600.30.006.3 Diven probate 1818

James Diven/Devin of Tyrone Township, Cumberland County, calls himself a farmer in his will. The will names wife Margaret; sons William, John and Joseph; daughters Margaret (wife of Samuel Ross), Ann/Anne and Mary; and a deceased son James. It names grandson James Devin and granddaughter Sarah Williamson as the son and daughter of deceased Alexander Devin. James and Sarah receive an undivided half of 150 acres adjoining Joseph Neely and James Henderson. John and Joseph are explicitly called sons when appointed executors. Joseph receives a tanyard, its land, house and stabling, subject to an annual payment of $50 during his mother’s life. Other grandchildren named include Margaret Brewster and Alexander Ross. These are statements in the will; completed distribution of the property has not been checked. The original will is dated 19 May 1818 and was proved 10 June 1818. The executor deed dated 8 December 1821, recorded 9 February 1822, recites a will dated 18 May 1818. This one-day discrepancy is retained. The will date is taken from the original probate entry. The compiled death date 30 May 1818 remains the preferred tree value, but the probate record independently establishes only that the testator died after making the will and by 10 June 1818. The manuscript directly establishes Alexander as the father of grandson James and granddaughter Sarah. It does not give Alexander’s birth year, his wife’s name, or his exact death date. The match to Alexander (compiled 1768–1809) and James (compiled 1796–1840) is not independently complete. The testator-to-Alexander parent relationship is supported by the compiled tree and this grandparent evidence but is not explicitly stated as “my son Alexander” in the inspected passage. Margaret’s maiden name, the additional name Nancy, and her maternity of Alexander remain unconfirmed. No parentage of the testator has been established.