John and Mariah Cruiser McWilliams - Chapter 4

 

 John’s Legacy

1850 US Federal Census Mortality Schedule
Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland County, PA

Death certificates had not been instituted in Pennsylvania when John passed away, but because he died within the twelve-month period prior to the federal census, he was included in the mortality schedule of the 1850 census. This document provided more details about John’s death than were typically available in most records.  John was described as: age 64, male, married, born in Pennsylvania, died in August 1849, a farmer, cause of death diarrhea, ill four days before his death. (John actually died on July 30.)

The “Remarks” at the bottom of the page for each township or borough in the 1850 Mortality Schedule supplied interesting descriptions of each location. John lived in Chillisquaque Township and grew up in adjoining Turbot Township. The descriptions of each jurisdiction were as follows:

 

Limestone Creek

Chillisquaque Township:

“Chilisquaque has a portion of excellent soil lying immediately on the bank of the West Branch, a ridge of Limestone also passes through the whole length of the township. But that portion through which Chilisquaque Creek passes is low and marshy. The timber which most abounds is white oak scrub pine swamp oak and shellbark hickory. The water is not very pure, and owing to the low marshy ground considerable of ague prevails annually. Iron ore of a good quality is found in the township. The West Branch Canal passes through the whole length of this township.”

 

Information about the adjoining township of Turbot lent a description of the farms near the McWilliams property:

“Turbut Township raises more Wheat and Corn in proportion to its population, than any township in the County. The farming interest is well attended to, the land which is naturally fertile, is made more so, by the application of lime as a fertilizer. Limestone abounds in the town ship. The timber is Walnut Blk Oak Hickory and Ash with considerable Yellow Pine, the water is plenty and good.”

 

 

Letters of Administration Granted and Bond Entered for John McWilliams' Estate

John’s younger brother Robert N. McWilliams and his son-in-law William Follmer, husband of Eleanor, were appointed administrators of his estate one week after his death.[i] Robert and William entered bond with William’s father Henry Follmer and Samuel Ent, a Shamokin farmer, for the sum of $2000.00 on August 6, 1849. Three months later, William Follmer’s brother Daniel was appointed guardian for John’s son James, a minor under the age of fourteen. No bail was requested.

 

James McWilliams' Petition for Guardian 

Exactly three months later, John’s six surviving children were listed as heirs in their request to the court to partition his land. They were named as “Sarah, William, Eleanor intermarried with William Follmer, John C., Hannah and James K. McWilliams, who is a minor and of whom Daniel Follmer is guardian.” The real estate was described as “a certain tract or piece of land situate in Chilisquaque Township Northumberland County, containing one hundred and twenty-three acres more or less, adjoining lands of James P. Sanderson, John Irland, Henry Funk, (late the estate of Robert Irland dec’d) heirs of William Rishel, John P. Rishel and others.”[ii]

 

Appraisal of John McWilliam's Real Estate

Seven of John’s peers who owned nearby farms were appointed to appraise the value of his land before it was sold. Charles Gale 72, James Reed 63, Henry Funk 52, Charles Hottenstein 39, Isaac Ritter 63, Jacob Hoffa 52 and Robert A. Giffen 46 viewed the premises and valued it at $56.00 per acre on November 22, 1849. They determined that the land could not be divided without reducing the value of the property.[iii] Abraham Straub, a distinguished 55-year-old surveyor from Milton was paid $5.00 to survey and divide John’s land.[iv] Straub was located at the corner of Front and Lower Market Streets in Milton.[v]

On January 17, 1850, the Northumberland County Court ordered that John’s heirs sell his real estate by public auction.[vi] After delaying the sale until after the winter months, no buyer came forward with a sufficient bid to purchase the land on the first attempt to sell the property.[vii] The order to sell was extended by the court on November 4, 1850.[viii]

Report of John McWilliams' Real Estate Sale

John’s son William purchased his land at public auction on November 22 for $60.00 per acre at a total cost of $7055.62.[ix] Oddly, William recorded the deed to the land on March 5, 1853, and promptly sold the same land to his brother-in-law William Follmer three days later for exactly the same price.[x] Perhaps, Follmer could not legally purchase the land because he was serving as an executor and William acted as the go-between for the transaction. It was unlikely that William had adequate income to purchase the land. He was not yet thirty years old, had a wife and four children under the age of six and owed $550.00 to his father’s estate.

  Administrator's Account of James McWilliams' Estate

At the time of his death, John was in debt for several loans from wealthy neighbors. It was common for individuals, rather than banks, to loan money in the 1800s because easy income was generated from the interest payments. He owed about $1350.00. His net worth was positive, however. Michael Hoffman, a 50-year-old auctioneer from Shamokin was hired to sell John’s personal property at public auction. He was paid $4.00 for his efforts and the sale netted over $1600.00. The combined value of John’s real estate and personal property gave his estate a value of $9257.00.[xi] This amount would translate into a present-day value of over $300,000.[xii]

Apparently, John conducted most of his business affairs in Milton, located about three miles northwest of his home via a public road. The town was described in the mortality schedule of the 1850 census in a section for “remarks” at the bottom of the page: 

“Milton is beautifully sighted on the bank of the West branch of the Susquehanna, not main, and a place of considerable business. Upwards of 180,000 bushels of wheat was sent to market from this place, during the last year. It has nine churches One O.S. Presbyterian, one Reformed Presbyterian, one Evangelist One E.P. Methodist one Episcopal one Lutheran one German Reformed One African Methodist and Roman Catholic. It also has two Classical Schools Seven Common English Schools and a Lyceum. Two Grist Mills one Steam, One Steam Saw Mill one water power do. Two Foundries one Carding Mill, one I.O.O.S. Hall one Sons of Temperance Hall, One Printing Press, Eleven Dry Goods Stores Two Drug Stores Two Shoe Stores and one Book Store. Sis Physicians six Lawyers, six Clergymen and a Post Office. The West Branch Canal run through the town.

There are also a large number of mechanic shops and four Hotels in the place with a daily mail. The country around Milton is exceedingly fertile. Indeed few towns in the interior of Pennsylvania possess greater advantages of becoming a large and thriving place than Milton.”[xiii]

1858 Milton Business Directory

 

The administrative account of John’s estate listed bills paid to several businesses located in Milton.[xiv] Jacob Miller was paid $1.00 for “meat.” He was a 46-year-old butcher in Milton, located at the corner of Second and Market Streets.[xv] Samuel T. Brown, a 49-year-old tanner and currier in Milton was paid $13.00 for a harness purchased by John. His tannery was located near the corner of Front and Mahoning Streets. John and Robert Frick, who published the Miltonian newspaper did the necessary printing of flyers and documents for the estate for a fee of $9.25. Robert’s property was located at Front and Apple Streets in Milton.  A bill totaling $4.10 from blacksmith John Gibson of Chillisquaque Township was also paid. He was a 40-year-old neighbor of John and his son-in-law William Follmer. John’s coffin was made by William Kutz, a 22-year-old cabinet maker in Turbot Township. The cost of the coffin was $10.00.[xvi]

Public Notice of John McWilliams' Estate Settlement 
in the Sunbury American, Surbury, PA, 3 July 1852

John's estate was settled almost exactly three years after his death on 3 August 1852. 

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[i] Register of Wills, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Courthouse, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, Wills Book No. 4-5 1834-1871, book,4, page 165, John McWilliams (1849), Letters of Administration, 6 August 1849; Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993, microfilm roll 961023; accessed www.ancestry.com, image 124

[ii] Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court, Northumberland County, Courthouse, Sunbury, Orphan’s Court Docket, volume 10, p. 80-81, John McWilliams (1849), Petition for Partition of Real Estate, 6 November 1849; Orphan’s Court Docket, 1772-1868, Dockets, vol. 9-10, 1843-1853, filmstrip 961034, DGS 8510296; accessed www.familysearch.org, image 306

[iii] Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court, Northumberland County, Courthouse, Sunbury, Orphan’s Court Docket, volume 10, p. 116, John McWilliams (1849), Return of Inquest, 8 January 1850; Orphan’s Court Docket, 1772-1868, Dockets, vol. 9-10, 1843-1853, filmstrip 961034, DGS 8510296; accessed www.familysearch.org,  image 325

[iv] Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Orphan’s Court Docket, Administrators Accounts, Volume 1, p. 184-185, John McWilliams (1852), Account, 3 August 1852, Register and Recorder’s Office, Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury 

[v] Hopkins, G.M., and Cleaver, Kimber, Map of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chillisquaque, Pennsylvania, published by J.A. Cummings, 1858; accessed https://ancestortracks.com

[vi] Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court, Northumberland County, Courthouse, Sunbury, Orphan’s Court Docket, volume 10, p. 128, John McWilliams (1850), Refusal of Bid, 1 April 1850; Orphan’s Court Docket, 1772-1868, Dockets, vol. 9-10, 1843-1853, filmstrip 961034, DGS 8510296; accessed www.familysearch.org,  image 331

[vii] Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court, Northumberland County, Courthouse, Sunbury, Orphan’s Court Docket, volume 10, p. 142, John McWilliams (1850), Return of Inquest/Continue Order of Sale, 4 April 1850: Orphan’s Court Docket, 1772-1868, Dockets, vol. 9-10, 1843-1853; filmstrip 961034, DGS 8510296; accessed www.familysearch.org, image 338

[viii] Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court, Northumberland County, Courthouse, Sunbury, Orphan’s Court Docket, volume 10, p. 191, John McWilliams (1850) Continuation of Order of Sale, 4 November 1850: Orphan’s Court Docket, 1772-1868, Dockets, vol. 9-10, 1843-1853; filmstrip 961034, DGS 8510296; accessed www.familysearch.org, image 362

[ix] Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court, Northumberland County, Courthouse, Sunbury, Orphan’s Court Docket, volume 10, p. 218, John McWilliams (1850), Report of Sale, 6 January 1851; Orphan’s Court Docket, 1772-1868, Dockets, vol. 9-10, 1843-1853; filmstrip 961034, DGS 8510296; accessed www.familysearch.org, image 376

[x] Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Recorder of Deeds, Register and Recorder’s Office, Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury; Deed Book Volume JJ 1829-1853, p. 437-441, William & Fannie McWilliams (1852), Land Deed, March 5, 1853; Deeds 1772-1914, Deed Book, vol. JJ, 1829-1853, filmstrip 961211, DGS 8086003; accessed www.familysearch.org, image 246-248

[xi] Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Orphan’s Court Docket, Administrators Accounts, Volume 1, p. 184-185, John McWilliams (1852), Account, 3 August 1852, Register and Recorder’s Office, Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury

[xii] https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=$64.91+1850+dollars+in+2018

[xiii] 1850 U.S. census, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Borough of Milton, mortality schedule, p 823, NARA microfilm publication M1838, roll 3; accessed www.ancestry.com, image 14 

[xiv] Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Orphan’s Court Docket, Administrators Accounts, Volume 1, p. 184-185, John McWilliams (1852), Account, 3 August 1852, Register and Recorder’s Office, Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury 

[xv] Hopkins, G.M., and Cleaver, Kimber

[xvi] Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Orphan’s Court Docket, Administrators Accounts, Volume 1, p. 184-185, John McWilliams (1852), Account, 3 August 1852, Register and Recorder’s Office, Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury