Chesterfield County SC~Estate Folder #244 – Alexander McMillan

Each week, on Sunday, I will select an Estate Folders from the Estate files of Chesterfield County and discuss its contents. No known estates exist for the period before the Civil War. They were destroyed with the burning of the Courthouse. There are a few “Equity Records” in the State Archives. Do not overlook this valuable resource if you are looking for ancestors in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Today we will be looking at the following Estate folder:
#244Alexander McMillan ¹

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-N73J-T?i=428&wc=MPPT-HZ9%3A190567401%2C190561002%2C190567402%2C190778401&cc=1911928

Alexander McMillan died in early 1869 leaving his wife and six children surviving. His oldest son, Thomas E. McMillan was the administrator on his estate indicating he died intestate.

On 15 July 1869, Thomas E. McMillian signed an affidavit indicating that he would make a true and just inventory of the estate of his father, Alexander McMillan.


Transcription:

State of South Carolina}    By B. F. Miller
Chesterfield County}             Judge of Probate
             Personally appeared Thos. E. McMillan before me, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, made oath that he would produce to show to the appraisers appointed by the Judge of Probate and inform them of all and singular the goods and chattels of Alex McMillan dec’d which already have in May hereafter before the day of making the appraisement came to his hands, possession and knowledge and that the said deceased died without any Will so far as he knows an believe, and that he would well and truly administer all and singular the goods, chattel, rights + credit as far as the same will  extend and the law require him and that he make a just and true + perfect inventory of all and singular the said goods, chattels, rights + credits and return a just account, when thereunto required.
Sworn to before me this 15th day
of July 1869.                                                                            T. E. McMillan
B. F. Miller Judge of Probate

Image 448 of the estate names all the heirs–at-law of the estate; those named were the Widow, Mary F. “Malsey” Miller McMillan and six children:

• Thomas E. McMillan
• Louisa J. McMillan Pate
• Harriett Ann McMillan Rorie
• Frances Ellen McMillan Blakeney
• Mary C. McMillan Welch
• Henrietta C. McMillan Miller

The 1870 Mortality Schedule for Chesterfield County shows that Alexander McMillan died in March at the age of 69. The above inventory was taken in July 1869 so we know that Alexander died in March 1869. A FindAGrave Memorial shows his death as 19 March 1869 but I have found no proof of a specific date just the month and year (Mar 1869). 

His wife, Mary F. “Malsey” passed away in January 1886.
1st That Mrs. Molsey McMillian late of the County and state aforesaid departed this life intestate on or about the __ day of January 1886.

Probate of the estate was closed on 3 February 1892.










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[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-N73J-T?cc=1911928&wc=MPPT-HZ9%3A190567401%2C190561002%2C190567402%2C190778401 : 21 May 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0228-0281 > image 429 of 1419; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

Chesterfield County SC Estates~Estate Folder #244~Alexander McMillan

 

This is a new series of posting, appearing every Sunday, on selected Estate Folders from the Estate files of Chesterfield County. No known estates exist for the period before the Civil War. They were destroyed with the burning of the Courthouse. There are a few “Equity Records” in the State Archives. Do not overlook this valuable resources if you are looking for ancestors in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Today we will be looking at the following Estate folders:

Folder #244

Alexander McMillan

This estate folder begins at image #429 and ends with image #482. (images 429-482)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19385-3236-51?cc=1911928

By all standards, Alexander McMillan was a wealthy man at the time of his death. His estate folder consists of approximately 53 pages/images and can be accessed through the hyperlink above. He married Masley Miller about 1829; Malsey was 18 but Alexander was a few years older. Between 1830 and 1845 they would add six children to the household; one son and five daughters.  

The children of Alexander and Malsey were: 

i. Thomas E. McMillan was born about 1830.
ii. Louisa J. McMillan, born 1832; married Levi Pate; died Sep 1859, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
iii. Harriett Ann McMillan, born abt 1834, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Thomas Rorie; died 21 Jan 1918.
iv. Frances Ella McMillan, born 14 Dec 1838; married Peter M. Blakeney; died 12 Oct 1917, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
v. Mary C. McMillan, born abt 1842; married Francis M. Welch.
vi. Henrietta C. McMillan, born abt 1845; married R. P. Miller, abt 1862
.
Distribution on the estate was made to all six children even though Louisa J. McMillan Pate had passed away in Sept. 1859.  

Image 451 of 1419 is dated July the 1st 1858.  It states:





Accounts of money and property given to my children in advanced to be accounted for by each of them in the final Division of my Estate. 
 
Distributees on the Estate were his wife Malsey and all 6 children or their heirs.

Image 448 – Distribution

This is a very interesting estate but even though I have many sources I still do not know when Alexander McMillian died. I have three different documents all with conflicting information so you will have to decided for yourself when Alexander died.
The 1870 Mortality Schedule shows that Alex McMillan died in March 1870.**









Image #466 of the Probate file #244 shows that Alexander McMillan died on or before 2 November 1869.




Image #471 of the Probate file #244 is a letter dated 15 July 1869 signed by T. E. McMillan informing the judge that you will show the court appointed appraisers all the good and chattel of said Alexander McMillan.




This document indicates that Alexander McMillan died before 15 July 1869. 

The probate file shows that Alexander McMillan was deceased sometime prior to 15 July 1869; yet, the 1870 Census Mortality Schedule shows he died in March 1870.








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** Because each of the censuses from 1850-1880 began on June 1, “previous year” refers to the 12 months preceding June 1, or June 1 (of the previous year) to May 31 (of the census year).
1. 1850 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 158B(stamped); Line 23, Dwelling 923, Family 923, Household of Alexander McMILLEN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 March 2016); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
2. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page: 113(stamped); Line 16, Dwelling 273, Family 273, Household of Alex. M. McMILLAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 August 2016); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
3. 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, mortality schedule, Jefferson, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page 113, Line 3, Household #73, Alexr McMillen; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 March 2016); citing National Archives Microfilm MRT573_2197.
4. 1880 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Jefferson, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 006, Page: 345B (stamped); Line 37, Dwelling 199, Family 210, Household of Francis M. WELCH; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 March 2016); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.