A Wish List?

Today I thought I'd post the appraisal bill for the estate of my 5th-great grandfather Joseph Bennett. For many of us, the items on this appraisal will read like a wish list. Do any of you see anything that you would like to have from this appraisal?

While these prices look good by today's standard, keep in mind that it would take approximately $18.06 in today's money to equal One dollar in 1810, according to Measuring Worth website.

Pendleton County Will Book 3, page 104
Praise Bill of Joseph Bennett Deceased Estate
August the 30th 1810

• Pewter and Tin Ware and ladles-$10.00
• One tea kettle, thirteen coolers and two buckets-$4.25
• Two ovens, one skillet, one watering pot, one flat iron, one pot, one box iron-$6.00
• One set fire dogs, two pot trammels on shovel and tongs and bellows-$4.00
• One pair Steely and four sifters-$2.50
• One Daepser-$2.50
• One pepper mill and Ten ware-$2.16
• One corner cupboard-$9.00
• Twenty four pounds woolen yarn-$10.00
• Two Spinning wheels and four spools-$2.00
• Two Tables-$2.75
• Eight Chairs-$2.00
• Fifteen forks and six knives two bones-$1.00
• One Looking Glass-$2.50
• Six Books-$1.66
• Two pieces Sole Leather and two of upper Leather-$4.00
• Two hackles, three boxes shoemakers tools and sawdries-$3.00
• Five planes, one window sash and Brimstone-$1.75
• One Bed and Bed Stead-$12.00
• One ditto-ditto-$13.00
• Ditto-ditto-$7.00
• One Trunk and Chest-$2.00
• One wool wheel and reel, two pair of wool cards-$2.00
• Two chairs and one basket-$0.50
• Seven Gums and two tubs-$2.00
• Loom and utensils belonging to it-$14.00
• One set smith tools, bucket and cooler-$30.00
• Three Grind Stones and hand mill-$4.50
• Three kettles and one oven and lid-$14.00
• Three Churns-$1.50
• Three Kegs-$1.00
• Three barrels and a tub and one can-$5.00
• One bucket and two pickling pots-$2.75
• One spinning wheel and spool-$1.50
• One frying pan-$1.25
• One pot, shovel and Jointer-$3.25
• Carpenter tools of different kinds-$8.00
• Two narrow axes, one broad axe, one iron wedge-$2.00
• One saddle and saddle bags, two half bushels, one drawing knife and one conch shell-$4.00
• One set of gears and three bridles and one curry comb-$6.50
• Two tubs, one grubbing hoe, two weeding hoes and one bell-$2.75
• One side saddle-$3.00
• One plough and singletrees, two pair plough irons, one coal rake and a sithe-$10.50
• Shovel plough, log chain and sled-$6.16
• One waggon and hay lathers-$40.00
• One iron tooth harrow-$4.75
• Ten bee stands-$9.00
• One Still and cap and worm-$80.00
• One Still and cap and worm and stove plate-$25.00
• Thirteen Still Tubs, three kegs and a barrel-$15.25
• Two pigons, one hammer and trowel-$0.75
• Apple Mill and Cider Press-$2.75
• One Wolf Trap-$3.50
• Sixteen head of hogs-$19.50
• Twenty two geese-$9.16
• Eleven head of sheep-$21.00
• One Sorrel Horse-$12.00
• One black colt with white feet-$10.00
• One brown two year old colt-$25.00
• One bay mare and colt-$40.00
• One old brown horse-$25.00
• Three heifers and two steers-$24.00
• Two calves with mottled faces-$3.00
• One Wind Mill-$16.67
• Three Cows-$34.00
• Two pied steers-$24.00
• Two pied cows-$19.00
• Four heifers, two black ones and two red & white ones-$23.50
• Two bottles, one wheat Riddle & one Sickle, three bags, one gum, one pair sheep shears-$4.00
• One hundred weight of broke flax, two sheep skins, one hog skin-$7.00
• Two Bells & Collars and Sun dial-$1.25

Total $724.01 (this would be $13,077.31 in todays money).

We assert this within praisement bill to be a true bill & Inventory of Joseph Bennett, deceased, Estate. August the 31st 1810
Signed. Johnson Phares, Henry Bland, Geo. Henkle
At a court held for Pendleton County the 4th day of September 1810 This Inventory and appraisement of the estate of Joseph Bennett. Dec, was returned to court and ordered to be recorded.Teste, L. Dyer C.P.C.
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So tell the truth, just how much of this stuff do you wish you had? I want it all!

Searching for my Ancestors

On Friday, July 4, 2008, a friend of mine that I met online and I met for the first time and went looking at old cemeteries in the Bland Hills. My friend, Glenn, is from Virginia and is a walking encyclopedia of family history knowledge. He and I are related several different ways way back when but this day we were just looking at connecting families. Accompanying us were my dad and my brother, who helped located graves in the overgrown cemetery. The first cemetery we went to was known as the John Warner Cemetery, it is the resting spot of several of my relatives and two sets of great-so many-grandparents. The cemetery is on a hill in a lovely location that overlooks Germany Valley.



In this cemetery, you will find the stone of my 5-great-grandfather Joseph Bennett. It is remarkable that his stone is still standing, he died in 1810. Near his grave is that of his son, and my 4-great-grandfather, Elijah Bennett. His stone is still standing as well, he died in 1871. It is sad that their wives didn't have stones, even though they are surely buried beside of these men. Elijah Bennett is my grandfather two different ways, his daughter Sarah "Sally" Bennett married George W. Burns and they were my 3 great-grandparents; and also Elijah's daughter Hannah Bennett, married John Bennett and they are my 3-great-grandparents on another side. Their daughter Phoebe Jane Bennett married George Cunningham. Phoebe and George's daughter Jennie Cunningham married Charley Burns, the son of the aforementioned George and Sally (Bennett) Burns.

Below is the headstone of Joseph Bennett.

Below is the headstone of Joseph's son, Elijah Bennett.

After visiting this cemetery, we then went to the Bennett #51 cemetery further back in the Bland Hills on Dolly Ridge. There we found the headstone of my 3-great-grandfather George W. Cunningham. He was married to Phoebe Jane Bennett (see story above). Anyway, George also went by the last name of Sponaugle. His mother was a Sponaugle and his daddy was a Cunningham. In early records the family is listed as Sponaugle but later records has them as Cunningham. It came as a surprise to me to find George's headstone as "George W. Sponaugle". No wonder people are so hard to place when researching your family tree.

After we left the Bennett #23 cemetery, we went to the Burns family cemetery above Monkeytown. Since this was my family cemetery, I had been there hundreds of times, and knew most everyone buried therein, either personally or by family stories. But, by then it was raining really hard so Glenn didn't get too much information documented, but I did get to show him where the cemetery was located and we planned a trip for the near future. Stay tuned for more.