Alfred George ^{2 3}

  General Notes:

Alfred George was a cabinetmaker and dealt in real estate, but he also made money as a farmer. He was a native of Kentucky, who settled in Missouri when young. Information from a biography of his son by the same name.

George, Alfred, 1905 Bio, Garfield County, Colorado
http://files.usgwarchives.org/co/garfield/bio/georgea.txt

Donated March 2001
Transcribed by Judy Crook <[email protected]> from the book:
Progressive Men of Western Colorado
Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill.

At the time of the 1850 census, Alfred was a farmer in Callaway County, Missouri. He had real estate valued at $3000. He was listed with his wife and ten George children. John Anderson 7 years old and Paulina Wilson 57 (probably his mother in law) were also listed with the family.

Alfred George of Kentucky - by Gene Homer George - 1986

Alfred was born in Kentucky and grew up there. He moved to Missouri after his eldest son James was born and the remainder of his family was born and raised in Calloway Co., MO. The records refer to him as a cabinet maker or carpenter.

He held numerous pieces of property in Calloway Co. and also held slaves. the courthouse records are full of entries involving him and his brothers in transactions and suits. His wealth is hard to determine because not all of the papers are still on file, but the first appraisal of personal property was $6575.00. Final appraisal of the real estate was $21,680.00. Notes receivable at liquidation of the estate were $948.00. The total of these are $9,203.00. The family residence was valued at $700.00. If the residence was of average value for a home in those days and you used $75,000.00 for an average home today, the multiplier would be 107. The present day value would then be $9,203.00 X 107 = $984,721.00 equivalent value. The estate was greatly reduced at the time of liquidation because of the on-going Civil War which caused the slaves to be valueless.

Notes are all that is available on most of his children. James served as a private in the Mexican War and fought the battle of Sacramento. He was discharged 28 June 1847 and returned to Fulton but stayed only a short time and then returned to California. Givins and Robert left Fulton with a wagon train known as the Calloway Company, headed for California. With them was A. George, elected vice president of the Calloway Co. All are on the 1850 California census.

Alfred is buried beside his first wife, Sarah L., daughter Rachel and a number of other family members in Pioneer Cemetery, Fulton, MO.

The following material are transcribed documents consisting of Alfred's will and other estate papers. Hopefully they are of some interest to someone.

The WILL of Alfred George, 1855, Fulton, MO

Be it remembered that I Alfred George of the County of Calloway and the State of Missouri being in full enjoyment of all my reasoning faculties, I do by these present, make, constitute, and publish this my last will and testament, the same to take effect and be in full force immediately after my death.

First I do nominate, constitute, and appoint as Executors of this my last will and testament, by brother, William M. George and my nephew James G. George, both of the County and the State aforesaid.

Second - In the event of the death or instability of either or both of my Executors, the County Court of Calloway, Mo. shall have the power, and are hereby requested to appoint others to fill such vacancies.

3rd - It is my will that no public sale of my estate be made after my death, and that no public hiring of slaves shall take place, but that my Executors have full power to make sale (if necessary) of my property (slaves excepted) and proceed to pay off all just debts against my estate according to law. But in no case shall a slave be sold unless it be absolutely necessary to pay off the debts against my estate, or that they should become so refractory as to render it necessary, and it is my wish that they be hired out privately with a due regard to their comfort.

4th - It is my will that no absolute division of my estate be made between the Heirs, until all of my children by my first wife Sarah L. become of age or married. But it is my will they my Executors take possession of and manage said estate in that way decided by their best calculations to advance the interest of the same, having due regard to the comfort and happiness of my present wife and family.

5th - It is my will that my Executors set apart a portion of property or money to each of my children as they may marry or become of age, to the amount of $800.00 as near as is practicably. But in no case shall any one of my Heirs compel my Executors to make such a distribution to the prejudice of the estate or require more than they may think proper to give, and should my Executors believe it necessary they may require a refunding bond of each Heir so apportioned in order to make up any deficit, which might occur in a final division.

6th - It is my will that each and every one of my children shall share alike as near as practicable in the division of my estate in a final division.

7th - It is my will that my present wife Margaret R. be kept in possession of all the minor children and that an ample support be given her & them so long as she remains a widow. And should she continue through life, or be a widow at the time of a final division of my estate it is my will that a home and a Negro or Negroes to the value of two thousand dollars, or there about be secured to her for her benefit through like, and at her death to be divided equally between all of the children surviving but should any of my children be dead at that time leaving bodily heirs, those heirs shall be entitled to their father's or mother's part in said division.

8th - Should my present wife Margaret R. marry at any time after my death, my Executors shall provide her with a woman servant during her life, and in order that such a convenience be secured to her my Executors shall at all time hold their claim upon any bestowment of the kind in such a manner as to prevent a profligate husband from spending the same & my Executors are further empowered to keep in their possession a sufficient amount of money to protect my wife against want, and to purchase or furnish her with another servant woman from time to time in case of death, but this provision in my will is not to be construed so as that my Executors shall furnish money and means for the consumption of a worthless profligate husband, it is intended to give a discretionary power to my Executors, that they in their good judgement may apply means of support and comfort to my wife during her life, that she shall not be reduced to want, married or unmarried.

9th - It is my will that my Executors have power to sell and convey seal on personal estate, and purchase other just as they may think best calculated to advance the interest of said estate.

10th - When the time arrives for a general division of my estate, my Executors shall proceed to set aside a sufficient portion as contemplated above for the maintenance of my wife, and then distribute all the remaining portion of my estate in equal portions (having due regard to any portion previously given to any one of my heirs) between children or heirs, James, Givens, Robert, Elizabeth, William, Rachel, Martha, Sarah, Margaret, Alfred, Ann and Mary Jane, and should my wife Margaret have any others lawfully mine, they are likewise to be given equal portions with the others.

11th - It is my will that my wife's son John Anderson shall receive a good English education, and before a final division of my estate, one hundred dollars be given to him, but not until he becomes of age. Should he die before he becomes of age that same to return to my estate.

12th - So long as my present wife remains a widow it is my will and desire that all of my minor children shall be kept with her, raised and trained up under her guidance and control. But should she marry, my will is that all of my children by my first wife shall be taken in charge by my Executors, making such provisions for their comfort, education & training as they may think best.

13th - I wish it distinctly understood, when ever I have alluded to my estate, I have had in view and intended to convey the idea that I wish my Executors to not only take possession, manage, & distribute what is now visible & tangibly my estate, real, personal, mixed or otherwise, but also any other property, money goods or effects that may here after accrue to me or my estate, the same to be distributed according to the expressed desire of this my will.

14th - If not paid before my death I wish my Executors to pay over to my son Given George the sum of $130 or 150, he will recollect the amt. he left in my hand when he left for California.

15th - Executors will keep a book in which to charge each Heir with any amt. furnished them before a general division & also charge those with the amounts furnished by me during life. In testimony of the foregoing being my last will and Testament, I have this day set my hand and affixed my seal February 26th eighteen hundred and fifty five.
Alfred George
witness
Wm. B. Stine
H. Clay Anderson ³

Alfred married Sarah L. Givens, daughter of George Givens and Anna Crow, on 14 Mar 1825 in , Lincoln County, Kentucky.¹ (Sarah L. Givens was born on 6 Apr 1808 in Kentucky,³ died on 27 Jun 1845 in Fulton, Callaway County, Missouri ³ and was buried in Pioneer Cemetery, Fulton, Callaway County, Missouri ³.)

Alfred next married Margaret Robinson Wilson, daughter of Wilson and Pauline, about 1846. (Margaret Robinson Wilson was born about 1817 in Kentucky,³ died on 9 Oct 1871 in Denver, Colorado Territory ³ and was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Denver, Denver County, Colorado ³.)