The Estate of Phillip Ryan
A report was made of the inventory of Phillip Ryan's estate to the Morgan County Probate Judge's office a little over three weeks after Elizabeth remarried John Blevins. The estate inventory was recorded in Book 2, pages 48 and 49:
July 29th, 1822
We the undersigned being appointed to value the estate of Phillip Ryan, deceased, do certify that the following is a true list of the property that was shown to us, and the value of the same:
| Three steers three years old |
$27.00
|
| One steer one year old |
$3.00
|
| Three heifers two years old |
$18.00
|
| One yearling heifer |
$3.00
|
| One cow and yearling |
$10.00
|
| Four cows at forty dollars |
$40.00
|
| A bull at five dollars |
$5.00
|
| One bay mare |
$20.00
|
| One yearling colt |
$15.00
|
| One rifle gun and shot pouch |
$8.00
|
| One ___ and furniture |
$9.50
|
| One looking glass |
$0.50
|
| One tool box |
$1.00
|
| One chest |
$1.00
|
| One bed and furniture |
$15.00
|
| One bed and furniture |
$17.00
|
| One ___ and furniture |
$4.00
|
| Two spinning wheels |
$3.00
|
| One plow and singletree |
$1.50
|
| One pair of gears |
$1.00
|
| Two axes |
$3.50
|
| A handsaw and drawing knife and iron |
$3.75
|
| One man's saddle |
$12.00
|
| Two pots |
$5.50
|
| One kettle |
$5.00
|
| One oven and lid and hooks |
$2.50
|
| One pot rack |
$2.00
|
| One skillet |
$0.75
|
| One fire shovel |
$0.75
|
| One water pail ____ tub |
$1.50
|
| One grubbing hoe and ____ |
$2.00
|
| Two sheep |
$4.00
|
| Thirty-three head of hogs at $2.50 |
$82.50
|
We find Elizabeth Bleavins indebted to the estate of Phillip Ryan, deceased as follows (to wit):
| One horse |
$80.00
|
| One horse |
$35.00
|
| Two cows and one calf |
$23.00
|
| One steer |
$12.00
|
| One sheep |
$2.00
|
| Five geese |
$2.50
|
| One steer |
$8.00
|
| Rec'd of Isaac Langston |
$3.87 1/ 2
|
| Rec'd from John Young |
$3.00
|
| Rec'd from Joseph Ballew |
$1.50
|
| Rec'd from David Walding |
$2.00
|
| Rec'd from Richard Crunk |
$0.50
|
| Rec'd from Isaac Blanton |
$4.00
|
| Rec'd from Ruben Martin [?] |
$4.00
|
| Rec'd from James White |
$2.00
|
| Isaac Langston and James Thomason |
$508.12 1/2
|
The foregoing inventory contains a full, just, and true statement of all and singular the goods & chattels, rights and ____ of Phillip Ryan, deceased, as has come into my possession and knowledge. Sworn and subscribed in open court. Test: Thomas McEldury[?], Clerk
Elizabeth [her mark] Bleavins, Administratrix of Phillip Ryan, deceased. August 3rd, 1822
Page 30 of Probate Book One records Elizabeth's return of the inventory list:
State of Alabama, Morgan County: At a monthly court held in the town of Somerville on Saturday the 3rd day of August 1822. Present, Robert Tapscott, Esq., Judge.
Elizabeth Bleavins, executrix of Philly Ryan deceased, came into court and returned an inventory of the estate of said Ryan, and payed an order of sale for said estate which is granted.
Ordered that Elizabeth Bleavins, executrix of Phillip Ryan, deceased, expose to sale the perishables estate late of said Phillip Ryan as prescribed by law.
Shortly after the estate was inventoried, it was put up for sale. Elizabeth bought back several items of her own household goods, allowing just a few other items to be sold off to pay off debts. Her new husband, John Blevins, bought mostly livestock. The following is from Probate Book 2, pages 55 - 57:
Articles of sales September the 2 day of 1822 of Phillip Ryan, deceased, all persons purchasing of property not exceeding two dollars prompt payment down, all over two dollars twelve months credit will be giving bond and approved security such as the ____ directs [witness?] whereas:
| Bought by Elizabeth Blevins one bed and furniture |
$18.00
|
| Ditto one bed and furniture |
$6.00
|
| Ditto one bed and furniture |
$5.00
|
| One shelf and furniture |
$10.00
|
| One chest |
$1.00
|
| One looking glass |
$0.50
|
| Elizabeth Blevins one cow and yearling |
$12.00
|
| Ditto one cow and yearling |
$11.00
|
| Ditto one cow and yearling |
$10.50
|
| Ditto one cow and yearling |
$12.00
|
| Ditto one cow and yearling |
$21.00
|
| One handsaw |
$3.00
|
| One spinning wheel |
$1.06 1/2
|
| One little [?] wheel |
$0.50
|
| One woman's saddle |
$5.00
|
| Ditto one box of tools |
$0.71
|
| Stamping iron |
$0.12 1/2
|
| One sprouting [hoe?] |
$0.50
|
| One [fauling?] axe |
$2.00
|
| Ditto [fauling?] axe |
$1.25
|
| Elizabeth Bleavins ____ one plow |
$3.00
|
| Ditto one fire shovel |
$1.00
|
| Ditto one cattle |
$7.00
|
| Ditto one cattle |
$0.50
|
| David Rutleg one pot |
$2.00
|
| Elizabeth Blevins one pot rack |
$2.50
|
| Ditto one oven |
$4.50
|
| Ditto one gun |
$8.00
|
| Eight head of hogs |
$37.00
|
October the 1 day of 1822
| Elizabeth Bleavins six head of hogs | $12.00 |
| Ditto five hogs | $15.12 1/2 |
| Ditto five hogs | $15.00 |
| Ditto on filly | $25.00 |
| John Barnett one saddle | $15.56 1/4 |
| William Ryan ____ and drawing knife | $3.00 |
| John Bleavins one mare | $21.00 |
| Ditto one heifer and steer | $9.00 |
| Ditto one bull and steer | $14.50 |
| Ditto one heifer and steer | $15.00 |
| Ditto one steer | $10.50 |
| Ditto 3 hogs | $22.00 |
| Ditto 4 sheep | $6.00 |
| Ditto 18 hogs | $33.00 |
| Ditto one sorrel horse | $65.00 |
| Ditto one cow | $15.00 |
| Ditto one steer | $13.00 |
| Ditto one cow | $10.00 |
| To $19 cash | $19.00 |
| To $3 cash | $3.00 |
| To $2.25 cash | $2.25 |
State of Alabama, Morgan County: Sworn to by Elizabeth Bleavins, Exect. of Phillip Ryan Dec'd, this 5th Oct 1822, Robert Tapscott, Judge, CC.
Another entry in Probate Book One, on page 71, records a statement about the settlement of Phillip Ryan's Estate:
Recorded at the Court House in Somerville on Saturday the 27th of December 1823: This day came Elizabeth Blevins, formerly Elizabeth Ryan, wife of the late Phillip Ryan, deceased, and the executrix of the said deceased and her present husband John Blevins being now personally present with the said Elizabeth and have made a final settlement of the said estate and it is found by the court that the said estate has been fully administered and it is now ordered by the court that the said John Blevins, the husband of the said Elizabeth the executrix, and the securitus[?] of the executrix be discharged from any further liability as to the said estate and that the is to be a complete and final end and settlement of the said estate and administration.
The settlement of Phillip Ryan's estate would have been complete with that except for one thing. Apparently, Elizabeth neglected to account for the house and land in the inventory of the estate. The following item appears in Probate Book 3, pages 135 and 136:
Inventory of the estate of Philip Ryan, deceased, of the goods and chattles, lands and tenements which was left unadministered by the former administrator not fully administered and which came to the hands of John Ryan, the present administrator 1825. 1 quarter section of land on which one fourth part had been paid south east of Section 35 Township 7 Range 1 West one quarter section more on which one fourth part had been paid to wit the north east quarter of Section Thirty-Four and Township Seven of Range 1 West on the east half of which quarter was paid the orphans court first mentioned quarter and the half of the last on which paid that ___ last mentioned half quarter section and possession of which was delivered to the ____. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 23rd day of December 1829. M.C Horton[?], Clerk. Recorded Dec. 25, 1829. [Signed] John Ryan, Adm.
The land mentioned above apparently adjoined land granted to Elizabeth Ryan by the Federal Government in 1818. (See map, page 12). Probate Book 4, page 71 has the last record of Phillip Ryan's estate settlement:
Orphans Court Special Term Dec 23rd, 1829; present Chas W. Peters, Judge.
This day came John Ryan, Adm. of the estate of Phillip Ryan, Dec'd and made his return of the inventory of the Real Estate which was ordered to be entered of record.
Court then adjourned, Ch. W. Peters, Judge