BRYAN FAMILY HISTORY - Interactive Family Histories

BRYAN FAMILY HISTORY 8-241The exact relationship of Eliza J. Orton to Joseph Orton presents challengingissues. At first glance, it would be very easy to conclude that Eliza (Orton)Ridge was the youngest daughter of Joseph and Mary Orton (there is a still aremote chance of this being true). If Eliza J. Orton was the daughter of JosephOrton, why would Samuel Pinkerton (believed to be the uncle of Eliza J. Orton)become the guardian of Eliza J. Orton around 1851 when Joseph Orton was stillliving? Other sources imply that Eliza (Orton) Ridge was the only daughter ofSamuel R. Orton, a son of Joseph Orton who died shortly after the birth of hisonly child (if there were other siblings, their father’s share would have beendivided among them). There is a Samuel R. Orton who married Anna Pinkertonon December 22, 1835 in Davidson County, Tennessee. According to JohnDorroh, Samuel R. Orton died in Davidson County, Teneessee in 1837. There isalso a Anna Orten who married Cager Stark on September 5, 1844 in GreeneCounty, Illinois. The 1850 census of Greene County, Illinois (according to JohnDorroh) shows Eliza Orton living with Cager and Anna Stark which greatlystrengthens this connection. However, just one year later (possibly two or threeyears later as the exact date of the chancery court records of Henry M. Bryan arenot certain), why does Eliza Orton require a guardian when her mother, Anna(Pinkerton) Orton / Stark, is still living? At first glance, the obvious answer isthat Anna (Pinkerton) Orton / Stark must have died between 1850 (censusrecord) and 1853 (the latest estimated date of the chancery court records ofHenry M. Bryan). Guardianship is not only taking care for the day to day needsof children of minor age but is also used to allow other adults to be legalrepresentatives of minor children where parents are unable to provide that role.Eliza and her mother, Anna, remained in Greene County, Illionois and SamuelPinkerton remained in Davidson County, Tennessee during these courtproceedings. Anna (Pinkerton) Orton / Stark had no financial interest in HenryM. Bryan - but her daughter, Eliza did have a claim via her father’s (Samuel R.Orton) share. This is probably a case of Samuel Pinkerton assisting his sisterobtain funds for Anna’s daughter, Eliza. The brother of Anna Pinkerton, SamuelPinkerton, probably even more interest in the estate of Henry M. Bryan than hisrelationship with his sister, Anna. The 1847 deed, where Henry M. Bryanpurchased 114 acres of land and was later listed in his estate, lists SamuelPinkerton as a neighbor. The deed states “thence west with Samuel Pinkertonline fifty-two poles to a sugar tree.”The second challenge was to identify the Joseph Altum that was listed as both aheir (probably representing the children of his his deceased wife, Margaret) andas a guardian in the estate of Joseph Orton (1866). However, why are theseheirs missing from the estate of Henry M. Bryan (1851)? Margaret Ortonmarried George M. Pickard on August 1, 1833 in Williamson County,Tennessee. On November 28, 1838, Joseph Orton was appointed guardian of theminor heirs of the estate of George M. Picard - this implies that Margaret was adaughter of Joseph Orton. Margaret Pickard married Joseph “Aultom” onSeptember 6, 1838 in Greene County, Illinois (believed to be Margaret (Orton)Pickard, widow of George M. Pickard). Joseph Altum is the only man listed thatdoes not have the surname of Orton in the 1866 estate settlement of JosephOrton. Joseph is listed as both a heir (probably representing the children of hisdeceased wife, Margaret) and as a guardian for heirs. This implies that Margaret