death
Benjamin died on March 6, 1858 in South Scituate, at the age of 86. The cause of death is listed as old age. Lydia lived 6 more years, died on February 5, 1864 in South Scituate. She was 85 years old. She also died of old age. They are buried at the Liberty Plains Cemetery in Hingham, MA. I visited the cemetery in May of 2010, and found Benjamin's headstone, broken, lying against a tree. I don't think I looked for Lydia's gravestone at the time as I remember just happening upon Benjamin's while searching for other ancestors, I will have to go back and check.
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| From blog post benjamin whiton and lydia stodder |
land after death
After Benjamin's death, in 1859, there are some Plymouth County deeds showing Lydia purchases land from her sons Richard and Joel in South Scituate, Abington and Hanover. These deeds describe that this land was the purchased land by her sons from her husband in 1828 and 1831. Richard and Joel also sell some of this land to their sisters, Elizabeth Whiting Burrell, and Lydia and Mary Whiting; with Elizabeth purchasing one half of house, and Lydia and Mary purchasing the other half. (Plymouth county deeds 293,130-132 - see note 5) So the land that Benjamin sold off to his sons remains in the family after his death.
In 1860, Lydia, a widow, is living with her youngest daughter, Elizabeth, wife of James Burrell, in Scituate. According to the census, they are still neighbors with Joanna Whiting French and her unmarried children, Mary, Lydia and Jared. The historical land ownership map for South Scituate in 1879, shows a more precise location of their land, with sisters Joanna Whiting French and Elizabeth Whiting Burrell across the street from each other, just south of Accord Pond. The other siblings are not listed on this map, perhaps because they are sharing the house with Elizabeth, or they may be on the Abington side of their land (although I did not find them on the Abington map either).
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| From blog post benjamin whiton and lydia stodder |
probate
Both Benjamin and Lydia left probate records, filed in Plymouth county. Their son Richard is the administrator for both estates. Benjamin's file contains an inventory, which is appraised at $88.88, and includes cedar shingles, pine lumber, farming tools, blacksmith tools, grindstones, cross saw and other saws, a cooking stove, 3 guns, beds and bedding, chairs and table, desk, crocken and earthenware, and an old silver watch. There is no mention of land. The court allowed his wife Lydia to have $55.00 out of Benjamin's personal estate. (Plymouth county probates (13, 550); (100, 340); (1z, 29); (9, 461); and (101,389))
Lydia's probate file does mention real estate valuing $444.25 and a personal estate of $348.75; but I was unable to find an inventory in her files. (Plymouth county probate 108,134) The land must be from the land she bought from her sons in 1859, after her husband's death. Another file mentions her personal estate again (Plymouth county probate 110,148)...
Said accountant [Richard] charges himself with several accounts received as stated in Schedule A, herewith/ exhibited,....$396.34
And asks to be allowed for sundry payments and charges as stated in Schedule B, herewith exhibited,.........$367.55
Balance,..........$28.79
Richard Whiting, adm
The undersigned, being all except Joel Whiting of East Providence, RI, parties interested, having examined the foregoing account, / request that the same may be allowed without further notice.
Lydia Whiting / Elizabeth Burrell / Mary Whiting / Joanna French / Jared Whiting / Maria Howes
There do not seem to be any files though that show where Lydia's land went after her death. She did not leave a will, and I did not find any other purchases of land in the deed index from her children. I am not sure if this means that the children would have just automatically received her land after her death, or if there should be other documents created that would state this.
to do:
1. find more information on Benjamin's aunt Abigail - did she marry, when did she die, land, census, etc
2. where did lydia's land go - she had also purchased some from freeman french I think
