MySource:Knarrows/Letters between Mary Mayes Driscoll and Probate Court of Gallia, Ohio

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MySource Letters between Mary Mayes Driscoll and Probate Court of Gallia, Ohio
Coverage
Place Gallipolis, Gallia, Ohio, United States
Charleston, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States
Year range -
Surname Mayes
Driscoll
Johnson
Citation
Letters between Mary Mayes Driscoll and Probate Court of Gallia, Ohio.


These are a series of letters between Mary Johnson Mayes DRISCOLL and Judge Clark of the Gallia Co., Ohio Probate Court, regarding the death of her son, Alfred Clayton Mayes, Jr. These letters were copied from microfilm at the courthouse in Gallia county and were transcribed by me. --Ronni 08:51, 14 April 2007 (MDT)


About Jan 1940:

513 Donnally Street
Apt 3
Charleston, WV

Judge Clark
Gallipolis Ohio

Dear Mr. Clark,

I am writing to you in regards to the insurance on automobile which my son was killed on April 21, 1919. At the time of his death, I was informed that a settlement would be made to me within eighteen months. I personally did not receive anything, but my children received orders for clothes from Henry Cherrington. I thought perhaps you could give me some information about it. It has been nearly 21 years but I felt that if there was anything due me you could help me in applying for it. I cannot understand, myself, why I received nothing and my children received these clothes orders. I should appreciate you giving me some information, if possible, on the subject.

Yours truly
Mrs. Mary Mayes Driscoll



February 7, 1940

Mrs. Mary Mayes Driscoll
513 Donnally Street
Apt 3
Charleston, WV

Dear Mrs. Driscoll,

In regard to your inquiry concerning the setttlement of the death of Alfred Mayes. The insurance companies settled for $2500.00. $1300.00 of this was used for the payment of funeral expenses, administration expenses, compensation of administrator and attorney fees which left $1200.00 to be distributed. Of this $100 each was paid to Mary Mayes, James Mayes, Lawrence Mayes, William Mayes and to the minor children $160 each to Edith Murphy, Robert Mayes, Harry Mayes, Helen Mayes and Mamie Mayes. These sums allowed the minors were paid to Henry W. Cherrington as their guardian and was used for their benefit by him.

As to the insurance allowed by the government I do not know whether you got that or not. You should have been entitled to $57.50 a month for 220 months which at that time there was some controversy over the payment of the insurance. However in the last two or three years the supreme court of the United States made a decision that dependence of soldiers killed in the war were entitled to insurance whether applied for or not. One case here in Gallipolis, a father of a veteran who died in the service received $6000 in insurance. Dependent parents when not married are entitled to $45.00 a month whether you are receiving this I do not know.

I think I have given you all the information I have in regard to this matter.

Yours Truly
J.S. Clark
Probate Judge
Gallipolis, Ohio



514 Kanawha Blvd
Charleston, WV
March 17, 1940

Mr. J.S. Clark
Probate Court, Gallia County
Gallipolis, Ohio

Dear Judge Clark,

I am writing to you again asking of you another favor. At the time my son, Alfred Mayes, was killed he had $90.00 in money, a watch and other valuable papers in his pockets. I never received these valuables and know that me, his mother, should have received them. I am wondering if you could find out in anyway where these could have gone. If you could find out and let me know, I should appreciate it very kindly. I have written to H.W. Cherrington in regards to the $90.00 and am looking for a letter soon. I should have looked into this matter sometime ago, but was never put wise until first this winter. I shall appreciate anything you can do for me in regards to ...

[unable to read rest of letter]



March 23, 1940

Mrs. Mary Mayes Driscoll
514 Kanawha Blvd
Charleston, WV

Dear Mrs. Driscoll,

I have your letter of March 17th in which you make some inquiry of what was done with the money found on the body of your son Alfred Mayes at the time of his death. I have taken this up with Mr. Cherrington and he states that this money was put in the bank together with the money received from the insurance company in the settle of your sons estate.

As you know Fred Cromley was admistrator of your sons estate and he died before settling the estate, however, Mr. Cherrington has all the papers in the estate and will make a settlement of it within a short time.

As a good part of your son's money was distributed at the time it was collected to the children and yourself, but you will receive a statement from Mr. Cherrington or this office as soon as the matter is finally completed.

Yours Truly

J. S. Clark
Probate Judge
Gallipolis, OH



514 Kanawha St
Charleston, WV
May 6, 1940

Probate Judge Clark
Dear Sir:

In regards of my son Alfred Mayes who was killed April 21, 1918 [sic], I am asking you to send me a statement of what became of the $90.00 that was in Alfred's pocket, also the $107.00 the government, and all the expenses that was supposed to be paid out of the $2500.00, which was to be paid by the insurance company. I went to the American Legion and they told me what to do, and that is why I have got to have an account of everything that was paid out. I have found out that I have been beat out of this money and I didn't know anything about it until they came to me and investigated about it. Alfred's watch was also gone which I never did find. Please answer at once as this is very important.

Yours Truly
Mrs. Mary Driscoll
514 Kanawha Street



May 11, 1940

Mrs. Mary Mayes Driscoll
514 Kanawha Street
Charleston, WV

Dear Mrs. Mayes

In reply to your letter of May 6th, I wish to say that the statement of Dr. J. T. Hanson, on file in this office shows that when he made the inquest as coroner over the body of your son that the following articles were found on his body: cash $85.00, check $95.00, discharge from the US Army, pocket knife, pocket comb, one ring, one silver ring, identification tag, one pocket book and one whistle.

I have no means of knowing what the admistrator Mr. Cromley did with the various articles outside of the check and cash. The check and cash amounted to $180.00 and twenty-five hundred ($2500.00) dollars received from the insurance company were accounted for in the account.

The estate has been properly accounted for here and I do not know of anything else that can be done in the matter as you received a check for the balance on hand after the costs were paid.

I believe the American Legion can do better for you if they will try to get you a pension than any other thing they can do. Of course, they would have to have an attorney check the settlement of this estate in order to get all the details.

Yours Truly
J.S. Clark
Probate Judge
Gallipolis, Ohio