I have written several times about my 2X
great-grandfather’s brother John Wesley Jollett. Nevertheless, I must devote
this blog to my 2X great-granduncle again today. Why? Because it is the 189th
anniversary of his birth on 6 April 1832.
John Wesley Jollett and Sarah Elizabeth Smith
photo courtesy Jan Hensley
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| Jollett Methodist Church group John Wesley and Sarah Elizabeth in the back |
From 1850 to 1880, John Wesley was enumerated in the census as a farmer, but he was also a Methodist minister even though he was not enumerated as such until the 1900 census. At times he was also the postmaster and a trustee of the school board. Certainly he was regarded highly in the community.
John W. Jollett’s property grew in value from $500 in
1860 to $8000 in 1870. He had purchased a few small tracts of land in 1858 and
then more in 1859, the latter being 37 acres which had belonged to his father
Fielding Jollett. The significant jump in value can be attributed to the
purchase of his wife’s grandparents’ 180 acre-farm in 1866.
Jollett house
from Richmond Daily State Journal 15 May 1871
Fortunately, he had taken out a Homestead exemption that
same year which protected the family home from creditors. He still owed his
in-laws $200 for the purchase of Gabriel Smith’s farm, which was to have been
paid off in three years. A
homestead is comprised of the home and surrounding land, including any related
buildings such as barns, outhouses, spring houses, smokehouses, and the like
set aside for the family residence. A
“homestead exemption” prevents the forced sale of the homestead to satisfy any
debts of the householder.
Homestead of John W. Jollett April 1871
Page County Deed Book O: 383
This Deed made this 5th day of April 1871, Witnesseth that John W. Jollett of the County of Page and State of Virginia being Householder and the head of a family claims as his Homestead under the Constitution of Virginia and the Same possessed is __ thereof. The following property Viz:
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P. B. Borst
Witnesseth the following signatures and seals the day and
year first aforesaid.
John W. Jollett {seal}
State of Virginia
County of Page
I W. W. Hampton a Justice of the Peace for the County of
Page and State of Virginia, do hereby certify that John W. Jollett whose name
is signed to the within writing bearing date on the 3rd day of April 1871, has
acknowledged the same before me in my County aforesaid given under my hand this
5 day of April 1871.
W. W. Hampton J.P.
Page County To Wit
The within Deed was received in the Clerk’s office of said County with
certificates of acknowledgement and United States Revenue Stamps of the value
of twenty-five cents therein and admitted to record. April 5, 1871
Teste
J. W. Watson
The Homestead is an interesting document that reveals a lot about the way they lived in the community that came to be named for him: Jollett Hollow.
I wonder what economic downturn caused him to declare bankruptcy. And what a way to spend his birthday!
If you want to read more about John Wesley Jollett, check these earlier stories:
Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy
bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story
or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.”
Wendy
© 2021, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
I find the old documents that list possessions and sale values very interesting. It's almost like a glimpse into their home (before the sale, of course). It's too bad he fell into bankruptcy. I hope he was able to recover.
ReplyDeleteDo you have an idea how old he was in the photographs? He looks fairly old in the couple photograph but looking at the group portrait, it looks like his wife has aged considerably. Maybe they are before and after bankruptcy photos.
The property they list is always so interesting - can you imagine "declaring" your bedding?
ReplyDelete