John Sterett Gittings (1798 - 1879)

Born 22 May 1798 in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 8 Dec 1879 at age 81 in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

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Biography

Birth

St. John's Joppa, Harford Co. Register

Births, Marriages, Deaths. 1769-1849

"John Sterrett Gittings son of James & Harriott Gittings

was born May 22d 1798, baptised 15th Nov'r 1799." ^[1]

He was the son of James Gittings and Harriet Sterrett.

He passed away in 1879.

Sources

1. ↑ St. John's Joppa, Harford Co. Register image 478/page 298

• Obituary for John Sterett Gittings (1798-1879). Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser, December 9, 1879. [Transcription].
• Census Data
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD47-XMC : 12 April 2016), John S Gittings, Baltimore county, part of, Baltimore, Maryland, United States; citing family 3151, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M69L-5HR : 12 December 2017), John S Gettings, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN33-VYS : 12 April 2016), John S Gittings, Maryland, United States; citing p. 140, family 901, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,075.

• Baltimore Sun. Baltimore MD. A Millionaire's Last Will and Testament. 17 December 1879.

The will of the late John S. Gittlngs was yesterday left in the office of the register of wills for Baltimore county. The will is dated Sept. 16, 1864, and is in the handwriting of T. Parkin Scott, and witnessed by John R. Kelso, Wm. Parkin Scott and T. Parkin Scott. The testator gives to his wife, Charlotte C. Gittlngs, during her widowhood, and no longer, his dwelling house, northeast corner of Monument and St. Paul streets, and his country seat,"Ashburton," containing 5:30 acres, and also one-third of the income of his estate.

He gives and con firms to hls daughter, Eleanor A. Williams, wife of George Hawkins Williams, the dwelling house at the southeast corner of Monument and St. Paul streets, during her life, and If her husband outlives her he is to have it during his life, and at his death it is to be divided among the children of Eleanor A. Williams.

He also devises to his daughter, Eleanor A. Williams, for life, all his lands In Baltimore county, except "Ashburton.

He devises to his grandson, John S. Gittings, for life, subject to the Interest of the widow, Charlotte C. Gittlngs, that part of "Ashburton," 320 acres lying north of the Liberty road, and if the grandson, John S. Gittlngs, shall die leaving no children who shall attain the age of 21 years, he devises "Ashburton" to his (testator's) grandson George May Williams, in fee-simple, and requests that if George May Williams shall come into possession of "Ashburton" that he should take the surname of Gittlngs.

The balance of his whole estate, real and personal, Is devised to his wife, Charlotte, his daughter Eleanor A. Williams and Wm. Dawson, Jr., surveyor, In trust, to be divided by them into nine equal parts, seven of these parts to the children of his daughter Eleanor A. Williams as she and her husband may designate, and the remaining two parts to his two grand children John S. Gittlngs and Eleanor Gittlngs, the children of his deceased son William S. Gittings, "for the term of their lives respectively," the Income to be applied to their support and maintenance until they respectively attain the age of thirty years, when they are to receive respectively their equal shares of the principal. If either of them die under that age, without leaving issue then living, the survivor is to take the share of the one so dying, and if both of them die under the age of thirty years without leaving a child then living, then he gives and devises the said two parts to the children of his daughter Eleanor then living; but If either of his son William's children leave a child or children living at his or her death, such child or children shall take the share of Its parent. He directs, before the division of his estate as provided for shall take place, that out of the Income thereof all of the grandchildren living at his death be educated as his trustees shall direct, and he particularly charges that his grandson, John S. Gittlngs, shall remain in England until his education is completed, preferring Oxford, and that he should study law. It is also his will that the trustees may appropriate one-tenth part of the income, as it accrues monthly under this item, to benevolent purposes and gifts to relatives; also that his trustees pay over the income of his estate', as herein declared, to uses until his grandchildren, respectively, attain the age of 30 years, and that the grandchildren shall not have the control of the principal until they, respectively, attain that age. He appoints his wife and his son-in-law, George Hawkins Williams, his executors. There is a short codicil to the will, not dated, witnessed by Samuel Kirk, J. A. H. Becker and J. G. Becker', which the witnesses testified was made about 1865. It simply recites that since the execution of his will he had purchased lands in Baltimore county, including part of the Long Green estate, and" he declares that it is his desire and intention that the same and ail other lands in Baltimore county be given and held according to the 8th item of his will to his daughter Eleanor, then to her son, Geo. May Williams, upon the same terms as the 8th item provides. In the clause devising the two-ninths to his two grandchildren, the children of his deceased son William, the words "for the term of their lives respectively" are interlined, .and seem to be in the same handwriting as the body of the will. This interlineation is not noted in the attesting clause or in the codicil. The only living witness to- the will Is Mr. John R. Kelso, who Is an old man, and was present in court to prove the will, but he could not recollect whether his attention was called to any interlineations at the time of the execution of the will or not. Mr. Richard J. Gittlngs, on behalf of Mr. John S. Gittlngs, Jr., desired that the will be not admitted to probate until an opportunity was afforded to consider how far this interlineation was to be considered as a part of the will, and whether It was desirable that any action should be taken concerning it. The matter will therefore remain open for the present.