Amanuensis Monday~Probate Folder #241-William Alfred Rivers

 

Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Today’s subject is the Estate of William Alfred Rivers.

William Alfred Rivers
Estate Folder #241

URL: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-N7QJ-R?cc=1911928&wc=MPPT-HZ9%3A190567401%2C190561002%2C190567402%2C190778401

William Alfred Rivers, born about 1828, was the son of William Rivers and his wife Elizabeth ‘Betsy” Rivers. In June 1851, he married Mary A. Brock, age 22, daughter of Squire H. Brock and Rachel Parker.

Mary A. Brock Rivers died with the birth of her child, a son, Squire James Rivers who did survive.

Being a farmer and caring for a small baby just wasn’t practical. In 1853, William Alfred Rivers married a young lady named Eliza Ann Turnage, age 23, daughter of William Turnage and Lavina Thompson.

By the start of the Civil War William and Eliza had 5 additional children; 4 daughters and a son.

I haven’t found a Civil War Record for William Alfred but an entry in “Broken Fortunes’ shows that – W. A. Rivers, Private, Palmetto Sharpshooters (P.S.S.) died on 17 August 1863 at Petersburg, Virginia. The fact that his estate was probated shortly after the war points to his death during the war or shortly thereafter.



State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield District}
To Hugh Craig Sen. Esquire, Ordinary
The Petition of Mrs. Eliza A. Rivers
Shewth That William A. Rivers late of the District and State aforesaid, lately died intestate, having whilst he lived and at the time of his death divers goods and effect – Your petitioner therefore prays that letters of Administration of all and singular the said goods and effects be granted to her according to law.
Oct. 29^th 1866                                                              s/Eliza A. Rivers





 
 
__________________________
[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/ : viewed 3 August 2011), Estate Folder #241,, "Wm. A. RIVERS, Probate Case #241," Images 342-353.
[2] Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina, 1997), page 298.