When Great-great-great-great-grandpa Thomas Chilcoat passed on, the will¹ he left behind was relatively standard. First, pay all his expenses and his funeral. Second, provide for his wife. Then he starts divvying up his assets among his children: 2/5 to Robert, his eldest son [my 3rd great grandfather], 2/5 to Thomas, his youngest son, 1/5 to Elizabeth, his youngest daughter. And…

I give and devise to Sarah my eldest daughter only five dollars for the caus [sic] of her being a disobedient child

Thomas Chilcoat, Last Will & Testament, written 04 Jul 1840

One just cannot read a statement like that without wondering What in the heck did poor Sarah do to make Papa so angry?

Continue reading “The Disobedient Daughter”