1831 Will 3 - Witnesses William ALLUM

  General Notes:

Re Robert Quail

Witness to the will of William Allum in 1831

Robert was born in Ireland about 1800 to William Quail and Sarah Houston.

Both William and Sarah were born in Ireland, he about 1754, she about 1756. William died in 1837 in North Strabane Township in Washington County, PA; his wife Sarah died in 1838. Here it should be noted that, whether or not of significance to our ancestral quest, William and Sarah were contemporaries of William Allum.

Robert Quail was one of two witnesses to William Allum's will in 1831. The other was Stephen Hill.

In 1834 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Robert married Sarah Hill (born about 1812).

Seemingly, Robert Quail and Stephen Hill -- the two witnesses to William will -- were related through Robert's wife, Sarah (Hill) Quail. The precise relationship is unknown but is sought at this time.





Re Samuel Cunningham

Appeared in place of Stephen Hill at probate of the will of William Allum in 1840

In 1840 when the will of William Allum was to be probated Samuel Cunningham attested that Stephen Hill was living in the State of Indiana. In addition to having been a witness to Allum's will in 1831, Stephen was to have been one of two executors (the other, Isaac Lewis, William's son-in-law, husband of William's daughter Mary). Stephen's distance from Pennsylvania prevented that.

In 1840 Samuel Cunningham attested that he did recognize Stephen Hill's 1831 signature. A bit of research about Samuel reveals he was a bank teller! Perhaps with that background alone he indeed recognized Stephen Hill's handwriting.





Re Stephen Hill

Witness to the will of William Allum in 1831 (also named one of two executors)

The Hill families in Washington County, Pennsylvania were numerous with more than one individual named "Stephen." At one time it was thought the Stephen Hill who witnessed William's will was the individual who had owned and operated Hill's Tavern in Hillsborough. Through the years that tavern -- formerly owned and operated by Stephen's father, George Hill -- became known as Century Inn, and the community of Hillsborough became known as Scenery Hill. (Century Inn is an inn to this day, and Scenery Hill remains the name of the locality.) Stones in the Stephen Hill Family Cemetery have been documented and photographed, including the stone of Stephen Hill, operator of Hill's Tavern, who died in 1834.

Realizing the death of Stephen Hill, operator and owner of Hill's Tavern, had occurred in 1834 ... and the Stephen Hill who witnessed the will of William Allum was alive in Indiana in 1840 ... brings into question the lineage of "this Stephen". Again, it seems Stephen Hill and Robert Quail -- who married Sarah Hill -- were related through Sarah. As of this writing, more about the blood line(s) of Stephen and Sarah is being pursued.