Alsace 1840
Berks County, SS... The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
To the Sheriff of Berks County . . . Greetings.
Whereas John Seidel son of Frederick Seidel late of the township of Alsace in said County, yeoman, deceased, preferred a Petition to the Judges of the Orphans’ Court of the said county, setting forth, that said Frederick Seidel died intestate on or about the 25th July 1840, leaving a widow named Elizabeth and Eight Children, to wit, John Seidel, Betsy Miller, Jacob Seidel, Frederick Seidel, Catharine Seidel, Henry Seidel, Nicholas Seidel, Polly intermarried with Jacob Wentzel, and the children of a deceased daughter named Susanna, who was intermarried with George Stout, to wit, Lydia and Simon, both of whom are in their minority.
That the said decease was seized in his demense as of fee and in a certain plantation, messuage, tenement and Tract of Land, situate in Alsace Township, Berks County, containing ninety seven acres and a quarter more or less, bounded by Lands of Jacob Hinnershitz, John Hartman, John W Burkhart and others, and also of a certain plantation, messuage, tenement and Tract of Land, situate in Richmond Township, Berks County, containing one hundred and eleven acres more or less, bounded by the Lands of Henry Schlegel, Samuel Hoch, and others, and also of one other Tract of Woodland, situate in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, containing ten acres, more or less bonded by the Land of Anthony Letopp and others, with appurtenances; and there fore praying the court to award an inquest to view the same and make partition, etc. which was accordingly awarded by the court. THEREFORE WE COMMAND YOU, that you forthwith summon an inquest of twelve good and lawful men of your bailiwick and go to the said premises, and then and there by their oaths and solemn affirmation make partition thereof, with appurtenances to and among the widow and among the children of the said deceased, if the same can be done without prejudice to and spoiling of the whole, But if the same cannot be parted and divided without prejudice to and spoiling the whole, that the same inquest do view and inquire whether the same will conveniently accommodate more than one of the said children – and if they so find, that they then ascertain and report how many the same will as aforesaid accommodate, describing each purport by metes and bounds and returning a just valuation and appraisement thereof. But if the said inquest shall find that the premises aforesaid, with appurtenances, cannot be parted and divided to and among the widow and all the children of the said deceased, nor accommodate more than one of said children without prejudice to and spoiling of the whole, that they then value and appraise the same according to law. That they estimate the widow’s part therein and in purport if divided. That due and legal notice of the time and place of holding such inquisition be given to all the parties interested, that they may be present of they think proper. And that the partition or valuation so made, you distinctly and openly have, under your hand and seal and under the hands and seals of those by whom the same shall be made. Before our Judges at Reading, at Orphans’ Court, there to beholden the 8th day of January next. And have you there this writ. Witness the honorable John Banks Esquire, president of our said court, at Reading, the 6th day of November in the year of our LORD one thousand eight hundred and forty.
John Donagan
Clerk of Courts.
Submitted by Michelle.
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