Inventories of estates show name of decedent and township, date filed, itemized list of possessions and assets, appraised valuation, and signatures and affidavit of appraisers and administrators. Administrators' Accounts and Administrators' Bonds are also filed with this collection prior to 1776. Other estate related papers sometimes included before 1776 were: Orphans' Court papers, Renunciations, and Vendue Lists. Inventories were sometimes filed with the wills and may be at the courthouse. Appraisers often included widow's allotments in the inventories. Any additional information such as occupation, cause of death, or the listing of enslaved persons or indentured servants are noted in the database.
Prior to 1752, documents between the months of January and March were subject to double dating, as a result of the conflict between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Therefore, documents filed between 1 January and 25 March have two years listed; one from the old Julian calendar and one from the new Gregorian calendar.
System of Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically and then chronologically within each letter.
Inventories of estates show name of decedent and township, date filed, itemized list of possessions and assets, appraised valuation, and signatures and affidavit of appraisers and administrators.
Prepared by Wm. W. Britton, begun 1734, completed May 30, 1935 ;
Date of Publication
1734 - 1935.
Physical Description
4 reels ; 35 mm.
Notes
Microfilmed in 1957. Contains 20 volumes. Lancaster County warrants are on V. 16.
Labeled on box # 257 - # 261.
Material arranged by county and includes names of warrantee, date, acreage, location, date of return, name of patentee, where patent recorded, and where survey is copied.
Supplement 1 entitled Catalogue of Mechanics' Library Society of Lancaster City, with Supplement containing list of books purchased from 1884 to 1889 inclusive (1890); Supplement 2 entitled Supplement to catalogue of Mechanics' Library Society of Lancaster City,containing list of books purchased from 1889 to 1889 inclusive (1890).
Vol 1: Father Ferdinand Farmer, an apostolic missionary in three states by John F. Quirk--A discourse, delivered in the Leacock Presbyterian Church, Lancaster County, Pa., on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1854 by P.J. Timlow--A discourse delivered in the Leacock Presbyterian Church, July 21st, 1892 by P.J. Timlow--Christ Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa.--Report of the commissioners appointed to examine the affairs of the Lancaster Savings Institution.
Vol.2: Resources and industries of the City of Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pa.--Historical sketch of St. Anthony's Church, Lancaster, Penna., 1870-1895 by Anthony F. Dorley--A discourse delivered in the Leacock Presbyterian Church, Lancaster County, Pa., on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1854--A discourse delivered in the Leacock Presbyterian Church, July 21st, 1892 by P.J. Timlow--Historical sketch of Zion's Reformed Church [Millersville] by D.H. Landis.
"Reprint and index" copy by Gary T. Hawbaker compiled in 1993
Summary
Squire Thon was born in Germany in 1807. He kept a diary from 1847 until his death in 1888. He was well known in the county. His diary entries appeared in the Lancaster New Era newspaper for several years. His title of Squire came from his service as Justice of the Peace in Lancaster Township for 25 years
