William Dehart (abt. 1747 - bef. 1777)

Born about 1747 in Amity Township, Berks County, Province of Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Boone) Ingels — married about 1769 in Berks County, Province of Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died before 23 Aug 1777 before about age 30 in Amity Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA

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Biography

Parentage; Date and Place of Birth

William Dehart was the son of Gilbert Dehart and Elizabeth (Reed) Dehart. His parentage is established by references to him in his father's will^[1] and in guardianship records after his father's death.^[2][3]

No record of William's birth has been found. Several records, however, suggest that he was probably born about 1747. First, in a guardianship petition by William dated February 1763, William stated that he was a minor above the age of 14,^[2][3] which would mean that he was born before 1749. Second, William is listed as in the Amity tax lists in 1768,^[4] but not in the tax list for 1767,^[5] which suggests that 1768 was the first tax year after he inherited his share of his father's property upon reaching the age of 21.

Based on the fact that his father, Gilbert, was an inhabitant of Amity Township by 1744, William was almost certainly born there.

Marriage and Children

No records have been found of the marriage of William Dehart and Catherine Boone or the births of their children. From the guardianship petitions after William's death, it is clear that William and Catherine had three children, William, Ann and Sarah, who were all under the age of 14 in 1780 and thus born after 1766.^[6]

In February 1784, Ann Dehart filed a petition for Judah Boone to be her guardian, stating that she was a minor above the age of 14,^[7] which means that she was born sometime between 1763 and 1770. In March 1787, an filed a new petition under the name of Anna Kerlin, stating that she had married Thomas Kerlin and wanted to have her guardianship changed to her husband. This indicates that Ann/Anna was not yet 21 and was born sometime between 1767 and 1770.^[8]

In April 1787, Sarah Dehart filed a petition for John Kerling to be her guardian,^[9] thus indicating that Sarah had reached the age of 14 by that date and thus born before April 1773, but presumably after her sister Ann.

In July 1789, William Dehart, Jr. filed a petition for Isaac Boone to be his guardian, stating that he was now 14 years old or older,^[10] thus indicating that William was born before July 1775, but presumably, after his sister Sarah.

Based on the estimated dates of birth of his children, William probably married Catherine Boone sometime in 1766 and 1769. Since, based on the tax records referenced above, he probably turned 21 and inherited his share of his father's estate in late 1767 or early 1768, a marriage date of 1768 is most probable. There were probably married in either Amity, where William lived, or Exeter, Berks County, where Catherine probably lived.

Based on the above-referenced guardianship petitions and estimated date of William and Catherine's marriage, William and Catherine had the following children, all presumably in Amity:

1. Ann/Anna, b. sometime 1768-1770 (most probably about 1769), m. about 1786-1787 Thomas Kerlin
2. Sarah, b. sometime in 1769-1773 (most probably about 1772)
3. William, b. sometime in 1771-1775 (most probably about 1774)

Many family trees provide more specific dates for their births, but no reliable sources supporting those specific dates have been found.

Public Service

William appears as a member of the jury of oyer and terminer in Amity in 1773,^[11] and served as constable for Amity in 1776.^[12]

Death; Estate

William died intestate. William's widow Catherine and her uncles Isaac Boone and Hugh Boone were appointed as administrators of his estate on August 23, 1777,^[13] suggesting that he died shortly before that date.

The inventory of William's estate was taken on November 15, 1777 by Samuel Hughes and George Hughes and valued at about 374 pounds.^[14]

^{[10] [9] [8] [7] [6] [5] [4] [12] [11] [2] [3] [1] [13] [14]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} See transcription of his father's will in the profile for Gilbert Dehart.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for Gilbert Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Ingels, Richard T. "Shoebox Letters: The Ingels, Howard County Indiana," 2009, p 286
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Vol. XVIII, 1897, p 101
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Vol. XVIII, 1897, p 66
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Pennsylvania, Oyer and Terminer Court Papers, 1757-1787 for William Dehart, Berks 1773
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Pennsylvania, Oyer and Terminer Court Papers, 1757-1787 for William Dehart, Berks 1776
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for William Dehart, Berks Probate Estate Files, Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William, 1752-1799