Family History for Grafton Slutts

Week of Friday, March 4, 1887, Weekly Gazette

The Probate Court is occupied today in the hearing of the testimony to prove the will of the late Grafton Slutts of Springfield Twp. Mr. Slutts died about a month ago and upon his demise his will, made some ten or twelve years ago, could not be found. Letters testamentary were applied for and to prove the contents of the last will is the cause of the hearing today...The application to prove the contents of the will which is lost, spoliated, or destroyed, was made by Thomas Allensworth, a party interest. The application was resisted by Martha Ann Slutts, the widow. S.J. Hooper, one of the subscribing witnesses said that the will was written by John Gruber in the presence of George Slutts about June 1876...Grafton Slutts died two months ago of heart disease aged about 76 years; he left his wife and little daughter Katie aged about 13 years; also an estate of 720 acres of land valued at $25,000 to $30,000 and personal value from $20,000 to $25,000...George Slutts, a brother...was present at the writing and signing of the will as his brother had sent for him to come from Holmes County...He had no interest in the will which according to him was a follows...To his wife, the farm they lived on and all on it; to his daughter, Katie, 2 farms; to Catherine Allensworth, the Wolf Run quarter; 160 acres in Springfield Twp.; to his brother Levi Slutts, the farm he (Levi) lived on; to three namesakes; Grafton Allensworth, Grafton Slutts, and another Grafton Slutts, $100 each; to Polly Champer $200, and to her son Madison Slutts $300. He designated Thomas Allensworth to be the guardian of his little girl Catherine Slutts, who was the take charge of the two farms willed to his daughter until she became of age...The court refused to admit the will to probate upon legal requirements grounds.