Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

VEVAY TOWNSHIPII AND ITS HISTORY

775

PROBATE PROCEDURE CREATES SENSATION.
When County Officials Appointed Guardian for Abbey. Case of
Sixty Years Ago Unusual and Interesting-53 Acres Sell for
$400.
The proceedings of the probate court in the estate of Joseph
Abbey, of Onondaga Township, a mentally incompetent person,
presents a rather unusual and intreesting proceeding as contrasted
with the usual probate procedure in the early days.
As Joseph Abbey was 70 years old when these proceedings were
taken and as more than 60 years have elapsed since the case was
started it is certain that there is no danger at this time of causing
any embarrassment to his living friends or relatives by publishing
an account of the proceedings in his case.
This case was undoubtedly something in the nature of the
sensational as it involved the action of the county officials to place
him under guardianship. On January 10, 1854, Peter Linderman,
one of the superintendents of the county poor, filed an application
and complaint with Probate Judge Win. II. Chapman asking that
a guardian, both of the person and estate, be appointed for the
said Joseph Abbey, said complaint alleging among other things
that he was of the age of 70 years and that by reason of his extreme old age and because of blindness and because of "idleness,
debauchery and wilfulness," he was spending his estate and was
likely to become a county charge.
Appropriate proceedings were had on this application and
Minas McRobert, of M\ason, was appointed his guardian. The
guardian gave a $500 bond with William Woodhouse and O. M.
Barnes as sureties.
The accounts presented against the estate for the care of Joseph
Abbey are of lmuch interest. One Hiram Abbey claimed to have
furnished him among other things the following: Eight yards
cotton flannel for shirts, $1.20; one hat, $1.25; one silk handkerchief, 75 cents; for making two shirts,950,cents; for sugar for
victuals, 13 cents; making one pair of pants, 50 cents; one vest, 50
cents; for board for four years and four months, $275. The total
claim of Hiram Abbey against his estate was $365.95.
On the other hand it appears that it was the position of the