My 3x great grandfather was Conrad W WILLIAMS of Montgomery co TN. There was a guardian bond signed by Henry Williams in Montgomery county court. Conrad was 18/19 at the time(1840). Was legal age 21 in TN back then? Was this court action similar to some states law of emancipation of a minor? Was this a guarantee of good behavior of a minor by a family member? from this bond I am assuming that it is possible that a Mr. Henry Williams was putting up a bond so that Conrad could gain his majority earlier than age 21, possibly because of the death of his father, and/or mother. I do not think his mother would have automatically received guardianship of Conrad at that time if his father died, if Henry was named as guardian, but I am not sure on these points. Does anyone have any information on this subject or know where I can get the information , concerning TN in particular? Are there existing court minutes of the things recorded such as this bond, or were only the Recorder's books kept? Before 1843 Conrad Williams was in Henry co Iowa, where he married Laverie Angeline Berry in 1843, when he was 20/21 years old, and I do not find his Parents, James and Martha Winemiller/Winnmiller Williams in Montgomery co TN or in Iowa. I have Conrad traced from 1843 til his death, and his death cert gives his birth place as Montgomery TN, birthdate, and parents names, but no other info. I have found no-one else researching as siblings of Conrad, nor as children of James and Martha Williams, and so I would greatly appreciate any info such as available church records, obits for James and Martha in the 1830-1840 timeframe, anything on the Henry Williams above mentioned, or any other ideas to try to track down this elusive WILLIAMS Line...as you can see it is difficult because of the common names of James and Henry Williams, and probable death of James Williams before the 1850 census. CENSUS QUERY<Is there a widow Martha Williams living in Montgomery co Tn in the 1850 Census? she was probably born before 1803 because son Conrad was born in 1822, but I do not know if he had older brothers and sisters( or younger, either!) > One last thing. James Williams was supposedly from England, (b. bef 1800) and Martha from Wales, but that is from Conrad's death cert so I take it with a grain of salt. thank you list for any help.

I'm new to the TNMONTGO list, but old to Montgomery Co. genealogy, and you seem to have hit on one of my families. The guardian bond would have been issued for Conrad Williams if he inherited property but was underage. The court would have appointed a guardian to hold the inheritance in trust until the minor reached age 21. I believe that my ancestor Margaret (Williams) Johnson Gowans (1800-1873) was an aunt to your Conrad Williams. I don't have this family quite sorted out, but below are some court records (puzzle pieces) you may not have seen yet. My ancestor Margaret was married first to Henry Johnson (d. 1836) then William Gowans. Regards, Jim Long Franklin, TN Montgomery County Deed Book B, page 183, 9 Nov 1797: Samuel Allen to Henry Williams, 70 acres on West Fork of Red River for $140, "Beginning at a Beech and black gum the SW corner of Campbell's originall survey and Runs E 116 poles thence N 96 poles thence W 116 poles to Campbell's line thence S 96 poles to the Beginning"; land was part of grant to James Campbell by State of NC, deeded to Abraham Allen then to Samuel Allen; witnesses: M. Phillips, Abraham Allen Montgomery County Deed Book I, page 623, 9 Jul 1801: Henry Williams to William Jordan, 67 acres on Little West Fork for $210, "Beginning at a Beach and black gum the SW corner of Captain James Campbell's runs thence E with south bou. line of sd. Campbell to the centre or middle of the aforesaid little West fork thence down the said Centre to the intersection of the West fork thence down the said Centre to the intersection of the E bou. line of sd. piece or parcel of land thence N to the Corner of the aforesaid piece or parcel of land thence W 116 poles to the W bou. line of said Campbell's survey thence S 96 poles to the Beginning, being part of the said Campbell's survey of 2090 acres"; also, part of the 70-acre tract sold to Henry Williams by Samuel Allen, and to Allen by Abraham Allen, and to him by Philimon Hodges and to him by Campbell; witnesses: Charles Stewart, James Stewart; deed registered 12 Jun 1814 Montgomery County Deed Book I, page 884, 19 Aug 1817: William Hust (White Co., Illinois Territory) to Henry Williams; 36 acres for $126 on S side of Little West Fork, "Beginning at the E corner of Henry Williams track of land he purchased of said Allen it being part of a tract granted to Capt. Campbell then running east along Campbell's line to the sd. West fork then running up the said West fork the meanders thereof to where said Williams' line crosses the Creek then S along William's line to the Beginning"; witnesses: John H. Poston, William Jordan Montgomery County Deed Book K, page 244, 16 Jan 1821: Henry Williams to Roswell Platt, 100 acres west of Red River for $300, "Beginning at a spanish oak thence W 2 1/2 N 116 poles to a stake thence N 2 1/2 deg. E 146 poles to a stake thence E 2 1/2 deg. S 116 poles to a stake on Young's line thence S 2 1/2 W 146 poles to the beginning", land is part of 535 acres granted to Peter Harrell 31 Dec 1793 and conveyed to Charles Stewart by John Harrell, heir, and by Charles Stewart to Henry Williams; witnesses: William Jordan, Samuel Henderson Montgomery County Record Book E, page 172: will of Henry Williams: wife Matty, son Phillip, son and daughter Roswell and Nancy Platt, son Jacob; test: Daniel Kyle, William Jordan; will written 17 Feb 1824 Montgomery County Record Book E, page 333, 21 Jul 1828: Martha Williams, Bingham Trice, Roswell Platt, administrator's bond for Henry Williams, deceased; 21 Jul 1828 Montgomery County Record Book E, page 386: inventory of the estate of Henry Williams, deceased, produced in court by Martha Williams; October term, 1828 Montgomery County Record Book G, page 338, 18 Apr 1836: Margaret Johnson, Martha Williams, Henry Williams, administrator's bond for Henry H. Johnson, deceased Montgomery County Court Minutes, Volume 19, page 422, 2 May 1836: Court orders William Price, Henry Williams, William Cooper as commissioners to lay off year's provisions to Mrs. Margaret Johnson, widow of Henry Johnson Montgomery County Record Book H, page 333, 7 Oct 1839: Robert N. Poston, James Wheatley, Henry Williams, administrator's bond for Matty Williams, deceased Montgomery County Deed Book S, page 43, 21 Nov 1839: Margaret Johnson to Brigham Trice; "...whereas the said William Gowans and Margaret Johnson are about to enter into marriage the said Margaret Johnson having and possessing certain property both real and personal to wit, her interest in the tract of land whereon she now lives...also her interest in her father's estate Henry Williams dec'd."; Margaret Johnson deeds "...my interest in my father's estate which is now undivided as also all my interest in the land whereon I now live and which was purchased by my former husband Henry Johnson in his lifetime..."; witnesses: Jordan Williams, William Holloway Montgomery County Court Minutes, Volume 21, page 2, 2 Dec 1839: Robert N. Poston, administrator of Matty Williams deceased, reports inventory of estate Montgomery County Court Minutes, Volume 21, page 7, 6 Jan 1840: Henry Williams appointed guardian for Conrad Williams; $1200 bond with James Wheatley as security; 6 Jan 1840 Montgomery County Clerk & Master's Office Minute Books, Volume 1, page 33: case of R. N. Poston versus the heirs of Henry Williams, 25 Sep 1841: "...it appearing to the Court that Henry Williams departed this life having made his last will and testament and that the same was duly proven and recorded in the County Court for the County of Montgomery at the Oct term 1827...Jacob Williams is intitled to an annuity of fifty dollars per year under said will and Philip Williams is intitled to the sum of one dollar and Rosivilt Platt & wife are intitled to one dollar under said will and that the wife of the said Henry Williams, Matty Williams under said will was intitled to a life estate in the residue of the estate of said Henry dec'd. both real & personal and that on her oath the same is distributable among all the children of said Henry and Matty Williams except Philip Williams and Rosivilt Platt & wife Nancy and it appears that the said Matty departed this life in the year 1839 and that Complainant became his administrator, It is therefore ordered and decreed that the sum of eight hundred thirty three dollars thirty three cents be set off by said administrator as a fund to raise an annuity of fifty dollars for Jacob Williams afforesaid, that he pay to Philip Williams & Rosivilt Platt & wife one dollar each and of the whole amount of said estate after setting off the fund for the annuity aforesaid and the specified legacies of one dollar as aforesaid and incidental expenses of the administrator, the administrator will pay to Conrad Williams or his guardian and to Matt Lewis the one eighth each, and the balance of the estate pay over and distribute to Henry Williams, Philip Williams, Richard Williams, Jordan Williams, William Price and wife Elizabeth, Margaret Gowens, Rosivilt Platt & wife Nancy in equal portions.By consent of parties it is decreed that Rosivilt Platt be and is hereby appointed the guardian of the said Jacob Williams who is an idiot." Montgomery County Court Minutes, Volume 21, page 206, 6 Oct 1841: Robert N. Poston returns account of sale of estate of Matty Williams Montgomery County Deed Book T, page 63, 16 Oct 1842: John A. Withers, deed of gift to Leverett, Jordan, Martha, Margaret and Henry J. Williams, minor children of Henry Williams, "for love and affection" -----Original Message----- From: gloriamlh@juno.com [mailto:gloriamlh@juno.com] Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2004 12:31 AM To: TNMONTGO-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [TNMONTGO-L] What is/was a Guardian Bond? Census lookup? My 3x great grandfather was Conrad W WILLIAMS of Montgomery co TN. There was a guardian bond signed by Henry Williams in Montgomery county court. Conrad was 18/19 at the time(1840). Was legal age 21 in TN back then? Was this court action similar to some states law of emancipation of a minor? Was this a guarantee of good behavior of a minor by a family member? from this bond I am assuming that it is possible that a Mr. Henry Williams was putting up a bond so that Conrad could gain his majority earlier than age 21, possibly because of the death of his father, and/or mother. I do not think his mother would have automatically received guardianship of Conrad at that time if his father died, if Henry was named as guardian, but I am not sure on these points. Does anyone have any information on this subject or know where I can get the information , concerning TN in particular? Are there existing court minutes of the things recorded such as this bond, or were only the Recorder's books kept? Before 1843 Conrad Williams was in Henry co Iowa, where he married Laverie Angeline Berry in 1843, when he was 20/21 years old, and I do not find his Parents, James and Martha Winemiller/Winnmiller Williams in Montgomery co TN or in Iowa. I have Conrad traced from 1843 til his death, and his death cert gives his birth place as Montgomery TN, birthdate, and parents names, but no other info. I have found no-one else researching as siblings of Conrad, nor as children of James and Martha Williams, and so I would greatly appreciate any info such as available church records, obits for James and Martha in the 1830-1840 timeframe, anything on the Henry Williams above mentioned, or any other ideas to try to track down this elusive WILLIAMS Line...as you can see it is difficult because of the common names of James and Henry Williams, and probable death of James Williams before the 1850 census. CENSUS QUERY<Is there a widow Martha Williams living in Montgomery co Tn in the 1850 Census? she was probably born before 1803 because son Conrad was born in 1822, but I do not know if he had older brothers and sisters( or younger, either!) > One last thing. James Williams was supposedly from England, (b. bef 1800) and Martha from Wales, but that is from Conrad's death cert so I take it with a grain of salt. thank you list for any help.