Aug. 19, 1876. Signed E.L. Vaughn 4 dollars rec'd from David Holbrook and J.F. Caudill, for services tendered as surveyor for John Crouse, dec. lands. Signed A.J. Warden, 1878. We will offer for sale to the highest bidder on a credit of six and twelve months on the premises on the 8th day of May 1875 all the lands belonging to the estate of John Crouse, deceased, outside of the wodow's dower, April 19, 1875. Signed David Holbrook and J.F. Caudill, Administrators of John Crouse, dec. On or before the 8th day of Nov. 1875, both or either of us promise to pay David Holbrook and J.F. Caudill admin. of John Crouse two hundred and seventy two dollars and 82 cents for value May 8, 1875, signed J. R. Holbrook and Berry Edwards. ( Apparently sale of land on 6 months credit) This note settled and paid in full by Berry Edwards to David Holbrook 7-10-1878. Martha Crouse, one dollar. On or before the 8th day of Nov. 1875 we or either of us promise to pay to David Holbrook and J.F. Caudill, admin. of John Crouse, dec., sixty four dollars and 30 cents for value. May 8, 1875, signed Richard Holloway, Martha Holloway by "X" and a third name unreadable, looks like P. Andrews. Receipts for 30 dollars, 1-22-1876, 15 dollars 2-1-1876, and 20 dollars 20 cents. On or before the 8th day of May 1876 either or both of us promise to pay admins. of John Crouse fifteen dollars and 25 cents, signed J.M.D. Caudill and Calloway Joines. Paid in full July 8, 1878. $2.65, one dollar for a deed, one dollar and 65 cents paid back for land we sold that did not belong to the state. Signed, James F. Caudill. Administrators make oath that there is a loss of land to the purchaser in the lands they sold belonging to their intestate to the value of 10 dollars, said land was lost off the south east corner of the tract purchased by Reeves Hol brook and said land was taken by Franklin Hoppers, July 9, 1878. Due W.C. Fields ten dollars for services rendered as an attorney for the administration of John Crouse dec., in an arbitration between the heirs of Daniel Crouse and D. Holbrook and J.F. Caudill, admins. of said John Crouse, this March 11, 1878. This note is fully satisfied. (** note: this unusual entry concerning an arbitration can best be, if not totally explained, by saying it probably concerns John Crouse's appointment a few years prior to be co-administrator of the Daniel Crouse estate, along with Alford Moxley. Daniel Crouse himself was the administrator of the Jacob A. Crouse estate and probably died before the estate was settled. A. Jackson Spurlin was later appointed the administrator of the Jacob A. Crouse estate and John Crouse and Alford Moxley were co-administrators of Daniel Crouses estate and there was a rather large amount of money owed by the Daniel Crouse estate to the Jacob A. Crouse estate. Perhaps in his duties as Daniel's co-administrator, John Crouse left some unfinished business that Daniel Crouse's heirs demanded this arbitration.) Bills to estate: Dr. John L. Smith 12 dollars, 5 dollars rec'd 8-19-1878. Henry McDaniel Crouse, 75 cents, paid January 1875. John Watson for 10 days work at 50 cents per day, 10-11-1875 W.K. Holbrook for 10 dollars, 7-6-1878. William Watson for 12 days work gathering corn and stakcing grain, 6 dollars, Nov. 10, 1875. Martha Crouse was owed one dollar by John Crouse, dec., 6-3-1875, before Josiah Caudill, Justoce of the Peace. M. F. Joines for 2 dollars, 3-5-1877. Mary Blevins appeared before Josiah Caudill, J.P. and made oath that the John Crouse estate owed her for her work in making the crop of the last season, one third of the corn, also for one heifer 4 years old, 14 dollar value, 11-5-1874. Mary was paid 18.25 on 7-3-1875 by admins. A.M. Landreth for 95 cents, 10-28-1874. A note personally signed by John Crouse, deceased was presented with a 5 cent Inter. Revenue Stamp affixed: One day after date I promise to pay Wm. H.???? $10 value rec'd of him for work and labor this the 1st day of May 1869. As witness my hand and seal, J'' Krowz by signature. B.H. Edwards witness. Rec'd on the within 5 dollars Oct. 2nd, 1869. Rec'd in Alleghany Court Spring term, one dollar. No signature. On the other side is written: Principal and interest May 1, 1878 on this note is $8.88, signed by D. Holbrook. A note personally signed by John Crouse: One day after date I promise to pay to S. Jane Russell five dollrs for value rec'd. of her, as witness my hand and seal the 1st day of April 1874. Signed J'' Krowz, M.H. looks like Parleir, witness. Noted on back of paper that 5 dollars was paid 10-5-1875 for Jno. Krows. A note personally signed by John Crouse for $12.50 to unreadable- appears to be J.T. Graves, witness Quincy F. Neal. A note signed by John Crouse to M.G. Alexander for $ 11.89 on March 3, 1873. Note was paid in full with interest May 9, 1877. ( note that Adam Crouse sold land to an Alexander family and in Adam's estate settlement, his administrator Jacob A. Crouse finalized the sale of the land to the Alexanders) Rec'd of D. Holbrook and James Caudill, Adm. of John Crouse Sen., by hand of D. Holbrook one hundred and seventy eight dollars and 30 cents in full of one execution in my hand for collection in favor of F.M. Mitchell and wife for which one hundred dollars was paid by said deceased Crouse to F.M. Mitchell about the 23rd day of November 1873. Said Mitchell gave said Crouse receipt for same and said Holbrook paid me the remainder this the 8th day of May 1876. J.R. Wyatt, Sheriff. Oct. 28, 1874, John Krows - Dr. J. H. Doughton, to surveying $1.25 sworn before me this 28th day of October 1874. Edwards, J.P. July 10, 1878 by W. E. Hardin, commissioner, rendered an account of the estate to the court. Having been appointed by the court of Alleghany county to take and state and account between the administrators and the heirs at law of the said deceased and furthermore to take an account between the heirs and report how much each of them had been advanced by the said John Crouse while living, and report what amount each of the said heirs is entitled to of the funds now on hand for distribution. By virtue of such authority I this day consider said heirs at law to come before me and give an oath what they had each recieved. I therefore find the following: Margaret Holbrook............48.50 Lucy Watson..................23.00 Matilda Douglas.............188.00 Reeves Crouse...............185.00 James F. Caudill & wife......95.00 Phebe Blevins................10.00 Polly Blevins................10.00 Cynthia Crouse................5.00 I also find on hand cash for distribution 141.89. From the foregoing I find the funds on hand to be dist. as follows: Lucy Watson.........24.47 Polly Blevins.......37.47 Phebe Blevins.......37.47 Cynthia Crouse......42.47 and further what ever funds may hereafter be collected to be paid out by the distribution to those heirs, less advanced, so as to make them mainly equal as possible to know who had been furthest advanced. Respectfully submitted, W. E. Hardin, Comm. Commissioner Hardin also offered a recap of the paid outs and tax receipts and legal fees and found there was due to Jane Crouse an additional 75.00, and a 10.00 fee for himself. The recap totalled 806.92 revenue and expenses. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Carolyn Spence SPENCETOP@aol.com ___________________________________________________________________