Betts

Biography of Charles Betts

Honorable Charles Betts, Freeport, is one of the most prominent figures of the Stephenson county bar, and his long association with legal affairs gives him the colloquial title of “Judge” Betts. He is called the Nestor of the bar, and is now living in an honorable retirement from professional life. He was born in Batavia, Genesee county, New York, June 13th, 1825, and up to the time of his admission to the bar his life was passed in the Empire state. His educational privileges eminently fitted him for the profession of his choice. At all times he has made the … Read more

Genealogy of Elizabeth Caroline Seymour Brown

Genealogy of Elizabeth Caroline Seymour Brown

Over a period of many years Mrs. Elizabeth Caroline Seymour Brown, early member of Linares Chapter, D.A.R., collected genealogy of her forebears. It was her wish that her work be sent to the library of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. This collection was painstakingly copied, with some additions and corrections, maintaining the same general form as used in the original notes. Elizabeth’s family originated in England moving to New England in the 1600’s. Her family lines involve many of the early lines in Connecticut, Massachusets, and New Hampshire. The families are arranged mostly in alphabetical order, and contain information from a simple direct line descendancy, to more elaborate genealogy.

Major families researched include: Alverson, Arms, Arnold, Ballou, Barden, Barker, Barnard, Bassett, Belden, Benedict, Betts, Blakeslee, Blanchard, Bradstreet, Brigham, Bronson, Buckmaster, Bull, Butterfield, Carpenter, Clark, Clerke, Cooke, Coombs, Cornwall, Corbin, Curitss, Dickerman, Dickson, Doolittle, Downey, Dudley, Eastman, Easton, Errington, Evarts, Fairbank, Foote, Gilbert, Goodrich, Graves, Gregory, Groves, Hale, Hand, Hall, Hawkes, Hawkins, Hills, Holmes, Hopkins, Hoyt, Huitt, Hurd, Keayne, Keene, Lockwood, Lupton, Lord, Manning, Marvin, Mayo, Merriman, Miller, Morris, Morton, Mosse, Moulton, Munger, Needham, Parker, Parkhurst, Potter, Peck, Pettiplace, Purefoy, Priest, Rusco, St John, Scofield, Seymour, Sherman, Smith, Strong, Swinnerton, Symonds, Threlkell, Thorne, Ventriss, Wade, Watson, Weed, White, and Yorke.

Biographical Sketch of Judge Peter Betts

Judge Peter Betts came in as early as 1803 and settled at Bettsburgh, to which place he gave his name. He was a large land-holder, and opened there in 1805 the first store in the town, which he kept till his removal to Bainbridge, about 1820-’25, where he was also engaged in mercantile business. He represented this county in the Assembly in 1804-‘5, again in 1808, and again in 1811. He was born in Norwalk, Conn., January 17, 1772, and died in Bainbridge, June 19, 1849. Eliza, his wife, died February 9, 1819, aged 40. His children were: Peter, Sally, … Read more

Will of William Betts – 1673

WM. BETTS, Yonkers. “The Twelfth day of the Twelfth month 1673.” “I William Betts of the Yonckers Plantation, in the Jurisdiction now of New Orange so called.” Leaves to wife Alice, “house, barn and home lot, and meadows that are lying by my house lot,” also one third of my lot in the Planting Field, during her life: Also leaves her household goods. Leaves to son Samuel Betts, after his wife’s decease, the said house, Home lot and meadows, and one third of all lands in the Yonckers Plantation. Also a Home lot next to the home lot of Goodman … Read more

History of Clarks Nebraska, 1865-1976

Heritage of Clarks Nebraska

We begin our story in the year 1854 when the United States Congress organized the Nebraska Territory. Four years later, a law was passed defining the boundaries of its counties and locating their county seats. Merrick County now had a name and a county seat — Elvira. To the present day no one knows the exact location of Elvira, but many pioneers believed it was located two miles southeast of Clarks. The county received its name from the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Her maiden name was Elvira Merrick. The volume “History of Nebraska” tells us … Read more

History of Hutchinson Kansas

Hutchinson a Prairie City in Kansas

Published in 1946 by McCormick-Armstrong Co., Wichita, Kansas, “Hutchinson, a Prairie City in Kansas” is an important historical resource that captures the quintessence of a small city transitioning through time. The author, Willard Welsh, has painstakingly collected stories, facts, and photographs to compose a narrative that preserves the memory of Hutchinson’s development from its early days to an expanding city center.

Abstracts of Wills on File in the City of New York Surrogate’s Office 1660-1680

Sample Last Will and Testament

Abstracts of wills on file in the surrogate’s office city of New York 1660-1680. From May 1787 to the present, county surrogate’s courts have recorded probates. However, the court of probates and court of chancery handled estates of deceased persons who died in one county but who owned property in another. An 1823 law mandated that all probates come under the jurisdiction of the county surrogate’s courts. Each surrogate’s court has a comprehensive index to all probate records, including the unrecorded probate packets. Interestingly enough, there are wills existing and on record at the Surrogate’s Office in New York City for the time-span of 1660-1680. Genealogical extracts of these wills have been provided below.