Hiram Case and his son, Isham

I have been tracking Hiram and Isham Case because I believe they are the brother and nephew of my husband's great-great grandfather, Caleb Case Jr. and the son and grandson of Caleb Case, Sr. of Whitestown, New York.

In the 1850 census of Bristol Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, which is located right next to the state line with Pennsylvania, Hiram Case was enumerated on August 18.  He was 44, a farmer AND born in New York.  With him were his wife, Luranda, and children Willard, 18 (farmer); Isham, 17 (born c. 1833 and a store clerk); Sidney, 14; Russel, 11; Ellen, 9; Martha, 3 AND Iantha, 48 - Hiram's sister.  Iantha was named in Caleb Sr.'s will.

The name "Isham" reminded me of the story of Caleb Jr.'s son, Maynard, who died in California. (His story may be read here.)  Maynard died in 1867, so when the family was informed back home in Indiana, it was up to the widow and her eldest son, Emillus, to make arrangements for the settling of his estate and for his burial.  Maynard's father, Caleb Jr., had died in 1854.  When Emillus wrote to the administrator of courts in California regarding how to proceed with Maynard's estate, Emillus wrote:


"The power of attorney we shall send to Isham Case, Brooklyn, California.  Will you please also write to him and tell him whether he can draw the estate on presentation of power of attorney and tell him when to come?"

And it is later reported in the estate papers that in 1869, Isham Case came to pick up the cash from the estate.  

So, to me, it seemed likely that Caleb Jr.'s widow would have asked someone close to the family to handle this personal issue...someone who was already in California.  Isham would have been Maynard's cousin and her husband's nephew.  The research showed that Isham was gone from Hiram's home in Ohio by 1860 and in fact, Isham was enumerated on the 1860 census in Brooklyn, Alameda County, California, living in a boarding house there at the age of 26 and single.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle, January 30, 1906 about an exceptionally low tide, stated:
"Isham Case, who is employed by the Southern Pacific on the Alameda  mole, came to Oakland in the year 1852 and served as a clerk on a ferry-boat, also had an opportunity to see the mud when the tide was out in that year, and he remembers it."

Isham Case had some status in Alameda County.  The Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County, 1886 gave this biography: 
"ISHAM CASE
This gentleman is a native of New York State, and is an old citizen of Alameda County.  He has just retired from the Board of Supervisors, in which he has held the position of President for five years.  He became early identified with the interests of Brooklyn Township, and was an officer of the Larnes* steamboat line when in operation.  He is the father of a family, and is connected with the Larnes*, having married the only daughter of the late Jas. B. Larne.  Mr. Case's most active occupation, of late years, has been that of farming in the Livermore Valley, where he owns a large ranch.  He has also operated largely in mining stocks.  He has ever been an active politician, and is a man who wields no inconsiderable influence in the Republican party.  He is 43 years of age.*

(I think this should be Larue and I think his age is off by 10 years.)

Isham was also the Treasurer in at least 1864, for the Church of the Advent, Protestant Episcopal Church in Oakland, which was established in 1860.  His father-in-law donated the land for the church and also served as a Vestryman.
He also acted as Assessor for the county in the 1860's. 

 So Isham Case was well qualified to handle any affairs given him by the Case family back in Indiana.  I thought Isham's obituary might help, but all I could find was this short notice in the San Francisco Call published on March 2, 1911.

"CASE - In Oakland, Cal., March 1, 1911, Isham Case, beloved father of J. R. Case* and the late Lula Case, a native of New York, aged 77 years.

(*J.R. was James Russell Case and Lulu was Sarah Lula Case.  Another brother, Willard Frank, might have been deceased by this time; I'm not sure why he's not mentioned.  As a side note, Isham and his wife, Hannah, must have been very saddened by the trials of their daughter, Lulu, who suffered from a mental illness.  The San Francisco Chronicle reported on April 28, 1900:
"RELAPSED INTO INSANITY
MISS LULU CASE AGAIN ORDERED SENT TO AN ASYLUM
Oakland, April 27.  Miss S. Lulu Case, daughter of Isham Case, who was at one time chairman of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, was ordered committed today to the State Hospital at Agnews.  She was sent to an asylum on May 13th of last year, but was permitted to return to her home, as it was thought she had recovered her mental equilibrium.  Recently, however, she has relapsed and is afflicted with many delusions.  She imagines that spirits surround her and that to prevent them from taking her away, she must sleep in a green gown.  She has recently showed signs of a suicidal mania, and it was thought best by her family to have her again placed under restraint.  Miss Case's mother was a member of the Larue family of East Oakland, being a daughter of the now deceased pioneer James Larue.")

I also have not yet found an obituary for Hiram...just his tombstone, and Iantha's and Delia's, all in Trumbull County, Ohio. 

Iantha is buried in the Old Bristol Cemetery, Trumbull County, OH

 

Evergreen Cemetery, Bristolville, Trumbull County, OH

Hiram's sister, Delia, was enumerated with the family in 1880.  Hiram was 75 by that time and Delia, 70. (Delia was also mentioned in the Whitestown will of Caleb Sr.)  I have not been able to find Hiram's wife, Luranda's, place of burial, and I do not know yet who Lettie Kibbee is. Lettie was only 13 when she died.

I don't have an obituary for Hiram who died in 1894 at the age of 88.  That could possible mention a brother named Caleb Jr.  So the connection is far from secured, so I'm looking for any researcher who may have already made that link!  Otherwise, I think I will have to road trip to Trumbull County and New York!  (Not a bad idea anyway)
 

Caleb Case - The Dilemma

Caleb Case of Spencerville, Indiana (great-great grandfather), who reported himself born in New York circa 1803 in the census, has certainly led me on a winding genealogical path these past few months.  Who was his father? I thought I knew, based on a will of Caleb Case, Sr., which I acquired long ago in my research.  Then I looked around at other people's research and some connected that man with sons named Caleb who moved to Michigan and Wisconsin.  How could I be sure that I was making the right connections?

First, here is the will of Caleb Case, Sr. of Whitestown, New York, dated 1814:
Oneida County, New York
"The last will and testament of Caleb Case of Whitestown in the county of Oneida and state of New York, I, Caleb Case, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory, do make, ordain, publish and declaire this my last will and testament in manner and form following

First, I give and bequeath until my beloved wife, Charlotte Case, the one third part of the reasonable _? of all my real estate of which I am in lawful possession of at my decease.**  I also give and bequeath to my said beloved wife the one third part & improvement of my dwelling house & out houses, also two cows, one horse and twelve sheep, said stock to be kept on the premises which is to be considered as part of the Rents above mentioned to be allowed her.  The privilege in the house and other buildings also to be considered part of the Rents.  I also give and bequeatn to my said beloved wife, Charlotte Case, all my household furniture, also my wearing apparel and necessary fuel for the fire as long as she remains my widow."   (**Charlotte's dower rights - see link)

"Then I do hereby commit the guardianship of my four youngest children, viz. Iantha Case, aged twelve years, Caleb Case, Jr, aged eleven years, Hiram Case, aged nine years, and Dela Case, aged seven years**, until they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years, until my said wife, Charlotte during her life, if she should so long continue my widow and form and after her decease, or if she shall marry again, then in that case, I do constitute, ordain & appoint my beloved son, Zacheus Case, his executors and assigns, and I do hereby declare that the expense and maintenance and education of my four above named children shall be paid & borne by my said wife, by and out of the privileges & property given and bequeathed to her in and by this will."
(**I believe Charlotte was Caleb Sr.'s third wife with whom he had these four young children: Ianthe, born c. 1802; Caleb Jr., born c. 1803; Hiram, born c. 1805; and Dela (Delia), born c. 1807.)

Then, I give and bequeath to my eldest son, Horrace Case, thirty five dollars
Then, I give and bequeath to my three daughters, viz. Elizabeth Mark (March?), Sarah Case, and Rhoda Kellogg, the sum of thirty five dollars each.
Then, I give and bequeath to my two sons, Caleb Case, Jr. and Hiram Case, the sum of three hundred dollars each in manner hereafter pointed out
Then, I give and bequeath to my two daughters, Ianthe and Dela Case, the sum of two hundred dollars each which said several legacies or sums of money I will and order to be paid by my Executors hereafter by me made to this my will.

Then I give and declare to my two sons, Zaccheus Case and Philemon Case, to them then thus their assigns forever, all my Real Estate, together with all my personal estate, being, lying and remaining in the town of Whitestown in the county of Oneida in the state of New York or elsewhere.  Now to them, the said Zaccheus Case & Philemon Case, their heirs and assigns forever to be equally divided between them, and further my will is that Horace Case, Elizabeth Mark, Sarah Case and Rhoda Kellogg, all receive the legacies above willed to them at the expiration of two years after my decease and it is my will that my two sons, viz. Caleb Case Jr. and Hiram Case shall receive the Legacies allotted and willed to each of them at the age of twenty one years and also that the legacies be paid to Ianthe and Dela Case, above mentioned, when each shall arrive at the age of twenty one years.

And lastly, as to all the rest of my personal estate goods and chattels of what kind or nature not heretofore bequeathed, I give & bequeath equally between my two sons, Zaccheus Case and Philemon Case, whom I hereby ordain, constitute and appoint Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the ninth day of August in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen."

The will was signed on the 9th of August and it was presented in court on the 29th after Caleb Sr.'s death.  From this will, we gain the names of his children, which I believe were from three different wives. Horrace was the oldest son, but apparently he had already been compensated sufficiently as he was given $35. Caleb Sr. gave his real estate to two other older sons, Zaccheus and Philemon.  He had probably given the older girls a dowry when they married, so he might have thought that was enough, giving them now just $35 at his death.  (Sarah Case was married to a Case.)  But the four youngest children got substantial amounts of money for the time, 1814.  A currency calculator valued the $300 Hiram and Caleb and their sisters received as worth about $4,000-$5,000 in 2013.  

So it makes sense that when Caleb and Hiram came of age and collected their inheritance, having received no land from their father, they would have headed west where land could be had for $5.00 or less per acre.  Caleb came to Indiana in about 1842 and Hiram to Trumbull County, Ohio sometime in the 1840's.  (More on Hiram in the next post.)

Caleb Jr. married Sophia Camp who was from Waterville, NY, just about 15 miles from Whitestown.  Close enough to visit and court.
So the proximity of these two places supports the possibility that the two Calebs might be related.

But the biggest connection I found between our Caleb Jr, this Caleb Sr. and his brother,Hiram, came through Hiram's son, Isham.
Stay tuned.

Case or Camp Photos - Unidentified

These photos were found in the old satchel holding the papers of Emillus Case, son of Caleb and Sophia Camp Case.  Of course, they are unidentified.  The only hope of identification would be if someone of the family has something similar to help name these family members.  

I believe they are daguerrotypes, which usually date between 1840 - 1860.  I've actually thought that one of them might be Emillus himself, another one a brother and perhaps, the last might be the sister who lived with them, Lydia.
But that is pure speculation.
Could anyone help?

Sophia Camp Case - Great-Great Grandmother

After her husband, Caleb, died in 1854, Sophia Case was left to raise her large family alone.

On July 13, 1860, the census enumerator found the Case family at the same location in Concord Township, Dekalb County, Indiana.  Isum, 26, was named as head of household.  The value of the land had increased to $4000, probably because more land had been improved and used for farming.  Isum's personal worth was $1000; he was teaching, too.

Sophia, at 52, was keeping house and raising the younger children, Mary, 12, and Martha, 9.  Maynard had left the house and was listed in the 1860 census in California.  At home were Emillus, 22; Mahlon, 19; Lydia, 19 (error in age); Harriet, 17 and the two younger girls.  Also joining the family were Dexter Case, 24, and his wife, Mary Jane, 24.  
No will was found for Caleb Case in the courthouse at Auburn, Dekalb County, Indiana.  In the early 1860's, at least, documents show that the property taxes were paid by "the heirs of Caleb Case" and then later on in the names of several different sons until each left the area or died. 

In January, 1861, Sophia's children, Isum and Harriet, died, quickly followed by Mahlon in March of that year.  Dexter and wife, Mary Jane, moved to Kansas, so the heirs at home would have been Emillus and Lydia and the two youngest girls, Mary and Martha.  Sophia was not done grieving because in 1867, she learned of her son, Maynard's, death in California.

This photo was found in the satchel of Emillus Case and it is unidentified.  I always wondered if it were his mother, Sophia, as she looked like someone who had weathered many storms.  But we will never know the identity of this woman, for sure.

 So on July 25, 1870, the Case family was much smaller when the census enumerator stopped by.  Emillus was named as head of the household with real estate worth $8000 and personal wealth of $2500.  He was listed as a farmer.  His mother, Sophia, 62; sister, Lydia, 39; and sisters Martha, 21, and Mary and her husband, William Hollabaugh, completed the household.  

In 1880, Emillus, 42, a farmer and head of the household, had only Lydia, 50 and Sophia, 72, at home.  (This one time the census taker listed her birthplace as CT, but, of course, we don't know who reported that.  The birthplace had always been New York prior to this.)  Mary and her husband, William Hollabaugh, had moved just down the road, and Martha and her husband, William H. Dilley had settled in Iowa.

Sophia died on February 15, 1888.  She had written a will dated January 14, 1882, which was located in Auburn, Dekalb County, Indiana courthouse.

Sophia Camp Case's will:
"I, Sophia Case, of Concord Township, County of DeKalb and State of Indiana, being of sound mind, but in feeble health and in view of the certainty of death and the uncertainty of life, do make and publish this, my last will and testament:

Item 1st: I will, bequeath to son Emillus Case the undivided four-fifths of all the real estate I may be possessed of at my decease and on the condition that the said Emillus Case is to pay my daughter, Martha Dilley, the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars.

Item 2: I will and bequeath to my daughter, Lydia Case, the undivided one-fifth part of the real estate I may be possessed of at my decease unconditionally.

Item 3: I will and bequeath to Mary Hollabaugh, my daughter, the sum of Three Hundred Dollars out of my personal estate.

Item 4: I will and bequeath to my daughter, Martha Dilley, in addition to the above legacy, the sum of Three Hundred Dollars out of my personal estate.

Item 5: I will that all of my personal estate not hereinbefore bequeath shall be equally divided between my daughter, Lydia Case and my son, Emillus Case, after the payment of all my just debts and charges.

Item 6: I hereby nominate and appoint my son Emillus Case, my Executor to carry out the provisions of this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning thereof.
In witness whereof, the said Sophia Case has hereunto set her hand and seal this 14th day of January, 1882."

I have but one item that has been passed down from Sophia Camp Case, probably through her granddaughter, Geneva Hollabaugh Pflaumer (daughter of Mary Case Hollabaugh), as Geneva's (aka Eva's) husband was the executor of Sophia's son, Emillus's, will.

Coin silver spoons owned by Sophia Camp Case

According to my research, coin silver spoons were made from colonial times to about 1868 when a silver standard was set for silversmiths.  The spoons were made from melted silver coins that no longer had worth in society or from worthless European coins.  Sterling silver was introduced in 1850.  In the 19th century, makers began to stamp their names on what they produced. Two different makers made these particular coins - I. Avery and L. S. Porter - and I could not find information on either person.  The spoons were obviously well used and ten of them exist. (In Mary Case Hollabaugh's obituary, it said there were ten in her family, but I have never been able to find the tenth person.)  The spoons were all engraved with what looks like a C in very elegant script.

Years of black grime covered the handles of the spoons, but baking soda helped clean away most of it.  In the above photo, you can almost see the teeth marks in the bowl of the spoons!

Sophia is buried beside Caleb in the White City Cemetery, Spencerville, Indiana, just down the road from their homestead. This brief obituary appeared in an unidentified New York paper from Oneida County:

"Died.  CASE - In Spencerville, In., Feb. 15, 1898, Mrs. Sophia Camp Case, a sister of the late Platt Camp, of this place, in the 81st year of her age."

Caleb Case, Great-Great Grandfather

Caleb Case, my husband's great-great grandfather was born about May 20, 1803 and, as he reported in the census, the birthplace was New York.  The birthdate was calculated from his tombstone found in White City Cemetery, Spencerville, IN.  Caleb died January 23, 1854 at the age of 50 years, 8 months and 3 days.  (The number 5 might, at first, look like a 6 on the stone.)

Caleb and Sophia Camp were probably married prior to 1831 in New York, but the early date has made finding a record of that marriage challenging.




I believe this Caleb Case appeared in the 1840 census of Hastings,Oswego County, New York, page 304.  He appeared as head of household and in the family were listed three males under 5 years old (Dexter, Emillus and Mahlon), two males ages 5-9 (Maynard and Isum) and one male aged 30-40 (Caleb).
In addition, one female is listed aged 5-9 (Lydia) and one female aged 30-40 (Sophia), so the ages of this particular Caleb Case entry seem to match the ages of the parents and children.  In addition, one female aged 20-30 was listed, but since she is unnamed , it is uncertain if she was a servant or relative living with the family. However, since I believe he and Sophia were from Oneida County, this may not be a correct census match.

According to testimony taken when son, Maynard's, estate was being settled, William Dils swore that he had known Maynard since the family came to Dekalb County, Indiana around 1845.  So the family was in Indiana when the enumerator for the 1850 census dropped in at their Concord Township home on August 10, 1850.  Caleb was then 47 years old and a farmer with real estate valued at $1200, a goodly sum for the times.  Sophia was 42 and the children named were Lydia, 19; Maynard, 18, a farmer; Isum, 16, a farmer; Dexter, 14; Emillus, 12; Mahlon, 10; Harriet,7, all attending school; and little Mary (great-grandmother), age 1 and the only one born in Indiana.  All the rest were born in New York.

That same year, an agricultural census was taken in Indian, with reporting based on what the farmer had with the year ending June 1, 1850.  Caleb Case reported that he had 30 acres improved and 140 acres unimproved with the cash value of the farm at $1200 ($7.06/acre).  He valued his farming implements at $55.  He owned four horses, 4 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 4 other cattle, 8 sheep, 17 swine, with a combined value of $185.00.  Caleb also had 160 bushels of wheat, 200 bushels of Indian corn, 27 pounds of wool, 1 bushel of peas/beans, 25 bushels of Irish potatoes, 150 pounds of butter, 200 pounds of maple syrup, 15 gallons of molasses, 50 pounds of beeswax/ honey and he had slaughtered for food $70 worth of animals.  With his sons helping him, Caleb and Sophia's farm seemed to be quite productive and profitable.

Unfortunately, Caleb died at the young age of 50 years, leaving Sophia with an active farming operation and nine children at home.  Several sons were old enough to take over the farm and continue working it.  Mahlon, Harriet, Mary and the youngest, Martha, age 3, were the still in school or still at home.  Probably Mary and Martha would not remember their father.

Martha Rosetta Dilley - Daughter of Caleb and Sophia Camp Case

The youngest of this Case family was daughter, Martha Rosetta, born in August, c. 1851.  Martha's father died when she was about three years old, so she was raised by her mother, surrounded by older brothers and sisters.  When Martha was approximately 9 or 10, three of her older siblings, Isum, Mahlon and Harriet, died, and not much later, two others, Maynard and Dexter, moved west.  In the 1860 census, Martha was enumerated with her whole family, minus her father, but by 1870, the family had shrunk to her brother, Emillus (32) and her mother, Sophia (62) and sisters, Lydia (39), Mary (21) and her husband, Levi Hollabaugh (25) and Martha, herself, listed as 21 years old.

I have not been able to locate the marriage certificate of William H. Dilley, also of Dekalb County, Indiana, and Martha Rosetta Case. William grew up in Concord township, as well, and in 1860, was with his family: Elijah and Elizabeth, father and mother, and siblings, Mary E., Vinson, Margaret, and Malinda.  William H. was the youngest at 2 years old. They probably married in Indiana, but the search is still on for the documentation.

 In the 1880 census, they were found in Bear Grove Township, Guthrie County, Iowa on July 3, both 22 years old.  William was engaged in farming.  (In the 1900 census, they reported being married for 20 years, making the nuptial year as 1880, so they were probably newlyweds in the 1880 census.  However, the birth age for Martha, at this point is still a mystery because even though ten years have passed since the 1870 census, Martha has only aged 1 year!  Obviously, a mistake somewhere.)

 

http://www.guthriecountytourism.com/index_files/ghost_towns.htm

Fifteen years later, the family still resided in Guthrie County - William H. Dilley, 36, Martha R., 41, with children, Blanche, 7, and Melville, 5.  William reported himself a farmer, a Methodist, subject to military duty and entitled to vote.

The 1900 census of Guthrie County, Iowa indicated the enumerator arrived at the Dilleys on June 20.  Married now twenty years, William was farming.  They reported his birthday to be in June, 1858 and Martha's as August, 1853.  Martha had borne five children, but only two were living: Blanche H., 12, born June 1887 in Iowa, and Melville L., 10, born December 1889 in Iowa. 

By 1910, the family had moved to Clifton, Mesa County, Colorado.  There, they owned a fruit farm, free and clear, probably with the proceeds of the sale of their Iowa farm.  William was 52 and Martha was 57 and both children were still single and at home, working on the family farm.  Blanche, 22, was listed as a farmer on the census, and her brother, Melville, 20, was a farm laborer. (They probably made the move to Colorado in about 1901.)

 

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/912/rec/1

 Melville married Mabel McMillen on November 28, 1912 and from a later census, it appeared that they settled on a farm nearby. 

The family seemed to have gained success, but in 1913, William Dilley committed suicide, leaving Martha a widow. The death was reported in a local paper, the Akron Weekly Review, Akron, Washington County, Colorado, Friday, May 16, 1913, front page:

"Clifton.  W. H. Dilley, fifty four, orchardist, who for twelve years has lived southwest of town, shot and instantly killed himself.  Despondency over ill health is given as the cause, together with a partial loss of fruit crops by frost."

Martha's  daughter, Blanche Hazel Dilley, married Ivor Hyndman at Clifton, Mesa County, Colorado, the next year, on September 17, 1914. Blanche was 27 and Ivor, an immigrant from Wales and a Methodist clergyman, was 32.

 In 1920,, Ivor was assigned to a church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where the census taker found the family in Ward 1 of South Milwaukee.  Ivor, 38, had filed naturalization papers in 1913.  His wife, Blanche, 32, and son, Ivor W. Hyndman, 2 9/12, completed the family.
Also, in 1920, the census enumerator found Martha Dilley, 68, living alone in the same location in Colorado, owning her farm.  No occupation was listed for her; however, her son, Melville and his wife, Mabel B. and daughter, Marjorie, 4 9/12 lived very near her, as they were enumerated on the same page, about five farms away.  Melville was farming, and probably taking care of his mother's land, too, we might presume.

By 1930, Martha R. Dilley, 78, lived with her son, Melville, 40, and his wife, Mabel, 42.  They lived on a farm, but it is unclear if it was the home farm or Melville's farm.  Melville was still farming, and Martha would have also had her granddaughter, Marjorie, 15, for company.
Her daughter, Blanche and son-in-law, Ivor Hyndman were living on South Limestone Street in Fayette, Kentucky in 1930.  They were renting a home there for $75 a month and Ivor was sill working as a Methodist clergyman at 48 years old.  Blanche, 42, had children Ivor W., 12, born in Wisconsin; Hazel G., 9, and James M. 7, both born in North Dakota; Florence M., 5, born in Florida; and Lloyd G, 1 3/12, born in Kentucky.  What a roaming life this minister and family had! (According to Blanche's great-great granddaughter, Blanche and Ivor also had twin girls who died at birth and a daughter, Dorothy, who died in infancy.)

Martha Rosetta Case Dilley died in 1933 and was buried next to her husband, William, in Palisade Cemetery, Palisade, Mesa County,Colorado.

Birthdate on tombstone - 1851

Dexter R. and Mary Jane Case - Their Wills

 Dexter Case died on January 9, 1912, but his will was made four years before.

"Byron, Oklahoma, Jan. 8th, 1908
I, Dexter R. Case, of town of Byron, in Alfalfa Co. in State of Oklahoma, being of sound mind,memory and understanding, do make this my last will and testament.
I bequeath all of my household goods, ready money, securities, goods & chattles, and all other parts of my real & personal estate & effects, whatsoever and wheresoever, subject only to the payment of my just debts, to my wife, Mary J. Case, to and for her absolute use and benefits, and I appoint Isum B. Case executor of this, my will, and hereby revoke all other wills.
In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, the day and year first above mentioned.
Signed, Sealed, published and acknowledged by the said Dexter R. Case, as and for his last will and testament, in the presence of us, who in his presence and at his request, and in the presence of eath other, have subscribed our names hereunto as witnesses thereof.
Alfonso W. Hadley
Viola M. Hadley
(signed by Dexter R.Case)

After Dexter died, his wife waited a few years before writing her own will on Christmas Day, 1913.  Mary Jane died on June 21, 1917.

"Last Will and Testament of Mary Jane Case
I, Mary Jane Case, being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this, my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any other will heretofore made by me.

1. I give and bequeath to my son, Isum B. Case, and my son, Frank Case, all of my household goods, share and share alike.

2. All the rest and residue of my property, both real and personal, I give, devise, and bequeath to my son, Isum B. Case.  In the event that my said son, Isum B. Case, should not survive me, it is my will and desire that the property hereby devised and bequeathed to my son, Isum B. Case, should go to his heirs at law.

3. I hereby appoint my son, Isum B. Case, executor of this, my last will and testament and request that he be allowed to serve without bond.
In witness thereof, I, Mary Jane Case, have to this my last will and testament, subscribed my name this 25th day of December, 1913."
(Signed- Mary Jane Case and witnessed by H. C. Wear and I. S. Alexander)