Exploring Guardian Bonds

Guardian Bond for Lewis Bolling to serve as guardian of Isom H Sanders

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Guardian's Bond

THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY

Whereas Lewis Bolling has been appointed by the COUNTY COURT OF HANCOCK, and qualified as Guardian to Isom H Sanders a Minor. Now, we, Lewis Bolling as Principal, and John A Sanders, DT Sanders, Henry Bolling, WH Bolling, John Quisenberry and Abraham Sanders his Sureties do hereby convenant to and with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, that the said Lewis Bolling will faithfully discharge the trust of Guardian to said Minor, in all respects as required by law.

Signed, this 5th day of January, 1875.

Lewis Bolling X his mark

John A Sanders

DT Sanders X his mark

Henry Bolling X his mark

Wm H Bolling X his mark

John Quisenberry X his mark

Abraham Sanders

Attest: RE Duncan

Clerk HCC

EPM Adams DC

Clerk Hancock County Court

Last night, I was poking around FamilySearch and came across the Kentucky Probate Records collection. Since one of my genealogy goals for this year was to go beyond traditional record sources such as census and vital records, I decided to take a look and see what I might be able to find for my family tree.

Since my Kentucky lines are primarily Bolings and Sanders, I started with them. It wasn't long before I came across a bond naming Lewis Bolling as guardian of Isom H Sanders. While I didn't recognize the Bolling, the Sanders name seemed familiar. As it turns out, Isom was a brother of my maternal 4th great grandfather, Delaney Thomas Sanders, both of them children of Delaney Sanders and Nancy Alcott Boling. He also married a Boling, Artelia Mattie Boling, who I haven't yet connected to parents, but is probably connected to my Bolings as well.

The name Lewis Bolling threw me at first. I figured he had to be connected to the family somehow because the Bolings and Sanders have been intermarrying for years, but couldn't find anyone with that name in my tree. After looking through all the Bolings in my tree, I suspect that Lewis Bolling is in fact James Lewis Boling, husband to Isom's sister, Martha Ann Sanders.

There were other familiar names on the guardian bond as well. The sureties included John A Sanders, DT Sanders, Henry Bolling, WH Bolling, John Quisenberry and Abraham Sanders. John, DT (Delaney Thomas) and Abraham were all siblings of Isom. The other three gentlemen were married to Isom's sister. John Quisenberry was married to Melissa Jane Sanders. Henry Bolling was married to Nancy Ellen Sanders. WH (William Henry) Bolling was married to Sarah Emily Sanders.

One thing that has me curious is why Lewis wasn't appointed guardian to Isom's two younger brothers, William DB Sanders and Esculafious X Sanders, as well. Was someone else appointed guardian for them? Was it because he was 18 and had inherited something on his father's death? More digging is in order.

Source: “Kentucky Probate Records, 1792-1977,” Database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/); from various county clerks throughout Kentucky. FHL microfilm, 956 reels, Family History Library Salt Lake City, Utah. [Kentucky Probate Records 1792-1977->Browse->Hancock->Guardian Bonds 1874-1893->Image 19]