Last month, on a drive from Kansas to Georgia, I managed to talk my husband into taking the long way home and stopping in Moniteau County, Missouri for an hour or two while I stopped in at the courthouse. He’s such a good sport – especially since he had to sit in the car with our 5 kids. The courthouse is located in the small town of California – just down the road from Tipton, where my ancestors lived. The staff there were very helpful and I was able to locate some of the probate records I was looking for. The records were not in books (which I’ve usually seen on my many courthouse excursions) but they were in files, which were in alphabetical order in file boxes in a back room of the courthouse. Everyone in the car was happy that I was in and out of the courthouse fairly quickly. Of course, I would have liked to stay longer and search through the land records also, but I wanted to keep my family happy. 🙂
Conrad Becker was my 4th great-grandfather. He was born in Germany in about 1805 and traveled to America with his wife and children on the ship “Crown” from Liverpool in July of 1852. I’m not exactly sure where they lived in Germany, but their son (my 3rd great-grandfather), John Henry Becker, was born in Winterschied (according to his obituary and death certificate). Here is his will, which I found in the Moniteau County Courthouse.
December 13th A.D. 1862
I Conrad Becker of the County of Moniteau and State of Missouri being of sound Mind and Memory and believing in the uncertainty of human life Do there fore Make ordain publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament First I will by body to her Mother dust and my soul to God who gave me birth Second I Will that my oldest Son John H. Becker Shall have the following Lands to wit the North West qr of North West qr and the North East qr of the South West qr and the South East qr of North West qr all in section Nine Township forty four (44) range Seventeen and Twenty acres out of the senter of the East half of North East qr of Section eight Township forty four rang seventeen so ast to tak ten acres off of Each forty this above Land is the share of my two sons J. H. Becker and F.C. Baker, J. H. Becker is to take F.C. Bekers part of said Land and pays Lonard Hoehon the sum of $155 dollars and Joseph Weiand the sum of $50 dollars and H.C. Finche the sum of $45 dollars for F.C. Baker and J. H.Becker is to pay F. C. Becker the sum of $100 dollars these payments are in lue of his F.C. Bakers interest in the above lands Third I further will that my daughter Catharine Steimel shall have the following Lands to wit. The North East qr of the South West qr of section nine Township forty four range seventeen and twenty nine acres off of the North end of the East half of the North East qr of Section Eight all in Township forty four range Seventeen and the said Catharine pays F.C. Becker the sum of $100 dollars Third and I further will that my son Peter J Becker shall have the following Lands to wit the South East qr of the North West qr of section nine and thirty acres off of the South end of East half of the North East qr of Section Eight all in Township forty four range Seventeen and Peter J. Becker is to Pay F. C. Becker the sum of $100 dollars
Fourth I further will the Possession of Said Land to the said named heirs with the understanding that John H. Becker is to take care of his Father and Mother during ther Life by Catharine and Peter J. Becker. Each one being bound to pay to Conrad Becker or Wiff during there life $30 dollars per year Each and after the death of me and my now living wife the balance of my personal Estate to be devided as follows J. H. Becker to have the portion that belongs to him and F. C. Becker and Catharine and Peter J. Becker to have the forth part Each as thare potion.
In witnice wher of I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the day and year first written
Konrad Becker {Seal}
The written instrument was subscribed by the said Conrad Becker in our presants duly acknowledged by him to Each on of us and he at the same time published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last will and we at the testators request and in his presents have signed our names as witnesses hereto and write ___ aposet our names our usessel plases of abode
Ferdinand Beeten, Moniteau Co, Mo
Andrew Wolf, Moniteau Co., Mo
State of Missouri
County of Moniteau}
In Vacation of the Probate Court Be it remembered that on this 9th day of February 1863, personally appeared before me the undersigned clerk of the Probate Court within and for the County and State aforesaid Ferdinand Beeten and Andrew Wolf the subscribing witnesses to the above and annexed will of Konrad Becker and being by me first duly sworn depose and say that the said Konrad Becker the testator subscribed the same in their presence, and published the same will or instrument of writing as his last will that he the said Testator was at the time of publishing his said will of sound mind and more than twenty one years of age, and that they the said deponents attested the said will as witnesses thereto by subscribing their names to the same in the presence of said testator.
Ferdinand Beeten
Andrew Wolf
In witness whereof I Wm G Howard clerk as aforesaid have herein to set my name and affixed the seal of said Court at office this 9th day of February 1863
Wm G Howard clerk
County of Moniteau
I R. L. Roache, Judge of the Probate Court of Moniteau County, having Examined the foregoing instrument of writing, purporting to be the last will of and signed by Conrad Becker, and the testimony of Ferdinand Beeten and Andrew Wolf the witnesses above named, do adjudge and declare the said instrument of writing to be the last will and testament of Conrad Becker, deceased.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Probate Court of Moniteau County… this 25th day of February 1863
R. L. Roache
Judge of Probate
