Christian Shotte, Inquest Awarded

Christian Shott of Halifax Township died intestate. His widow, Anna Maria Shott, petitioned the Orphans Court on 18 February 1823 to make a partition of his lands for his heirs—his surving siblings and children of his deceased siblings, as follows:

“Upon the petition of Mary Shotte widow and relict of Christian Shotte late of Halifax township in the County of Dauphin Yeoman deceased Stating that the petitioners said husband Christian Shotte lately died intestate leaving the petitioner his Widow and no issue but left brothers and sisters of the whole blood, and the children of brothers & sisters of the whole blood, namely Peter who resided in Dauphin County, Margaret who was intermarried with Freeman who died before they [sic] intestate, and the residence of the said Margaret is unknown to the petitioner, the children of Jacob Shotte a brother of the whole blood who died before the intestate in Dauphin County, the children of Michael Shotte a brother of the whole blood who died before the intestate in Dauphin County, Philip Shotte who died intestate since his brother the intestate in Dauphin County leaving a Widow and three children, The children of Ludwig Shotte, a brother of the whole blood, of the intestate who died before the said Intestate not in Dauphin County, The children [page 363] of Cathrine Loudermilch who died before her brother the intestate in Dauphin County, The children of Christiana Cooper, who died before her brother the Intestate, not in Dauphin County, and the children of Mary Sweigart who died before her brother the Intestate in Dauphin County, and that the said intestate died seized in his demesne as of fee of and in the two following Tracts or pieces of land with the appurtenances both situate in Halifax Township, Dauphin County, one whereof patented land containing about fifty two acres more or less, which was surveyed in pursuances of a warrant for Jacob Waggoner dated the 21st of November 1774. The other bounded by lands of George Werfle, Jacob Wefle and others, and containing about fourteen acres more or less, and not patented; therefore praying the Court to award an Inquest to make partition of the premises aforesaid to and among the heirs and legal representatives of the said Intestate in such manner and such proportions as by the laws of the Commonwealth is directed, if such partition can be made without prejudice to or spoiling the whole, but if such partition cannot be made thereof as aforesaid then to value and appraise the same and make report thereof according to law Whereupon an Inquest was awarded agreeably to the prayer of the petitioner and to the acts of the General assembly in such case made and provided

By the Court”¹

Christian Gleim, Esq., the High Sheriff of Dauphin County, reported back to the Orphans Court on 6 May 1823 that the two adjoining tracts of land could not be divided and would not adequately accomodate more than one of Christian Shott’s heirs.² The property was valued at $240 by the twelve men who visited and assessed the land on 24 April 1823.

Two days later, the Court issued a Rule that the heirs should “come into Court on the 2nd day of September next and accept or relinquish their several and respective rights of taking the estate.”³ The Court issued another Rule for the same purpose on 3 September 1823.⁴

When none of the heirs appeared, the Court ordered that Christian Shott’s administrator, Joseph Miller, should sell the land at public vendue on 30 December 1823.⁵ Miller reported back to the Court 3 February 1824 that he had sold the land to Mary Stroh.⁶

What Can I Learn?

First, this document states that Christian was married and left a widow named Mary, but did not have children (no issue). Therefore, it provides the names of his siblings, including the married names of his sisters. Secondly, you’ll notice that the petition referred to Christian’s  “brothers and sisters of the whole blood, and the children of brothers & sisters of the whole blood.” What, pray tell, you ask, does that mean?

“Whole blood” (aka full blood) is a legal term indicating a descent from the same couple—or born of the same mother and father.  So, according to the petition, Christian shared the same parents with:

• Peter Schott
• Margaret (Schott) Freeman
• Jacob Schott
• Michael Schott
• Philip Schott
• Ludwig Schott
• Catharine (Schott) Loudermilch
• Christiana (Schott) Cooper
• Mary (Schott) Swiegert

This claim is curious.

Most of the information I’ve seen online—yes, I know—indicates that Ludwig was married twice. Jacob, Michael and Ludwig were children of his first marriage; Peter, Margaret, Philip, Catharine, Christiana, Mary and Mary Magdalena (not mentioned in the petition) were children of his second marriage to Anna Barbara Laurin in 1757.

Christian Schott, Jacob Schott’s eldest son, was born in 1775. While Jacob could have started his family at 18—assuming Jacob was born in 1757—in my experience it’s a bit more common for males of German descent from this time period to be a bit older—in their mid 20s—at the time of marriage. Even if I assume all the information online regarding birth years for Jacob, Michael, and Ludwig is wrong, I’d still estimate Jacob’s birth, at least, to be prior to his father’s marriage to Anna Barbara. Furthermore, Catharine and Christiana were born 23 January 1758—ten months after Ludwig’s marriage to Anna Barbara. There really isn’t an opportunity for the birth of a previous child.⁷ Assuming, of course, that the date is correct.

The petition also tells us whether Christian’s siblings were alive or deceased, and if dead whether or not they died in Dauphin County. Since we know the date of this petition 18 February 1823, we know that all his siblings—with the exception of Peter—died prior to 1823. In Philip’s case, the document also tells us he left three surviving children. We also know that all of them except Ludwig and Christiana died in Dauphin County. So, in researching this family, we should search for probate records in Dauphin County.

Thirdly, the petition provides information regarding Christian’s real estate. Based on this document we learn that he owned two pieces of land in Halifax Township, one of which was patented. The patented land was warranted to Jacob Waggoner in 1774. The other property adjoined that of George Werfle and Jacob Werfle. The Jackson Township warrantee map shows Christian’s land (#82) was located to the northeast of land on which his brothers Peter and Philip resided (George Henry Fritz’s property) and land which his brother-in-law Adam Loudermilch warranted in 1785 (#65).⁸ This tract adjoined Edward Paine, Michael Haverstick, Henry Werfel, and Jacob Werfel.

Conflicting Evidence

The information provided by Christian Schott’s widow Mary for this petition conflicts with other information regarding this family. Which is correct? At this point, I do not know.

I have birth dates for Christian and several of his siblings placing their births after the reported marriage date for Ludwig and Anna Barbara. I do not have birth dates for Ludwig’s three eldest sons. The dates reported online vary from source to source and are all prior to Ludwig and Anna Barbara’s marriage. But the only documentary evidence I have simply shows at least two of them were born by 1758.⁹ This is inconclusive. While it’s highly unlikely that they could be born by 1758 and still be children of Ludwig and Anna Barbara, until I verify the marriage date, that doesn’t mean much.

• Category: Research
• Tag: Probate Records