Chancery Court Abstract

BOOSER - Estate of John BOOSER - 1794 - Washington County

Henry SCHNEBELY, exec/of John BOOZER vs Christopher SIDES and 
George SHEPLER

John BOOZER, deceased, was a native of Switzerland, very old and 
illiterate and scarcely able to speak or understand any English and 
always relied on Schnebely for assistance.  Several years before 
Boozer's death, he made a will, and having no relations in this 
country, he devised all his property to his brothers and sisters in 
Switzerland, amounting to 800 pounds cm and appointed Schnebely as 
executor. 

About a year before Boozer's death, Christopher SIDES, a needy man 
of abandoned principles and character, moved into Maryland from 
Pennsylvania and placed himself on part of Boozer's land whereby he 
erected a cabin; and then introduced himself to Boozer and made false 
insinuations against Schnebely.  Boozer died in 1791 and a month later, 
a bond bearing a day near the death of Boozer was presented by Sides 
for payment of 400 pounds out of Boozer's estate and Schnebely being 
suspicious of it's authenticity, didn't pay it.  He also has heard 
from Jacob TEETER that Sides told him he has no occasion to work for 
he intended to possess himself of John Boozer's estate.  In the Fall 
of the same year, Sides applied to Major Josiah PRICE asking if 
a will would prevent Sides from obtaining Boozer's land and Price 
stated he hoped Sides didn't mean to cheat Boozer out of his estate 
whereby Side replied he might as well have it as Dr Schnebely and 
would have Thomas WORLEY handle it, but was afraid Worley would cheat 
both Sides and Boozer.
  In the Fall of the same year and before the execution of the said 
bond, Sides was seen at a place in Pennsylvania called Woodcock 
Valley, about 70 miles distant from his and Boozer's place but in 
the neighborhood of George ELDER and Tames (Thomas?) HALE, the 
subscibing witnesses of the said bond, men of profligate and infamous 
characters, fraud and dishonesty and with who Sides has been 
acquainted with before.  
During the same year, Side, Hale and Elder were seen riding together 
to the house of Jacob WEAVER of Washington Co, MD, a man of the same 
character as the others and a father of a woman with whom the said 
Sides lived in a state of illicit connection and she had children by 
Sides/Sites; and they were again seen together in Washington County 
about the time the bond was signed and written in English.  The 
neighborhood of Hagars Town where Boozer resided at the date of this 
bond was thickly settled and inhabited by Germans who understood, 
spoke and wrote both Dutch and English and were of respectable 
character and were acquainted with Boozer.  Sides since sold the 
bond to George SHEPLOR but George SHAVER warned against it.  Sides 
and Weaver have both since moved from Washington County back into 
Pennsylvania in the neighborhood where Hale and Elder reside.
     On 15 Apr 1797, hearing was held at the house of Nicholas SMITH, 
Tavern Keeper in Elizabeth Town (Hagerstown), to hear witnesses:  
William IJAMS, farmer of Washington Co, age 45; John BERRY, farmer, 
age 44; Daniel MILLER, farmer, age 31; Josiah PRICE, farmer, age 39; 
Daniel MILLER, farmer, age 31; Richard CROMWELL, farmer, age 47; 
Thomas WORLEY, age 50; John RAGAN, Inn Keeper, age 45; James KENDAL, 
age 25; Jacob HARRY, merchant, age 40; Jacob FRIEND Jr, farmer, age 
30; William LEE, merchant, age 47; John LEE, merchant, age 36.  
(not recorded)
[MSA S 512-4911; Loc 1-37-1-77-4742 dated 3 Dec 1794]