Ashbel Waller’s will

I last wrote here about Ashbel Waller, my 5th great grandfather and, hopefully, my ticket into Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  Now I’m digging through things I stashed away a few years ago and am anxious to get back to proving my descendancy so I can complete my DAR application.

Ashbel died 20 Sep 1848 in Butler County, Ohio and the Butler County Records Center was kind enough to send me quite a few documents pertaining to Ashbel’s life and death.

Here is the Record of his Will – I love the old handwriting but it is nearly impossible for these old eyes to read.  Thankfully, ancestry.com members Valerie Williams and Barbara Sparks have transcribed it which makes things a whole lot easier.  I've only included a photo showing a portion of the will but the full transcription follows.

Old Will Book 3 Pg. 257 Butler County Records Center & Archives Hamilton, Ohio

1848, Waller, Ashbell, Sept. 26th
In the name of the Benevolent Father of All:
I, Ashbell Waller of Butler County Ohio do make and publish this my last will and testament.  Item 1st  I direct that all my just debts and journal charges be first paid.  Item 2nd  I direct that my Executor hereafter named pay as soon as he can after my death to my daughter Ruth Thompson two hundred dollars, to my daughter Hannah Myers two hundred dollars, to my daughter Sena Moore two hundred dollars, to my son Alvy Waller two hundred dollars, to my son Salmon Waller two hundred dollars and to my granddaughter Ruth Osborn the sum of two hundred dollars.  If my Estate is not sufficient to pay all the above legacies, then each one is to have an equal proportion of what is above directed to be paid to each of them.  Item 3 The title to my farm in Liberty township is now in litigation in the Supreme Court of Butler County Ohio as a suit validated by me against Zadre W. Turner.  If by the decree in that came the Land would be directed to be recovered to me, then I direct my Executor to sell my said real estate for the purpose of meeting my debts and the above legacies.  But if the Court should merely decree to me the payment of a certain sum of money and leave the title to said land as it now is then the said money is to go towards paying said debts and legacies.  Item 4th  If there is anything left of my Estate either real or personal after paying the above legacies I direct that the whole residue thereof shall be equally divided share and share alike between Alvy Waller, Salmon Waller, Ruth Thompson, Hannah Myers, Sena Moore and Ruth Osborn.  Item 5th  I hereby nominate and appoint Cyrus Osborn to be the Executor of this my last will and testament.

In Witness Whereof I have set my hand and seal this 18th September A.D,. 1848.

A. Waller [seal]

Signed sealed and acknowledged by the testator as and for his last Will and testament in our presence who signed the same as witnesses in his presence and at his request September 18, 1848.

G.T. Bell
R.H. Cook
Otis Brown

A couple of items stand out to me:

1.  The Will was signed 18 Sep 1848 and Ashbel died just two days later.  Was he on his deathbed and dictating this to someone?

2.  At the time of his death, Ashbel was married to Jane Turner.  Was Zadre W. Turner a relative of hers?  Ex-husband?  Brother?  Son?

3.  Cyrus Osborn was the husband of Ruth Waller, daughter of Alvy Waller.

4.  The signature of Ashbel was noted with a [seal].  Was he too sick to sign his name or was he illiterate?

5.  It looks like $200 in 1848 would be worth about $5,500 today.

6.  Who were G.T. Bell, R.H. Cook, and Otis Brown?  All three are new names to me.

The most important question I have – is the fact that Ashbel names Salmon Waller as his son significant documentation for my DAR application?

Here’s my ticket!

Revolutionary War Flag photo by Nink Allsbrook

Memorial Day is a day to reflect on my ancestors who served in the military in an effort to form our country and to keep it free for generations to come.  And while there have been many who fit the bill, I can’t think of anyone who has piqued my interest more than my 5th great grandfather, Ashbel Waller, who is my ticket to join the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  The process of gaining admittance into DAR is a bit overwhelming but at some point I’ll make it happen.  Until then, I’ll continue to research Ashbel and prepare for the upcoming project.

Ashbel (Ashbell, Ashabel, Asahel) Waller was the son of Phineas Waller (1717-1787) and Rhoda (Phebe) Taylor (1717-?) and from what I have learned, was the sixth of eleven children.  He was born 18 Oct 1759 in Cornwall, Connecticut, and baptized 11 Nov 1759.

Not much is known about Ashbel’s early life until 1 Aug 1779 when he enlisted in Webb’s 2nd Continental or 2nd Connecticut Line and served until he was discharged on 15 Jan 1780.  At the age of 20, Ashbel was in the throes of war and while he served for just a short period of time, his name will forever be in history books as a Revolutionary War patriot.  MY Revolutionary War patriot.

Ashbel returned from war and per the Barbour Collection, Ashbel of Cornwall was married to Sarah Abbott of Sharon on 1 Nov 1781 by Judge Kellogg, JP.  Sarah gave birth to Solomon (Salmon) Waller, my 4th great grandfather, in 1788 in Pennsylvania.  The family shows in later years in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where Ashbel owned 50 acres of land valued at $240.

More children, Hannah, Ruth, Sena and Alvin, joined the family, although I can’t confirm they were Sarah’s children or if another woman had entered Ashbel’s life.  Somewhere between 1800-1810, the family moved to Butler County, Ohio, and on 5 Sep 1820, Ashbel and Elizabeth Blackleach were married by Rev. James Hugh.  What had happened to Sarah? 

In the 1840 census Ashbel is listed as “under 90” and was living with an “under 80” female (Elizabeth) in Union Township, Butler County, Ohio.    But Ashbel had an important neighbor by the name of Jane Turner, a woman living alone.  And on 12 Apr 1842 at the spry age of 83, Ashbel and Jane Turner were married in Butler County, Ohio by Rev. David Laymon.  Which means that sometime between the 1840 census and this marriage, Elizabeth most likely died.

There is so much information about Ashbel’s life – war records, pension records, marriage ceremonies performed, death on 20 Sep 1848, and his will – but I’ve yet to be 100% sure of his final resting place.  A few years ago a researcher from the Butler Country Historical Society located some items for me, one of which was 1985 correspondence to the Butler County Commissioner regarding a gravestone with the partial name Elizabeth Walle_ and, potentially, the grave of Ashbel Waller in Liberty Township, Ohio.  This graveyard is located on property that was owned by Ashbel in 1830 and is described as about 101 acres in the northeast corner of Section 6 on the 1830 cadastral map.  It is described today as about 0.4 mile eastward from Route 747 along Hamilton-Mason Road thence about 0.2 mile southward parallel to the meridional section line.  I wish I knew more about land deeds so I could figure out exactly what that means.

The point of the 1985 correspondence was to help the establishment of the graveyard’s historical significance in light of Ashbel’s participation in the Revolutionary War.  And now nearly 30 years later, I would somehow like to learn even more about this graveyard and to, hopefully, stand in front of the grave of MY Revolutionary War patriot and 5th great grandfather, Ashbel Waller.

It’s time to step it up and get back to researching so I can punch my ticket into DAR!