My transcription of David Mapps' (1763-1838) 1835 will (found on Ancestry.com ¹) is here ², and his 1838 probate inventory (link to first of two pages, second page immediately following) transcription is here, and selected parts of a David Mapps' probate account record beginning in 1838 and ending in 1850 are presented in the text below.

His will provides strong clues to at least two uncertain things about him and his wives.

First, his first wife Grace's (1764-1833) maiden name is reported by many as unknown. See here. However, at least one tree on Ancestry.com reports that it is Sulery. ³, David's will makes bequeaths to a number of Sulseys: Joseph Sulsey, George Sulsey, Charles Sulsey, and Asa Sulsey). ⁴ This is a clue that his first wife's maiden name could be Sulsey (and Sulery a slight mistranscription).

Second, some sources, including Wikipedia, see Grace A. Mapps, report that David's daughter, Grace A. Mapps (1835-1897), is Grace's daughter, not his second wife, Anna V. Douglass' (1800-1891) daughter. However, David's will, written in 1835, only names potential "issue" as heirs by using the term issue. But he does name his wife Anna by name, so when the will was written, Grace can be assumed to be deceased. If Grace A. Mapps were Grace's daughter, surely he would at that time mentioned her by name, not "issue". So Grace A. Mapps must be the daughter of Anna, not Grace. Pearce, in Heart of the Pines correctly attributes the two children, Grace A. and David, to David and Anna. ⁵ Grace A. was named for his first wife even though by his second wife. Some Ancestry.com trees give Grace A. Mapps the middle name Anna, which would also be consistent with Anna Douglass being her mother, and her full name honoring both David's first wife Grace, and second wife Anna.

Grace, David's first wife was about the same age as David, but Anna V. Douglass, his second wife, was about 37 years his junior. He was about 72 and she about 35 when their daughter, Grace A. Mapps, was born in 1835.

The probate account record is an ongoing record of the value of David's estate from his death inventory in 1838, held in Bond Mortgage &c, recording the payouts as specified in his will (see the transcript) to his wife, heirs, and others, as maintained by the executors, until the final record. This account record ends in 1850.

The first page of this probate account record is "A Deed of Renunciation of Elihu Mathis as One of the Executors of the David Mapps Dec'd". He opted out of the onging burden of administering the estate.

The eighth article of disposition in David's will specifies:

"8th It is my will and I hereby order my said Executors that all the money arising from the sale of my estate to be kept at interest secured safe by Bond Mortgage &c and applyed for the following purposes - which is to say that my said wife Anna Mapps have and receive out of the said fund two hundred dollars yearly and every year during her life, in half yearly payments, Likewise should my said wife Anna have any issue by me to be supported and educated under the care and gardeanship of their mother in a [plane?] comfortable manner until they arrive at lawful age out of said funds."

The inventory amount of $5276.69 is found as the starting entry in this account record, dated Feb'y 19, 1838.

The last entry in 1850 shows "Amount Brought Forward $9372.14", gives detailed accounting of payouts of $1318.17, leaving a "Balance in the hands of this accountant $8053.97".

"Timothy Pharo Accountant" apparently affirms the amount as settlement and that it "hath been advertised according to law."

Then: "I have audited [??] [stated?] this account and do report it to the Orphans Court for allowance. May [??] AD 1850." Signed "Benjamin [???????], Surrogate".

Then: "The Surrogate having reported this account to the Court for allowance and the same appearing to have been advertised according to law, and no exceptions being made thereto, it is ordered and decreed by the Court that the same be allowed in all things as reported by the Surrogate."

This author believes that this closed out the account and authorized the Executors to pay out the remaining funds in the account to appropriate heirs as specified in the will. It appears that this may have been triggered by the two children of David and Anna reaching the approximate ages of 15 (Grace A.) amd 14 (David) in 1850, and the ninth article of disposition in David's will states:

"9th I give and bequeath unto said issue when arrive at lawful age do heir and receive all and every of my Estate in cash Bond Mortgage or otherwise which is not otherwise disposed of in this my will - reserving therefrom my said wife Anna yearly payment for a during the remainder of her life, unto said issue their heirs and assigns forever."

This author suggests that 14 and/or 15 in 1850 is likely to be considered in New Jersey to be "lawful age", enabling the final pay out of the remainder of the estate. Since his second wife Anna lived until 1891, it may be assumed that the children, reaching lawful age, would properly see to their mother at that point "reserving therefrom" their inheritance, relieving the Executors of their responsibility.

More to come about David Mapps and his relatives in the next installment.