J.P. Acuff Estate--Van Buren Co. TN(1940)

James P Acuff died in November 1939, about 2 and a half months after his wife's death. They were both living in Madison County, Alabama, at the time they died but still owned land in Van Buren County, Tennessee.  Minnie Acuff Luna was living in Lincoln County, Tennessee.  Mildred Acuff is Ernest Acuff's daughter and the only grandchild listed presumably because Ernest had passed 5 years earlier. I'm not sure why Ovena's name is spelled Evena, but this is not the only case where her name has not been spelled as one would have expected.  

This notice was ordered to be published in the Southern Standard for 4 consecutive weeks.

Dates of publication were:

May 24, 1940
May 31, 1940
Jun 7, 1940
Jun 14, 1940

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

To Evena Sharp, Emma Sanders, Er-

nest Acuff, Mildred Acuff, Sarah 

Thomas and W.E. Acuff
------
W.E. Acuff, Administrator
vs
Minnie Luna et al

In the County Court of Van Buren
County, Tenn.

-------
In this cause it appearing from the
petition which is sworn to, that Evena
Sharp, Emma Sanders, Ernest Acuff,
Mildred Acuff, Sarah Thomas and
W.E. Acuff, the only heirs of J.P.
Acuff, deceased, are non-residents of
the State of Tennessee, they are
therefore, hereby required to appear,
on or before the 1st Monday in July,
1940, before the County Court of Van
Buren county, Tennessee, at the Court
House, in Spencer, Tennessee, and
make defense to the petition filed
against them in said Court, by W.E.
Acuff, administratior, or otherwise the
petition will be taken for confessed as
to them.

It is further ordered that this no-
tice be published for four consecutive
weeks in the Southern Standard, a
newspaper published at McMinnville,
Tennessee, there being no paper pub
lished in Van Buren County, Tenn.
Said petition seeks to sell the lands
of J.P. Acuff, deceased, as an insol-
vent estate, to pay his indebtedness.
This May 16, 1940.

W. B. Cummings, Clerk

4t-32

Source:

"Order of Publication," Southern Standard(McMinnville, Tenn.), 14 Jun 1940, Vol LXI, No 35, p 7, col 2; image,

FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-C3TC-GX1H : accessed 25 Mar 2025), IGN 8992355, Image 75 of 1194.

Notice of Estate of Jos. S. Cook--The Weekly Review(June 1839)

In Wm C Cook's role as administrator of the estate of Jos. S. Cook(relationship unknown), he placed a notice in the Weekly Review--a Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee Newspaper.  I'd looked for a publication that carried a notice for Joseph's estate but had not found one until this morning when I ran a search using the FamilySearch full-text search.  I am so thankful they are now adding newspapers from their digital collection.

Estate of Jos. S. Cook, Dec.

The undersigned, as administrator of
the estate of Joseph S. Cook, deceased,
having suggested to the clerk of the Will-
iamson county court, the insolvency of said
estate under the Act of 1833, chapter 36
hereby notifies all persons having claims a-
gainst said estate, to file them with said,
clerk, legally authenticated, on or before
the 10th day of December 1839, or this
notice will be pleaded in bar against them.
This 10th day of June 1839
Wm C Cook
Administrator of Jos. S. Cook, dec'd
Printers fee $4

So added to my To-Do list is a Joseph S Cook Estate Timeline which I will post once I have completed.

Source
"Estate of Jos. S. Cook, Dec.", The Weekly Review (Franklin, Tenn), June 214 1839, Vol 8 No 51 p 3(unnumbered) c 6; FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-5H9L-V : accessed 6 January 2025), IGN 8141796, Image 49 of 640.

J P Taylor's Estate Inventory Includes Notes Held on Cook Brothers(1880)

The estate of J P Taylor(admin C N Taylor) held notes on both  James P Cook and his brother, Joseph Knox Cook.  These notes are listed in the inventory listing of the estate recorded in Bedford Co. TN on 18th June 1880

(Note on) J P Cook difference in Settlement         15 cents
(Note on) J K Cook March 8 1880                  $18

Many others from the neighborhood are listed.

Surnames included:  Bullock, Gentry, Jones, Wright, Chambers, Ransom, Alexander, Lamb, Manire, Louvan, Cole, Height, Cousey, Allison, Floyd, Newsom, Wade, Osborne, Prince, Wortham, Jackson, Lytle, Pressgroves, Stem, Vicry, Cooper, Batt, Poplin, Hester, Primrose, Garrett, Landrum, Gowen, Daniel, Harris.

Bedford County, Tennessee, Probate Court, Estate Inventory of J.P. Taylor, Probate Volume C, page 320; image FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-2P77-W9 : accessed 4 August 2024) Probate Volumes C-D, January 1878–August 1889, item 4776096, image 189 of 690.

Return of Adkins Upshaw Estate--Elbert Co. GA(April 1801)

Adkins Upshaw is my 4th great grandfather. I found his estate return recorded in the Elbert Co. Georgia Will books on FamilySearch using the Full Text Search.   The transcription offered along with it was a mess but good enough that it could tell my search was for Adkins Upshaw.  So as an Index for search I love that.  I do not have the paid versions of any AI tools and used the free one thru my MS Edge browser and that likely affects the quality of the output along with my lack of knowledge in prompts. My prompt contained a copy and paste of the transcription text from FamilySearch.  If you are interested in seeing the copy of the FS transcription txt it can be viewed when you are using the Full Text Search on Adkins Upshaw narrowing the place to Elbert County Georgia.

I get more out of transcribing the text because as I do so it's thought provoking. Below is my own transcription of the return.

Page 60
James Patton Administrator on the Estate of
Adkins Upshaw Deceased -------------------
October the 1st 1800 to Goods & Chattels sold to the
Amount of --------------------------------$99.60 1/4
(writing in between line looks like cr oH )
October 5 By cash paid on aproved Acct.
----------By R Lindsy---------------------$50-54
------- -------------------

1801 By Cash paid on aproved Acct

By Jnt? Bradley----------------------------$8-75

1801 By Cash Paid on aproved Acct
By E King----------------------------------$ 3.75
--------------------------------- ---------
1800- the Estate of Adkins Upshaw
Decd fe to James Patton
to Waggoning of a hogshead                 $8.85

of toba to agustia
to funeral Expenses------------------------$12 - -
to following T Loveletty to Carrolina   $6 - -
to two bushels of Wheat -----------------$2
to two bushels of Corn -------------------$1
to the Coopering Hogshed tobc---------$0 50
to the letters admin ----------------------$05 -50
to services done by Jas Patton ---------$2
to 4 days attendance at Court -----------$2
the business of the Estates -----------------------

Recorded this Return of the Estate of Adkin
Upshaw Dec'd the 30th day of April 1801

(signed) W Higginbotham C.C.O

Source:

Georgia. Probate Court (Elbert County). Will Books A, B, & C, digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GR6N-VTW : accessed 6 April 2024), image 310 of 384, citing FHL microfilm 004968238, Elbert Co GA Will Book C, p 60, Return of Adkins Upshaw Dec’d Estate Admin'd by James Patton.


If you are curious about the Copilot output see below:

James Patten, as the administrator of the Estate of Adkins Upshaw (who passed away on October 1, 1800), accounted for the following transactions:

1. Goods and chattels were sold, amounting to $99.60 on October 18, 1800.

2. Cash payment of $500 was made on an approved account by R. Lindsy in 1801.

3. Another cash payment of $8.75 was made on an approved account by Int Bradley in 1801.

4. An additional cash payment of $3.75 was made on an approved account by E. King in 1800.

5. The estate of Adkins Upshaw, deceased, paid James Patten $3.85 for the transportation of a hogshead of tobacco to be assessed.

6. Funeral expenses totaled $12.

7. T. Loveletty received payment.

8. Carolina C received payment.

9. Two bushels of wheat and two bushels of corn were accounted for.

10. The coopering business was conducted.

11. Letters of administration were issued.

12. Services were performed by J. Callen.

13. James Patten attended court for four days to handle estate matters.

This return of the Estate of Admin Upshaw, deceased, was recorded on the 30th day of April 1801 by Maginor Tham, Clerk of the Court.

Directly below it's try on interpreting the AI transcription from FS it listed some sources for learning more about Adkins Upshaw, and the Upshaw and Patton Pages at Wikitree.

https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L7KS-YCD/adkin-upshaw-1801-1885

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Upshaw-236

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Patton-4854

Joseph Knox Cook Probate from Rutherford Co. TN Court Minute Book(1907-1908)

Rutherford Co TN Minute Book of County Court, 1804-1962, SS-TT, 1904-1911  Book TT  
FHL Film # 379635
Book TT pg 47  Image 318 of 594 J. K Cook, deceased and J Knox Cook appointed Admin of Estate
Book TT pg 66  Image 328 of 594 Guardian ad litem appointed for Eula T King, Emily May King and Jos. W Cook(grandchildren of J K Cook) with no protest from other heirs.
Book TT pg 132 Image 361 of 594 Notes that a sale list is returned(list not in minutes)
Book TT pg 164 Image 377 of 594 State of Estate, Land, debts, heirs and proposed sale of land.
Book TT pg 183 Image 386 of 594 Degree Confirming Sale and Clerk's Report on Sale

View pages of the court book by clicking on the hyperlinked page numbers above after first logging on to FamilySearch.org.  (viewing is free with a registered account which is also free)

Estate Sale--John Cooke-Wake Co NC--Aug 1814

In an earlier blog post I transcribed the will of John Cooke of Wake Co. North Carolina.  I located the inventory of his estate and the account of sales. It was among the Wake Co NC records which are not yet indexed but are browsable at Ancestry.com.  Below is a listing of purchasers at the estate sale.  Some made multiple purchases.

The Counter of Sales of John Cooke dec'd as taken and sold on the 4th day of August 1814 by Lemuel Cooke and Joseph Cooke Executors of the said John Cooke dec'd
Listing of purchasers(some of which made multiple purchases)

Source: North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 Wake Co NC 
Wills, Inventories and Estates, Book 11-13, 1812-1817 Ancestry.com
Book 11 Pages 274-276 Images 163 &164 of 752
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9061/images/004772472_00163
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9061/images/004772472_00164

Edward Wright Fuller--my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed

I've been on a search for those who carry mtDNA of Milly Riddle Hitchcock(my 4th Great Grandmother).  You can read more about the reason in my earlier posts.  Only females are capable of passing on the mtDNA to their children.  Although he would have never been able to pass the mtDNA on, Edward was a carrier of Milly Riddle's mtDNA.  His mother Omelia was the daughter of Rebecca Hitchcock and Rebecca was the daughter of Milly Riddle Hitchcock. He died at 23 years of age of diabetes mellitus.

Ancestry.com. Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 [database on-line http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8994 accessed Oct 2, 2017 search for Edward Wright Fuller]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Digital images in online database Ancestry.com. Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922 [online database http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1962]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. accessed Oct 2, 2017.

In Praise of City Directories

This week got off to a great start with me finding the 118 page probate/estate packet of my 3rd Great Grandfather.  I began reading over it last night and there is just so much information included.  I haven't even gotten half way thru and I'm seeing the names of all of his children, land descriptions and as this was before emancipation I've also found information pertaining to slaves which were hired out.  It lists their names and ages.  One in particular was a rather odd given name.  Consulting a directory at Ancestry.com for the family I was able to find a gentleman by the same name with the last name of our family. Not sure that it is the one listed in the probate info but is likely a nephew or son.  I found additional census listings also that contained the names mentioned in the probate file. I had worked with directories in my research on another case which I blogged about this past year.  Each time I use them I find even more information or uses. These tidbits are things that you might not expect to find.  If you want to know how the Country, State, County or City was run--just look in the directory for the city in question.  Below is a listing in no particular order of the things that I have found in a city directory.

• Tax Laws specific to the publication year and area covered.
• Occupation--sometimes it also lists place of employment
• Females listed as "widow of.."
• Maps--a variety
• Election schedules & Elected officials
• Business Directory--gives you an idea of what is booming in that area at the time.
• Index to Advertisers--businesses that paid to have an ad listed.  The earlier ones can be really interesting. (One advertisement for a Sanitarium located in Nashville said that they could cure any addition but that they only took refined patients.)
• Streetcar/Railway schedules.
• Any number of stats for larger cities as well as a history of the area
• Religious & other Societies and Associations
• Listing of Local Churches

Friend and fellow genealogist, Miriam Robbins has been addressing this point for a number of years.  In addition to her Online Historical Directories site and blog she has also started a Facebook group on the topic.  More information about all of these can be found in her post at her AnceStories blog.  In my opinion city directories are just as valuable to a researcher today as they were to area residents at their time of publication. Their value is illustrated in this warning printed inside the cover of one of the Nashville Directories.

John Wright of Williamson Co TN --1809--Books in estate inventory of merchant

Book Inventory from the estate of a merchant
Once again while looking thru Probate Records of my Ogilvie line I have happened upon another file near it with a listing of book titles or types.  This listing was a store inventory list which was part of the estate of John Wright of Williamson Co. TN(1809).  I've copied the listing here and I'm sure there are spelling errors.  I did alphabetize the list.

• Beauties Poetry
• Bibles
• Blank Books
• Chapter Books
• Church of England Prayer Books
• Clarissa Harlowe
• Dwight's Geography
• Enticks Dictionary
• Franklin's Works
• French Revolution
• Gandenetia De Lucca
• Gibson's Surveying
• Goldsmith's England
• History of England
• Hymn Book
• Immortal Wester
• Johnstone's Dictionary
• Large Bible
• Lord Rivers
• Manson Spelling Book
• Married Lady's Companions
• Maury Primmers
• New England Primmers
• Reading Made Easy
• Roman Catholic Prayer Books
• School Master's Assistant
• Scots Sessions
• Small Hymn Book
• Spelling Books
• Stephen De Bourbon
• Tale of Times
• Testaments
• Vendee War
• Vision Columbus
• Volumns of Charlotte
• Washingtons Monuments

Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007.Williamson Co. Divorce, Probate and Other Records 1800-1899, Wo-Za Description Images 978, 979, 1000 & 1001 of 1833 Tennessee, Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965

Original data: Tennessee. County records. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm roll numbers 99 to 108, 115, 336 to 337, 428 to 431, 519, A-4098, A-5278, B-1 to B-9, B-44 to B-127, B-314, B-441 to B-445, B-471 to B-473, B-1607 to B-1613, and B-1781 to B-1789.

1840 Van Buren Co TN Will of Robert Boyd--caught in the middle of a county formaton

The above image is a snippet from the inventory of the Estate of Robert Boyd.  Robert's will was written in 1837(Oct 26th) in Warren Co Tennessee.  Van Buren Co TN was formed from part of Warren Co TN along with parts of White County & Bledsoe County. The act to form Van Buren county passed on January 3rd 1840 but according to the information in the act at the TN.gov site, it appears records didn't start until April 1840.

It looks at though Robert Boyd's probate records were caught in the middle of the formation of Van Buren Co. TN.  A note from Will Armstrong, Warren County Clerk states that it(the will in the Van Buren Co Record Book) is a true copy of the original will on file in his office.  So although the probate records start in Warren Co TN...they end in Van Buren Co TN but do have a copy of all the will there.  In the will Robert left pretty much everything to his wife Jane to use in the support of his "little daughter" Ann. He appointed William Logue and John Boyd as executors. The listing of inventory along with the sale starts May of 1840 and wraps up July the 8th of 1840.  I should note that although Wm Logue is listed on the will as executor along with John Boyd I don't see any more listings of him as a witness or purchaser at the estate sale.  This adds more weight to this being William Marrs Logue, Robert Boyd's Father-In-Law who is known to have passed before September 4th 1839(I need to do a blog post on his estate info.). Wm Marrs Logue was the maternal 1/2 brother of my 4th Great Grandfather, John Fleming.

Person making purchases at the estate sale:  John Boyd, Isaac Hillis, James Hillis, Lemuel Romons, Wm L. Fleming, D. C. Russell, Wm McDonald, Jacob Romons, Wm Johnson, J.A. Miller, Thomas Meders,  Isaac? Tomas, Jesse Mooneyham. Wm McDaniel, Elisha Mayfield, George Ledbetter, Wiley Johnson, and John Russell

"Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-2RKT-G9?cc=1909088&wc=M6QQ-L38%3A179830201%2C179855401 : 22 May 2014), Van Buren > image 3 of 186; county courthouses, Tennessee.

An Example of the Shortcomings of an Index

I really cannot stress the importance of looking deeper than the index enough.  Mistakes will be made....sometimes mistakes on top of mistakes.  If something doesn't look right then you should be digging deeper.  The Ancestry.com records of Joseph S. Cook provide the perfect example.   I believe I have mentioned that his estate record is included in with another Joseph Cook but let me show you.

A search returns the following listing

Looks normal enough.    But let's take a closer look.(yes. ...I put corrections in the comments to help other researchers but for the time being ignore those)

This is the folder....I can tell you both the name and the dates are correct....but they are both also incorrect as well.  Confused yet?  Now let's look at the index card of contents.

Do you notice anything strange?  You would if you examined the Inventory of Estate Sale AND read the date on the will included.  The Inventory & Estate Sale is recorded in Jan Term of 1839 while the will was written in Dec 1839 and proved in Feb Term of 1840.  What you have here is a Joseph S. Cook who died without a will and W. C. Cook(my 2nd Great Grandfather) who was appointed admin to take care of Joseph S Cook's Estate Sale. ( The actual petition is in another record book.)  The other papers including a will, deed and various other records are those of the estate of  Joseph Cook of Davidson Co TN. The Davidson Co TN Joseph's estate is fairly extensive. His estate is finally settled in 1843.  If I had only looked at the File Folder information and the index card I might have assumed that these were ALL Joseph S. Cook's estate papers given the closeness of the dates.

I find Joseph S. Cook(although he is not listed with the S. initial) in  25th Dist of Williamson Co TN in 1838...W. C. Cook is listed with him on the Tax List there although W. C. Cook is listed in Bedford Co TN(Rover Dist 10) in all other years. The Joseph Cook from Davidson Co TN is also listed in Dist 4 on Davidson Co TN's 1839 tax list...and wouldn't you know it....there is another Joseph Cook in Dist 2 during the same time period.  I have spent the better part of the week looking at each of these and familiarizing myself with them and their friends, family, associates and neighbors.  Speaking of which--if you have the opportunity to catch Elizabeth Shown Mills'  presentation FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta which was a recent webinar available thru Legacy Family Tree Webinars, I highly recommend it. The case study is mind-blowing and very inspiring.

Source Citation

Probate, Divorce and Original Wills Records, 1800-1899; Author: Tennessee County Court (Williamson County); Probate Place: Williamson, Tennessee

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Tennessee County, District and Probate Courts.

Roane Co. TN --Will of John Rice--April Session of 1815

Reading through some of the Roane County Tennessee court records.  While this John Rice is not in my direct Rice line(to my knowledge) I felt like the information contained within this was post worthy.

Will of John Rice ---Rice attached his seal 22nd September of 1812 & it was declared his last will & testament in the court's April Session in 1815

• Gives his wife Susannah $200 in cash which is to be applied by her to purchase whatever household good and furniture she would like.  He also gives to her one bed and furniture.  
• To William Rice, son of his first wife he leaves $1. 
• His personal and real estate to be equally divided among his children.  
• Leaves to Milly Bartlett a young Negroe whose value will be deducted out of her proportional part of his estate.  
• Betsy & Esau Rice(his grandchildren and heirs of his son John Rice) shall have one equal share between them.  
• Desires that his two old Negroes Jack & Jenny shall not be parted or separated but shall be permitted to live together in the same family.

• Appoints his son Isaac Rice as sole executor
• Witnesses were:  John C. Haley, Henry Matlock & John Williams

"Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-195-2071469-1-59?cc=1909088&wc=M6Q7-DMS:179705301,179950601 : accessed 12 March 2015), Roane > Settlements, Wills, 1802-1824, Vol. A > image 46 & 47 of 136; county courthouses, Tennessee.(orig. book pgs 60 & 61.