All of us neglected to mention that in some of the colonies in a testate death the "inventory" was only that, and the values of those entries were not required when the list was first written. In other states and colonies - VA, NC, TN, for examples - that activity was known as "inventory and appraisement", the appointed men listing both all the assets and, in their best and agreed estimate, the value of those items as is, where is. It is interesting that very often by noting the order of the items listed, one may draw an approximate picture of the interior rooms of the home. In that regard, note that the first items listed in that inventory likely will be those in the parlor, main room, or kitchen, whichever had the door through which the appraisers were admitted. Thereafter, one will often find that those men went room to room until they were done, making it easy to see what was in the parlor, the main "living room", the bedrooms (chambers), and the pantry and accessory buildings. Some inventories start in the barn or outdoor building housing tools, wagons, etc. Try that with the inventory of some ancestor; it might surprise you what you can envision thereby. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Drake To: VA-ROOTS@LISTLVA.LIB.VA.US Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 12:47 PM Subject: Fw: [VAROOTS] Fw: Inventories >From Joe Drake of S'hampton Co, VA, and of interest to all ***.... Question: What was the purpose of the estate inventories when someone died. Did they have estate or death taxes in the 1700 and 1800's? Educate me if you would be so kind. Thank-you Joe *** Hi, Joe. In answering your question, it will be helpful to speak of the whole matter of intestate proceedings. The overriding purpose of such activity is to once and for all resolve all debts owing by and those payable to the dead person, to learn of everything he/she owned at the moment of death and of the value of those assets, to determine who of the survivors is to have what share of those assets, and then to conclude and close forever the worldly affairs of that deceased. For about 800 years the power to determine who and in what percentage the assets of a person who died intestate are to be divided among those who survived has come to rest in the court. Before then, it was largely up to the family. The legislatures have over the same period established the order of priority among the survivors in intestate deaths. Those statutes are loosely known as "Statutes Of Descent and Distribution". Land "descends" and personal property (including intangibles) is "distributed", thus the name given to those statutes. In addition to the taxes that from time to time and in varying amounts have been levied on estate property, both real and personal, it is the division of those assets that has been and is most significant to the family. The inventory is ordered by the court to be done by reputable/honest people who quite usually must also be deemed acceptable by the family. Those folks are to list EVERY asset, in order that sometime long after the settlement of the last affairs of the dead person no one can spring up out of the bushes and say that the inventory was not complete. Across those centuries, those appointed appraisers - usually three - take the inventory by visiting the premises (almost always), and then after swearing to the truth of their findings and lists, they file that summary with the court as part of the permanent estate file. It is from that list of sums of money and all other funds deducted from the estate as expenses, paid as debts, or derived from the sale of any or all those assets that the court ultimately divides the total value between the heirs. When someone family member wants some particular piece of personal property or asset, the court will usually approve that IF - IF - no other heir objects. The value of that item to be taken "in kind" by an heir, as shown in the inventory entry of that piece, is then deducted from the total sum to which that heir otherwise would have received. It is this process that has caused myriad fights among families where one of the heirs enters the house and carries off what he/she want before the appraisers come by. An estate ends with a final order by the court stating what he did with the totality of the assets. That document is usually known as an "order of distribution", a "final account", or a "final settlement", depending largely upon the local practice. Hope this answers your questions. Paul

Let's also point out that the NAMES OF THE APPRAISERS are important--they were immediate neighbors and knew the family--and may even be related by marriage. I believe Paul did point out that the family had to agree to them--so the names of appraisers are very important. Since so many early land records have been lost in VA counties, you can use estate inventory appraisers to begin establishing the neighborhood and begin to establish what families yours probably married into. There were two contemporary William Masons in Stafford Co. The ONLY way I was able to distinguish between them most of the time was by looking at the combination of family names each joined with in appraisals. They were quite different, indicating that the two Williams lived in very different neighborhoods. They were also consistent--the same names together over and over, actually for two generations. It is my hunch that in one of those names on estate appraisals I'm looking at a relative of "my" William's unknown wife. Of course I need other evidence, but at least I can use the estate appraisals to give me some focus in searching for Jane's surname. Even the items themselves are important. When one Mason was willed six silver teaspoons and a generation later six silver teaspoons show up in another Mason inventory--whoa! Could be the same spoons--not a common item among simple farmers in Colonial Virginia--especially since both documents referred to them as a SET of six silver teaspoons! The names of people who bought property at estate sales, if one was held and recorded, are important for the same reason--because they often imply neighborhood and family connections. Usually only family members bought old, "retired" slaves, for example. Neighbors bought farm implements--but personal household items were often bought by family members. So read those appraisals carefully--even if your ancestor was just the appraiser! Karen Dale ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Drake<mailto:pauldrake@charter.net> To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 10:38 AM Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Re: [VAROOTS] Fw: Inventories All of us neglected to mention that in some of the colonies in a testate death the "inventory" was only that, and the values of those entries were not required when the list was first written. In other states and colonies - VA, NC, TN, for examples - that activity was known as "inventory and appraisement", the appointed men listing both all the assets and, in their best and agreed estimate, the value of those items as is, where is. It is interesting that very often by noting the order of the items listed, one may draw an approximate picture of the interior rooms of the home. In that regard, note that the first items listed in that inventory likely will be those in the parlor, main room, or kitchen, whichever had the door through which the appraisers were admitted. Thereafter, one will often find that those men went room to room until they were done, making it easy to see what was in the parlor, the main "living room", the bedrooms (chambers), and the pantry and accessory buildings. Some inventories start in the barn or outdoor building housing tools, wagons, etc. Try that with the inventory of some ancestor; it might surprise you what you can envision thereby. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Drake To: VA-ROOTS@LISTLVA.LIB.VA.US<mailto:VA-ROOTS@LISTLVA.LIB.VA.US> Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 12:47 PM Subject: Fw: [VAROOTS] Fw: Inventories >From Joe Drake of S'hampton Co, VA, and of interest to all ***.... Question: What was the purpose of the estate inventories when someone died. Did they have estate or death taxes in the 1700 and 1800's? Educate me if you would be so kind. Thank-you Joe *** Hi, Joe. In answering your question, it will be helpful to speak of the whole matter of intestate proceedings. The overriding purpose of such activity is to once and for all resolve all debts owing by and those payable to the dead person, to learn of everything he/she owned at the moment of death and of the value of those assets, to determine who of the survivors is to have what share of those assets, and then to conclude and close forever the worldly affairs of that deceased. For about 800 years the power to determine who and in what percentage the assets of a person who died intestate are to be divided among those who survived has come to rest in the court. Before then, it was largely up to the family. The legislatures have over the same period established the order of priority among the survivors in intestate deaths. Those statutes are loosely known as "Statutes Of Descent and Distribution". Land "descends" and personal property (including intangibles) is "distributed", thus the name given to those statutes. In addition to the taxes that from time to time and in varying amounts have been levied on estate property, both real and personal, it is the division of those assets that has been and is most significant to the family. The inventory is ordered by the court to be done by reputable/honest people who quite usually must also be deemed acceptable by the family. Those folks are to list EVERY asset, in order that sometime long after the settlement of the last affairs of the dead person no one can spring up out of the bushes and say that the inventory was not complete. Across those centuries, those appointed appraisers - usually three - take the inventory by visiting the premises (almost always), and then after swearing to the truth of their findings and lists, they file that summary with the court as part of the permanent estate file. It is from that list of sums of money and all other funds deducted from the estate as expenses, paid as debts, or derived from the sale of any or all those assets that the court ultimately divides the total value between the heirs. When someone family member wants some particular piece of personal property or asset, the court will usually approve that IF - IF - no other heir objects. The value of that item to be taken "in kind" by an heir, as shown in the inventory entry of that piece, is then deducted from the total sum to which that heir otherwise would have received. It is this process that has caused myriad fights among families where one of the heirs enters the house and carries off what he/she want before the appraisers come by. An estate ends with a final order by the court stating what he did with the totality of the assets. That document is usually known as an "order of distribution", a "final account", or a "final settlement", depending largely upon the local practice. Hope this answers your questions. Paul ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== The USGenWeb Project http://www.usgenweb.org<http://www.usgenweb.org/> Do Not Post Chain Letters, Virus Warnings, etc. to this list. This list is for Genealogy, History and Related Topics. ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx<http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx>

Excellent advice, Karen, that all should heed. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: DAVID KAREN DALE To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 12:29 PM Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Re: Inventories Let's also point out that the NAMES OF THE APPRAISERS are important--they were immediate neighbors and knew the family--and may even be related by marriage. I believe Paul did point out that the family had to agree to them--so the names of appraisers are very important. Since so many early land records have been lost in VA counties, you can use estate inventory appraisers to begin establishing the neighborhood and begin to establish what families yours probably married into. There were two contemporary William Masons in Stafford Co. The ONLY way I was able to distinguish between them most of the time was by looking at the combination of family names each joined with in appraisals. They were quite different, indicating that the two Williams lived in very different neighborhoods. They were also consistent--the same names together over and over, actually for two generations. It is my hunch that in one of those names on estate appraisals I'm looking at a relative of "my" William's unknown wife. Of course I need other evidence, but at least I can use the estate appraisals to give me some focus in searching for Jane's surname. Even the items themselves are important. When one Mason was willed six silver teaspoons and a generation later six silver teaspoons show up in another Mason inventory--whoa! Could be the same spoons--not a common item among simple farmers in Colonial Virginia--especially since both documents referred to them as a SET of six silver teaspoons! The names of people who bought property at estate sales, if one was held and recorded, are important for the same reason--because they often imply neighborhood and family connections. Usually only family members bought old, "retired" slaves, for example. Neighbors bought farm implements--but personal household items were often bought by family members. So read those appraisals carefully--even if your ancestor was just the appraiser! Karen Dale ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Drake<mailto:pauldrake@charter.net> To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 10:38 AM Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Re: [VAROOTS] Fw: Inventories All of us neglected to mention that in some of the colonies in a testate death the "inventory" was only that, and the values of those entries were not required when the list was first written. In other states and colonies - VA, NC, TN, for examples - that activity was known as "inventory and appraisement", the appointed men listing both all the assets and, in their best and agreed estimate, the value of those items as is, where is. It is interesting that very often by noting the order of the items listed, one may draw an approximate picture of the interior rooms of the home. In that regard, note that the first items listed in that inventory likely will be those in the parlor, main room, or kitchen, whichever had the door through which the appraisers were admitted. Thereafter, one will often find that those men went room to room until they were done, making it easy to see what was in the parlor, the main "living room", the bedrooms (chambers), and the pantry and accessory buildings. Some inventories start in the barn or outdoor building housing tools, wagons, etc. Try that with the inventory of some ancestor; it might surprise you what you can envision thereby. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Drake To: VA-ROOTS@LISTLVA.LIB.VA.US<mailto:VA-ROOTS@LISTLVA.LIB.VA.US> Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 12:47 PM Subject: Fw: [VAROOTS] Fw: Inventories >From Joe Drake of S'hampton Co, VA, and of interest to all ***.... Question: What was the purpose of the estate inventories when someone died. Did they have estate or death taxes in the 1700 and 1800's? Educate me if you would be so kind. Thank-you Joe *** Hi, Joe. In answering your question, it will be helpful to speak of the whole matter of intestate proceedings. The overriding purpose of such activity is to once and for all resolve all debts owing by and those payable to the dead person, to learn of everything he/she owned at the moment of death and of the value of those assets, to determine who of the survivors is to have what share of those assets, and then to conclude and close forever the worldly affairs of that deceased. For about 800 years the power to determine who and in what percentage the assets of a person who died intestate are to be divided among those who survived has come to rest in the court. Before then, it was largely up to the family. The legislatures have over the same period established the order of priority among the survivors in intestate deaths. Those statutes are loosely known as "Statutes Of Descent and Distribution". Land "descends" and personal property (including intangibles) is "distributed", thus the name given to those statutes. In addition to the taxes that from time to time and in varying amounts have been levied on estate property, both real and personal, it is the division of those assets that has been and is most significant to the family. The inventory is ordered by the court to be done by reputable/honest people who quite usually must also be deemed acceptable by the family. Those folks are to list EVERY asset, in order that sometime long after the settlement of the last affairs of the dead person no one can spring up out of the bushes and say that the inventory was not complete. Across those centuries, those appointed appraisers - usually three - take the inventory by visiting the premises (almost always), and then after swearing to the truth of their findings and lists, they file that summary with the court as part of the permanent estate file. It is from that list of sums of money and all other funds deducted from the estate as expenses, paid as debts, or derived from the sale of any or all those assets that the court ultimately divides the total value between the heirs. When someone family member wants some particular piece of personal property or asset, the court will usually approve that IF - IF - no other heir objects. The value of that item to be taken "in kind" by an heir, as shown in the inventory entry of that piece, is then deducted from the total sum to which that heir otherwise would have received. It is this process that has caused myriad fights among families where one of the heirs enters the house and carries off what he/she want before the appraisers come by. An estate ends with a final order by the court stating what he did with the totality of the assets. That document is usually known as an "order of distribution", a "final account", or a "final settlement", depending largely upon the local practice. Hope this answers your questions. Paul ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== The USGenWeb Project http://www.usgenweb.org<http://www.usgenweb.org/> Do Not Post Chain Letters, Virus Warnings, etc. to this list. This list is for Genealogy, History and Related Topics. ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx<http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx> ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== VAGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~vagenweb Please contact List Administrator if you experience problems getting unsubscribed from this list. glh@naxs.com ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.10.22/97 - Release Date: 9/12/2005