Edward F. STEWART

Photo by Brian Zoldak, 2012, used with permission

It is hard to imagine a lovely fall day in 1843, when Edward F. STEWART died. The Connecticut death index record states that he died on 27 Sept but his gravestone reads 27 Oct. The index may be right, as the legal document below is dated 25 Oct. I think this may be a case of the gravestone being wrong.

With his mother so recently deceased the previous year, it must have been hard on the farming family to lose another man. I don't even know what his middle name was. 

In my STEWART family Bible, there was a very thick parchment paper, which I carefully scanned. It is a legal document for Edward F. STEWART's estate. At first, I was so mesmerized by the signatures, I didn't even think about this as an important document. 

Dudley W. Stewart in charge of Edward's estate

We the undersigned being Heirs at Law to the estate of Edward F. Stewart of North Stonington , deceasd do hereby relinquish to Dudley W. Stewart of said North Stonington  for said debts on him assigned for us all right, title or claim which we have at this in law or equity to said State to the said death of Dudley W. Stewart in consideration of good will and of his paying all the just debts and funeral charges of the said Edward F. Stewart
North Stonington Oct 25th 1843
[Signed]
Denison N. Stewart
William R. Wheeler
Emeline Wheeler
Frederick Swan
Betsey R. Swan
Nathaniel M. Crary
Rebecca Crary