Some Rare Old Wills

Wfaile prowling abontthe conit house one day last week on the never endiug qnest for news, the Conrier scribe wandeied into the prubate oifice, and on asking for eomething strange, new or interesting, was referred to a drawer in the safe, from wbich he drew forth a number of anoient and mnsty wills; which had been depjsited - some of them - many long years ago, and either forgotten by those who deposited them, or their esistence was never known by the heirs and legatees of the deceased. Some of these wills have never been opened, while others have been. Some are carefully wrapped in the dark brown wrapping paper of half a oentnry ago, and sealed with the old fashioned sealing was, some are siinply folded and sealed as they did before envelopes came into nse. The oldest will in the lot is one made Jan. 2nd, 1839, by Wm. McCormiok, of Salem township, George and Pheobe Renwick being the witnesses. Tbis will has been opened. Xext q.omes the will of John Wilson ., - íesideqce opt y.givená3ted Ijov. llth, 1S39, vitñ'e8ses Cuereé H.cSfewart, Ales. Üavidsbff afid Ef ?: 'kííelr. Will opened. Will of JVIary Ann Bartlett, of Saline township, filed in 1846. Will opened. Will of Jobn Callis, of Scio township, dated Feb. 22nd 1853, execntor Thos. Smith, witnesses, Richard Ness and Thomas Richardson. Will opeDed. Will of Lyman Casey, filed April lst, 1854. Sealed and residence not known. Will of Lonisa Alexander, of Lodi township, dated Oot. 18, 1851. Witnesses Daniel and Betsy Lyon. Will of Lamson Watkins, of Aun Arbor city, filed Deo. 17, 1859. Unopened. Will of Charles B. Porter, filed May 4th, 1858. Unopened. Will of John Starkweather, ' lanti, filed 1859. Unopened. Will of Lawrence Monaghan, of Lyn don, filed Oct. 15' 1861. Unopened. Will of Franklin B. Trudor filec Apiri 23d, 1861. Jnopened. Will of Eliza Wise of Ypsilanti, flled January 22nd, 1866. Opened. Will of Polly Ellsworth, Sylvan township, flled Sept. 9th, 1864. Opened. Will of Washington Irving Smith, Ann Arbor, filed May 23d, 1861. Uuopened. Will of John W. Flower, of Ypsilanti, filed Sept. 26th, 1863. Unopened. Will of Cornelias Gillespie, filed May 2nd, 1866. Unopened. Will of Ann Marray, filed May 3rd, 1858. Opened. Will of David McAfferty. Date of filing not given. Unopened. Will of Loois North, of Lodi, filed Nov. 23rd, 1853. Unopened. Will of Samuel Cooper, Lima township, filed Maren 4th, 1853. Unopened. Will of John Hagerty, of Norrhfield, filed Oot. 20, 1863. Not sealed. Will of James JBurns, of Ann Arbor city, filed April 25, 1861. Sealed. Will of George Yoong, of Ann Arbor city, filed Xov. 21, 1843. Not sealed. Will of John Vorheis, of Ypsilanti, filed April lst, 1863. Sealed. Will of James P. Jones, of Sharon, filed May 22nd, 1862. Not sealed. Will of Edward Greenin, of Superior township, filed May 23d, 1863. Not sealed. Will of Phoebe jEtuckman, filed Oct. lOth, 1866. Sealed. Will of Isaac Kowe, of Superior township, filed April 12th, 1867. Sealed. Tnese are some of the oldest wills now on file in the probate court, and so far as we can learn all the testators are dead, and why these wills have never been looked after by the heirs of the parties making them, we do not know. No doubt that many estates have been divided among heirs, which had been given away by wills, and were some of these wills looked np, there inight be some important discoveries made. The first estáte ever probated in this county, was that of George W. Noyes, I of the viilage of Ann Arbor. The petition was filed April 2nd, 1827. In the ioventory of the effeots of the deceased are the following items: One pair of boots, new $4.00 One pair of boots, old 1.00 One pair of boots, old 50 One par of shoes, old 75 Five pairs of socks, woolen 1.87 One pair mittens, old 50 In those "good old times" nothing evidently got away. All the papers were written ont in fnll, sometimes in a beantifulhand, and opposite each signature is a water covered by a piece of paper adhering to it, wbioh combinationconstitutes "ye old time" seal.-