See comments below.

On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 7:18 PM, nelhatch <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I'm going to try answering several people who have responded.
>
> First, Mary Jean....
>
> I'm very familiar with VA research since our Wiliam arrived in Henrico
> c1636 and bucket loads of Hatchers still live there.  I'm also familiar with
> the chancery cases and have ordered a number of them over the past year or
> so. I do agree chancery cases are among the most revealing of court
> documents but......none found in this case.
>

*Hawkins v. Hatcher, Bedford, 1832-047.  States that Jeremiah Hatcher Junr
died before his father (senr), and that the father devised in his will 60
acres on the north fork of the Otter to the heirs of Jeremiah junr, along
with slaves Arthur and Lidy.  Further states that the widow of Jeremiah
senior has died (Edith).  Petition to sell the land as it is hard to divide
60 acres 7 ways.  Names the 7 heirs of Benjamin Hatcher Junr --  Nancy E.
Hatcher (wife of George Hawkins), William L. Hatcher, Jane J. Hatcher,
Jeremiah G. Hatcher, Archibald P. Hatcher, Wilson C. Hatcher and Caleb Henry
Hatcher.  Land sold and proceeds distributed to the seven heirs.  No
reference to the widow of Jeremiah junr, as she had no interest in the
property.*

see  http://hatcherfamilyassn.com/getperson.php?personID=I39870&tree=WmTheIm

Note that the names are the same as in the will with the exception that
there is no James Henry Hatcher in the suit's list of heirs, and the will
contains no Caleb Henry Hatcher.  A Caleb Hatcher, age 32 (born 1 Jun 1817
to 31 May 1818), was living in Bedford in 1850, with a son named Wilson C.
Hatcher.  If his age was correctly recorded, he would have been born after
the death of Jeremiah.

The website assigns Caleb as son of Edmund.???!!!
http://hatcherfamilyassn.com/getperson.php?personID=I38776&tree=WmTheIm

>
> To Robert.....
>
> This inventory did not involve land but only personal property. I've found
> no settlement docs for this family.
>

*Throughout this thread the document is called an "inventory." (until just
below this note)  An inventory is just a list of items; an appraisement is
the list of items with a value per item or group of items.  The will did not
call for any valuation until (unless) the widow remarried.  An heir might
force the issue.  Land was not included in "property" included in an
inventory or appraisement, at least before 1850. *

The Hatcher inventory and appraisal was taken Nov 1822.

> Yes, there appear to be clues in his will. For those who may wish to read
> it, see
> http://hatcherfamilyassn.com/**getperson.php?personID=I39485&**
> tree=WmTheIm<http://hatcherfamilyassn.com/getperson.php?personID=I39485&tree=WmTheIm>
>
> The pertinent paragraph seems to be....
> " Item It is further my Will and desire that in the event of the Death or
> marriage of my Wife Elizabeth that my Estate with its Increase if any be
> disposed of in the following manner, in case of her marriage I lend unto her
> during her natural life one third part of my Estate* to be ascertained by
> valuation;* the balance at the same time be equally divided between my
> seven children before named. "
>
> To Anne who suggested the widow, Elizabeth, had remarried.
>
> Creed Bozwell to Elizabeth Hatcher, 31 Oct 1821 Frankllin Co    *[Who was
> security on bond?]*
>

This Elizabeth Hatcher probably died about 1826.  Creed Boswell moved to
Tippecanoe Co, IN (where Archibald Hatcher, the executor, also moved)
Boswell married again to Arena, born c 1808-09 in NY.  Last child born in VA
age 16 (1833-34), and first child born in Indiana 13 (1836-37).  see
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=millertrescott&id=I1784


*If Elizabeth, widow of Jeremiah Junr, married again, then who is the
Elizabeth Hatcher, age 64 (b 1785-86) in the 1850 census living next to
William L. Hatcher and family?  Further, Elizabeth's mother died about
1833.  In Jeter v. Jeter, Bedford, 1833-032, Jesse Jeter (son of Henry and
Elizabeth) sued to have property sold because his brother Caleb had died
leaving infant children.  In that suit are named 10 living heirs and Caleb
deceased.  One heir was Elizabeth Hatcher late wife of Jeremiah Hatcher,
decd.  If she was still Elizabeth Hatcher in 1833, she did not marry in 1822
to Mr. Boswell.*

>
> What I have here is an inventory taken 6 years after the  father's death.
>> The widow was still alive and the oldest child, a dau, was  married
>> before this inventory was taken. All the rest of the children were  still
>> minors and this doesn't seem to be a situation where the estate must  be
>> divided.
>>
>> Which brings me to Harold Gill's suggestion - check the *court order
books* to see what prompted the taking of this Inventory.

*Order books to check:  27 May 1816 (order noting the presentation of the
will, its proof, and qualification of executor; usually followed within a
few pages by the appointment of appraisers to conduct inventory and
appraisement of estate)

__ Nov 1822; order related to appraisement

23 Jan 1823; order to record appraisement  returned into court by
??________, and taken by Peter Hunter, John Noell, and Nelson A. Thomson.

A clue is who returned the appraisement.  Was Archibald still executor?  Or
had he resigned and been replaced by an administrator with the will
annexed?  Was there pressure from Hawkins to get his share?  A change in
administration of the estate could trigger an inventory.

The will was hardly generous.  Elizabeth got no more under the will than she
would have had by renouncing under the will and taking her dower portion
(1/3 for life).  The will provided that the estate be kept together for the
benefit of the minor children, but did not include Elizabeth as an
executrix.*

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