Anna Whiteman, Pingry Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana
This is the tombstone of Anna Whiteman, located in Pingry Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana. The marker is inscribed:
ANNA WHITEMAN
Died
July 1838
In The 27
Year of Her
Age
Anna Whiteman was born 18 July 1811 in Pickaway County, Ohio, the youngest child of Christian (1762-1827) and Hannah (Huey) (1773-1850) Whiteman. Anna’s father Christian served in the Berks County Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War.
Christian and Hannah Whiteman resided in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and were enumerated there in 1800. [1] Christian purchased 315 acres of land in Amanda Township, Fairfield County, Ohio around 1804 [2] his family resided there by 1810. [3]
Anna Whiteman is likely the female under age 10 enumerated in the Christian Whiteman household in Amanda Township in 1820. [4]
Anna’s father Christian Whiteman died 23 December 1827, probably in Fairfield County, Ohio. His widow Hannah was enumerated there in 1830, living by herself. Her daughter Mary and her husband Isaac Huey lived a few households away. Isaac and Mary married in 1824 and had four children under 10 in 1830. Also in the Isaac Huey household was a female, age 15-20, which I believe was Anna Whiteman, Mary (Whiteman) Huey’s younger sister. [5]
In the mid-1830s some of the Whitemans and related families purchased land in Jay County, Indiana, and moved there. Anna Whiteman was not married and she could legally purchase land herself. In 1837 Anna purchased 160 acres in Jay County from the U.S. Government. [6] Anna’s property was a little southeast of Bryant, Indiana. At about the same time Anna’s brother-in-law Isaac Huey purchased 312 acres in Jay County from the Government. His land was near Anna’s property, also a little east of Bryant. Anna Whiteman and the Isaac Huey family moved to Indiana very soon after.
The first of March 1838 Anna Whiteman took ill. Her sister Mary and Mary’s husband Isaac Huey cared for Anna for 139 days before her death on 17 July 1838. From Anna Whiteman’s probate file:
Anny Whiteman deceased was [?] In her last illness from first of March 1838 until the 17th of July 1838 and then departed this life. She was a great deal of trouble to us throughout that time and was had to attend to her closely both day and night. [an itemized account of their expenses]:
For nursing her 139 days, $1/day…$139
For 1 gallon of wine…$1
Paying the doctor…$1
Burying cloths…$3.50
Coffin…$5
Total…$149.50 [7]
Anna died intestate, unmarried, and without children, but she left an estate that consisted of the 160 acres she had recently purchased and some personal belongings. Ironically, Anna’s land patent was finalized after her death, with the signature date of 20 August 1838.
Without a will, Anna’s estate was divided among her immediate family, her mother and her siblings. To legally dispose of her estate the court had to determine Anna’s next of kin, those who would inherit her property. As a result, the legal distribution of Anna’s estate created a probate document that includes some wonderful family information. Information that genealogists dream of finding. Some of the most important parts of the document:
Jay Co., IN Probate Order Book A., p.40 (Office of Clerk), Aug. Term 1840
…Anna Whiteman deceased left the following heirs: Hannah Whiteman her mother, John Whiteman, Henry Whiteman & Elizabeth Ekelberry wife of Jacob Ekelberry, all of Delaware County, Ohio; Christian Whiteman of Sandusky, Ohio; James Whiteman of Jay County, Indiana; and Mary Huey wife of Isaac Huey of Jay County, Indiana, brothers and sisters of the whole blood, and Jacob Whiteman of Pickaway County, Ohio and Sarah Welch wife of Charles Welch of Allen County, Ohio, brothers and sisters of the half blood…that distribution be made as follows: 1/2 of said estate be paid to the Hannah Whiteman mother of the deceased and the balance to be divided equally among the remaining heirs. Except the said Jacob Whiteman and Sarah Welch who each received half a share only…
Anna’s estate was valued at $328.45 and John Pingry was the administrator. Anna’s mother Hannah, her closest relative, received the largest share of her estate. The final account of the estate was 19 October 1839.
The above document tells us who was living to inherit Anna’s estate, their relationship to Anna, and where they were living:
Hannah Whiteman, mother, Delaware, Ohio
John Whiteman, full brother, Delaware, Ohio
Henry Whiteman, full brother, Delaware, Ohio
Elizabeth (Jacob) Ekelberry, full sister, Delaware, Ohio
Christian Whiteman, full brother, Sandusky, Ohio
James Whiteman, full brother, Jay County, Indiana
Mary (Isaac) Huey, full sister, Jay County, Indiana
Jacob Whiteman, half-brother, Pickaway County, Ohio
Sarah (Charles) Welch, half-sister, Allen County, Ohio
Anna’s two half-siblings were from her father Christian’s first marriage to Catherine Greiner.
The information in that legal document has been used by many Whiteman researchers to prove the relationships in this family. It was invaluable on my DAR application to prove my lineage and to show [indirectly] that my ancestor Mary Whiteman was the daughter of Christian Whiteman.
[1] 1800 U.S. Census, Georges, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, p. 554, line 5, Christian Whiteman; Ancestry.com, viewed 29 June 2014.
[2] Tract Book and Entries, Congress Lands 22 Ranges and U.S. Military Lands, Vol. 1, Auditor of State [Ohio], LOV 230:476, 480, microfilm #GR8285, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio.
[3] Resident Duplicate for Fairfield County, Ohio, 1910, microfilm #GR2343, p. 1, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio.
[4] 1820 U.S. Census, Amanda, Fairfield, Ohio, p.164, NARA Roll M33_87, image 126; Christian Whitmon [sic]; Ancestry.com, viewed 17 Jul 2023.
[5] 1830 U.S. Census, Amanda, Fairfield, Ohio, p.228, NARA M19_29, Isaac Hughey [sic]; Ancestry.com; viewed 17 Jul 2023.
[6] Anna Whiteman land patent, Doc no. 18924, Indiana, 24 N, Range 14E, SW ¼ Section 27, 160 acres, Issue Date 20 Aug 1838; Bureau of Land Management [glorecords.blm.gov], viewed 17 Jul 2023.
[7] Anna Whiteman estate, Jay County, Indiana probate file, Box 1, Jay County, Indiana Genealogical Society, 109 S Commerce St, Suite E, Portland, IN 47371.
