The Sad End of Liberty Adams

Twenty-five years after Liberty Adams was born, he married, and twenty-one years later, he died, leaving a widow and three children. A letter from his son in 1906 says Liberty died of peritonitis after an illness of five days.  He was reported to be an alcoholic.  The coffin and box cost $30, and his burial lot was $6.

Liberty's Probate packet consisted of 30 pages for the estate of Liberty Adams, who died intestate on March 14, 1867, at the age of 45. He left behind his widow, Martha Anderson Adams, and three children, John A. Adams, Yates A. Adams, and Aletta B. Adams (the last two under age 14). My cousin Claire obtained the probate papers and sent them to me.  Important documents were either typed or scanned and are displayed below. These were obtained from the Batavia Court House, I believe, maybe 20 years ago. As of January 15, 2023, they are not online. 

Genesee County,

Surrogate's Court.

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE

OF 

Liberty Adams

Deceased.

TO THE SURROGATE OF THE COUNTY OF GENESEE ;

I, Martha Adams,

Administratrix of the goods, chattels, and credits of Liberty Adams late of the town of Stafford, in the County of Genesee, do render the following account of my proceedings as such Administratrix for the final settlement, allowance, and distribution, viz :

On the 29th day of March 1867, Letters of Administration of the estate of said deceased were issued to me.

On the 10th day of April 1867, I caused an Inventory of the personal estate of said deceased to be filed in the Surrogate's Office of said County, which personal estate therein set forth amounts by appraisement of Appraisers to the sum of $979.99.

On or about the first day of October 1867, caused a notice to creditors to present their claims, to be published as required by law, pursuant to the order of the Surrogate. (Below are Schedules A-F.)

"All moneys paid for funeral and other necessary expenses for said estate."

Receipt indicating the Burial Lot number for Liberty.

"Contains the names, places of residence of all persons entitled as a widow or next of kin, of the said deceased, and if any of them are minors, the ages of such minors, and the names and places of residence of their guardians, if they have guardians.