Individual Details

There is something a bid odd about the information regarding Mary Adamson. I suspect she had divorced Nathaniel prior to her death. Married women with living husbands had no real reason for an estate settlement since everything defaulted to their husband. He is reported to have married Margaret Brooks in Dec of 1879. Title to land had been signed over to Mary prior to her death. Other than his mention as the former owner of the property, he is not mentioned anywhere in her estate settlement.

There exists the possibility that the Nathaniel who married Margaret Brooks in Wayne Co IN, is not the same person as Mary's husband and that her Nathaniel was already deceased and she was a widow in 1879.

Ancestry.com. Indiana Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999
Jay County - File of estate of Mary Adamson, Box 47, 1879, No. 593
29 Apr 1879, Elias H. Adamson appointed Administrator of estate of Mary Adamson. Bond with Robert Regester in the amount of $300. Mary died on the 12th of April, 1879.
John H. McNeil presented the estate with a bill for $46 for boarding and caring for Mary during her sickness from 11 Mar 1879 to 4 Apr 1879.
E. H. Adamson cared for from April 4th until her death and moved her from Portland to his house.
Elias H. Adamson paid $8 for her coffin. $6 for burial clothes.
D. S. Kinsey received $27 for medical attention.
Samuel Mason, MD recived $7 for medical attendance in her last sickness.
16 May 1879. Estate appraised by Levi Johnson and Levi J. Regester. Present to the court 24 Jun 1879. Included one roan cow and cow bell, a dozen chickens, kitchen items, three beds, rocking chair, flax wheel, looking glass, flat iron, churn, wash kettle. An account for taking care of William Clear in his last sickness for four weeks, until his death - $28.
Levi J. Regester swore to the sale of the property, 22 Jun 1879. Buyers included William Adamson, John McNeal (possibly related to daughter Charlotte), C. A. Adamson, Rosanna McCann, Levi Regester, etc. for a total of $74.62.
17 Dec 1879. Petition to sell the land of Mary Adamson, due to debts, lists her surviving heirs: Elias H. Adamson, aged 40 years, Charlotte McNeal aged about 34 years, John Q. Adamson aged about 28 years, John McCann aged about 25 years, being the husband of her deceased daughter Rosanna (had died since the property sale in June), and Nathaniel W. Adamson, aged about 17 years.
A case was filed by Elias as Administrator on 25 Mar 1880 vs. William R. Gillum & James Ryan, apparently to clear title to her twenty acres. He claimed the land was conveyed to Mary in Feb of 1877; that William R. Gillum had obtained a judgment against Nathaniel Adamson who had formerly owned the property, dated 5 Apr 1877. The land was sold as the property of Nathaniel Adamson, although Mary was the owner and Gillum had purchased it - Ryan has since purchased it from Gillum. Elias asks that their claim to the land be set aside.
The Court ordered sale of the Real Estate of Mary Adamson on 30 Jun 1880.
30 Jun 1880 - appraisors of the real estate of Mary Adamsin were Thomas J. Cartwright and Granville Phillips. 20 acres - the North 1/2 of the East 1/2 of the East 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 15, Twp 24 N, Range 13 E in Jay County.
Notice of the Sale of the property was published in the "Portland Commercial" for three weeks - copy of notice enclosed. It was sold to C. C. Saunders for $350.00 on 18 Aug 1880
Administrator's Final report filed 4 Nov 1880. Charged himself for inventory and real estate and cash on had - $468.75. Full report of bills paid.
Balance for distribution was $249.86 and paid in equal parts to Charlotte McNeal, J. Q. Adamson, John McCann, R. T. Hammons, Clerk for minor heirs, and E. H. Adamson.
Note: Charlotte McNeil made her mark on her receipt - also signed by J. H. McNeil and witnessed by Hanna McNeil.
Charlotte apparently sued Elias as Administrator - Luther I./J. Baker was guardian ad litem for Nathaniel W. Adamson, minor, defendant and denied the claim.

Birth	23 Dec 1821	Indiana
Marriage	10 Aug 1837	Henry County, Indiana - Nathaniel Jackson Adamson
Death	12 Apr 1879	Jay County, Indiana

Spouse	Nathaniel Jackson Adamson (1814 - 1890)
Child	Elias H. Adamson (1839 - )
Child	Charlotte Adamson (1844 - )
Child	John Quincy Adamson (1849 - 1923)
Child	Rosanna Adamson (1852 - 1879)
Child	George Adamson (1855 - 1879)
Child	Mary Adamson (1861 - 1879)
Child	Nathaniel William Adamson (1862 - )
Child	Sarah Adamson (1863 - 1879)

Father	John Hiatt (1792 - 1890)
Mother	Charity Hodgson (1795 - )
Sibling	William J. Hiatt (1813 - )
Sibling	Sarah J. Hiatt (1829 - 1870)