Homestead sketchHow Michael Boyle's family lived

Two documents provide a glimpse of how the family lived on the Iowa homestead: an 1880 agricultural survey of Iowa and the 1890 probate documents, which chronicle the possessions and expenses of the children after Michael and Ellen Boyle died. Here are the documents:

1880 nonpopulation
agricultural census:

60 acres of improved land.

40 acres of woodland.

60 acres of other unimproved land.

Value of farm: $1,500.

Value of farming implements and machinery: $300.

Total amount of wages paid during year, including value of board: $30.

Livestock:

Total value of livestock: $500.

40 bushels of spring wheat.

600 bushels of Indian corn.

200 bushels of oats.

Farm production:

Value of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter: $400.

Estimated value of all farm production, including betterments and additions to stock: $1,400.

Probate documents

Oath of Appraisers

State of Iowa, Jackson County: In District Court

We, Jerry Crowley, M.J. Noonan and Daniel O’Connell, who have been appointed by said court to appraise the personal property of Ellen Boyle deceased, do each solemnly swear that we will faithfully, honestly and impartially perform all the duties required of us by law as such appraisers according to the best of our abilities.

Jerry Crowley
M.J. Noonan
Dan O’Connell

Signed in my presence by the above named Jerry Crowley, M.J. Noonan and Daniel O’Connell and by them sworn to before me this 22nd day of December A.D. 1890

James McLaughlin
Notary Public
(Seal)

Inventory of Personal Property

47 fat hogs valued at $9 $423.00
39 spring shoats at $2.25 87.75
409 bu. corn at 35 cents 143.15
14 head cattle 2 years and over @ $14 196.00
6 yearling cattle @ $11 66.00
7 spring calves at $7.00 49.00
4 head horses at 215.00
1 set harness 5.00; 500 bu. oats @ 35 cents - $175.00 180.00
100 bu. wheat at 70 cents 70.00
1 fanning mill and hay fork 12.00
2 corn plows @ 5.00; 1 mower 18.00 23.00
1 seeder 5.00; 1 corn planter 10.00 15.00
1 hay rake 13.50; 1 binder 40.00; 1 breaking plow 3.00 56.50
1 corn marker 1.00; 7 stacks hay 40.00; 3 wagons 25.00 66.00
2 sleighs and hay racks 10.00; 2 stirring plows 4.00 14.00
1 spring wagon 40.00; 70 bu. potatoes at 70c - 49.00 89.00
1 bbl. pork 10.00; 2 stoves at 5.25 - 10.50 20.50
1 lot furniture 7.00; 32 hd. sheep at 5.00 - 160.00 167.00
  $1897.90

We, the appraisers appointed by the foregoing commission, certify on our oaths aforesaid that we have appraised the property mentioned in the above inventory at the sums set opposite the respective articles therein mentioned. ...

Signed by us the 22nd day of December 1890
Jerry Crowley, M.J. Noonan, Dan O’Connell, appraisers



In the matter of the estate of Ellen Boyle, deceased:

Annual Report

Now on this 11th day of February A.D. 1892, comes John H. Boyle, administrator of said estate, and submits to the court a report of his doings as such administrator and asks that the same be approved.

And the clerk having examined said report and being fully advised in the premises and it appearing that said report is in regular form, it is ordered that the same stand approved and is ordered of record

Annual Report

To the court above named:

Now comes John H. Boyle, administrator of the estate of Ellen Boyle, dec’d, and respectfully represents that he was duly appointed administrator of said estate on the 2nd day of November 1890, and immediately thereafter gave due notice of his appointment.

There has been paid to me as such administrator the following amounts, to wit:

Dec. 31/90 47 fat hogs $423.00
Jany. 7/91 3 quarters of beef 16.00
  1 hide 1.80; Tallow 84c 2.64
Jany 21/91 Potatoes 18.00; Jany 24/91 Potatoes 14.00 32.00
Feby 17 1 steer 24.00; April 15, oats 12.20  
  May 18, potatoes 10.00 46.20
June 27 Wool 37.00; July 3, wheat 7.20;  
  July 20, lambs 12.00 56.20
Sept. 4 Oats 30.00; Oct 1-11, oats 10.70;  
  Nov. 12, oats 13.30 54.00
Jany 1 1892 Oats 12.30; Jany 6, cattle and hogs 729.10 741.40
Whole account received $1371.44


Administrator has paid out the following amounts:

Jany 7 1891 To merchandise 7.15; barrel pork 11.00;  
     axe and handle 1.75 $ 19.90
" Medicine 30c; board at Dubuque 1.00 1.30
" Horse shoeing 50c;  
     Moarity [?] in Bernard 2.75 3.25
" Expense in shipping cattle 2.10
" Clerk’s fees in Maquoketa 10.50
Jany 21 1891 To Frank Supple 7.00; to Huntington 1.00 8.00
" McLaughlin 75c; axe and handle 1.65 2.40
Jany 24 Coffee 2.00; tea 1.00; boots and shoes 1.00 4.00
Jany 26 Groceries at Maquoketa 3.00
Feb 6 1891 Clover seed and groceries 28.00
" To M. Cain 50c; Jany 24 H. Heitchew 2.00 2.50
Feb 10 Frank Brady 17.75; Feb 15 Taxes  
     1st installment 26.68 44.43
  Attorney’s fees 10.00; board 1.25  
     groceries 4.95 16.20
Mch 6/91 To M. Boyle claim 93.75
" McLaughlin for pig 8,00;  
     Con Noonan for sheep 3.00 11.00
Mch 8 Board at Dubuque 1.25; horse shoeing 1.00 2.25
Mch 14 Boots 2.50; groceries 1.25;  
     medicine 85c; dentist 50c 5.10
  Cough medicine 50c; sugar 1.00 1.50
Apr 15/91 P.J. Fay, plow and harrow 26.00;  
     to Klinkner 25c 26.25
  To Mary Curran, dress making 2.50
  John Reddin shoes 2.00; Chas. Devlin 4.00 6.00
  John Loes 3.65; to Klinkner 3.25 6.90
Apr 18 To McLaughlin 1.00; May 2 to McLaughlin 3.00 4.00
May 8 Weber 1.50; John Reddin 3.75  
     May 20, Dave Donovan 3.50 8.75
May 29 To McLaughlin 1.25; Dave Donovan 1.00 2.25
June 26 Mdse in Dubuque 14.80;  
     June 28 - A. Noonan for colt 16.00 30.80
July 3 Mdse in Cascade 3.10; Aug 1, mule shoe 1.00 4.10
Aug 1 Dan Donovan 2.00; twine 8.50 10.50
Sept 4 Mdse in Dubuque 25.20;  
     Sept 30 - Dan Donovan 1.25 26.45
Oct 1 Mdse in Dubuque 10.70;  
     Oct 3 - John Reddin 5.00 15.70
  To Heitchew 65c; to Devlin 35c; to Graff 50c 1.50
Oct 6 Taxes second installment 20.12; meals 50c 20.62
Oct 8 Flour 1.25; Oct 25 - oak lumber 5.50 6.75
Nov 1 To McLaughlin 3.15;  
     Nov 2 - To blacksmith 25c 3.40
Nov 12 Werner Bros 9.00; board at Dubuque 1.00 10.00
  Mule shoe 50c; oil 35c; lantern 75c 1.60
  Cartridges 25c; to the Golden Eagle store 4.25 4.50
  To P. Halpin 4.00; Nov 29 - to Buzzard 60c 4.60
Dec 11 Shirt 1.25; Dec 14 - goods in Cascade 60c 1.85
Oct 18 1890 To Pulfer for grubbing 60.00
  S. Beatty 85.00; to Al Hamilton 14.00 99.00
  Mrs. J. Moore 5.55; to Dr. Finley 8.00 13.55


To cash paid to family during year:

Jany 11 1891 To Austin R. 1.00; May 11-to Austin R. 1.00 $     2.00
June 4    "    "                1.00; June 26-to Mary 10.00 11.00
July 4 Austin R. 2.50; to James 1.00; to Francis 50c 4.00
 "    18 Austin R. 1.00; Sept 5 - to Mary 1.00 2.00
Aug 15 Austin R. 1.00; Sept 5 - to Austin 5.00 6.00
Sept 12 To James 1.00; to John H. 4.00;
     Oct 4 - to Austin 1.40 6.40
Nov 11  To Mary 10.00; Sept 8 - M.Slattery blacksmith 2.00*
Sept 8 To Tal Williams 85c; John Connell  
     stock pig 12.00 12.85
Oct 6 Homestead (paper) 1.00;  
   to Pioneer (paper) 1.50 2.50
Alliance assessments 1.00;
   tobacco 5 pounds 1.90 2.90
Jany 10 1892 To Heitchew 16.45; P.J. Fay 2.90;
   D.A. English 2.90 22.25
 "    16 To S.B. Bailly 12.00; Frank Supple 10.00 22.00
J. Loes 11.00; Jany 21 Dan O’Connell 14.15 25.15
 "    8 Suit for James 11.25; school books 4.00;
   provisions 1.50 16.75
Jany 8 W.P. Allen 75c; Mrs. Sullivan 50c 1.25
Station agent at Bernard 1.00;
   Coffee 1.00 2.00
Kerosene 30c; cartridges 30c;
   Jany 14 - To Mrs. Regan 5.00 5.60
Shoes for James 2.50; cash to Rose 1.00;
   tea and coffee 1.50 5.00
Millens 1.00; dinners 50c; oysters 25c 1.75
Repairing harness 25c; hitching strap 25c .50
To Mrs. Sullivan 1.25;
   to expense at Page’s 1.00 2.25
Jany 21 To Mike Cannaley, 10 steers 105.00;
   Jany 29 History for Frank 75c  105.75
Flannel 80c; to James McLaughlin 69.30 70.10
Clover seed 12.00; coffee at Alliance 5.20 17.20
To cash paid Austin R. for work
   on place during year 1891 200.00
I charge for my own services in carrying
   on the place for the year 1891 178.69
Whole amount paid out $1371.44

[* apparent addition error - A.B.]

Administrator further shows to the court that he has the following property undisposed of that belongs to said estate:

2 brood sows
6 head cattle over two years old
2 head over 1 year old 
9 spring calves
4 head horses
1 colt
30 head sheep
1 fanning mill
1 hay fork
2 corn plows
1 mower
1 corn planter
1 hay rake
1 binder
3 wagons, two of which are worthless
2 sleighs
1 spring wagon
2 stoves 
1 lot furniture 
1 bull calf
1 stirring plow
1 harrow.

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