Amy Oatley

Amy Champlin was the daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Kenyon) Champlin, born in 1798 in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.

Amy Champlin was baptized at Baptist Church in Exeter, Rhode Island on 20 February 1813.  She met Jonathan Oatley, who was baptized in the Exeter church on 6 February 1813.  They married in Exeter on 29 May 1813. 

Jonathan and Amy (Champlin) Oatley had 14 children, and 13 lived to adulthood, and 11 survived her passing.

In the 1850 US Census, the Jonathan Oatley family resided in Killingly Township, Windham County, Connecticut. The household included:

• Jonathan Oatley - age 59, male, stone cutter, born S. Kingston RI
• Amey Oatley -- age 52, female, born S. Kingston RI
• Olive Oatley -- age 14, female, born Killingly CT

In the 1860 US Census, the Jonathan Oatley family resided in East Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut. The household included:

• Jonathan Oatley -- age 70, male, mason, $1000 in real property, born CT
• Annie Oatley -- age 62, female, born CT

Amy Oatley died 8 February 1865 in Killingly, Conn., at age 66. She was a housekeeper, married, born in Kingston RI, the cause of death was pthithisis, with Dr. E.A. Hill presiding.

The gravestone of Amy Oatley in Bartlett Cemetery #1 in East Killingly, Connecticut is no longer readable. The Find A Grave memorial notes her birth date as March 1798, her death as 8 February 1863, and that she was the wife of Jonathan Oatley.

Amy (Champlin) Oatley wrote a will and left an estate to ten of her children (from Killingly CT Probate Records, Vol. 3 p.468, FHL Microfilm 01,451,111):

"In the Name of God Amen. I Amy Oatley of Killingly in the County of Windham and State of Connecticut, of sound disposing mind and memory do constitute and ordain this my will and testament in manner and form following (to wit), that is to say imprimus I will that all my debts and funeral charges be paid and discharged by my executor hereinafter named.

"Item. I give and devise unto my ten children for love and affection I have for them, All my Real Estate situated in said Killingly with a dwelling house and barn therein standing together with all rights and privileges thereunto belong to them equal that is to say: my son Joseph Oatley one tenth part of all the above described premises - to Almira Taft one tenth, to Nancy Edson one tenth, to Lorenzo Oatley one tenth, to William Oatley one tenth, Benedick Oatley one tenth, Jonathan Oatley one tenth, to Mary E. Pray one tenth, to Hannah Chace one tenth and to Olive Burton one tenth, to them and each of them and their heirs forever.

"Lastly, I do make constitute and appoint my son Joseph Oatley Executor of this my last will and testament.

"In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of January A.D. 1863.

her Amy x Oatley mark"

"Signed sealed and declared by the said Amy Oatley as her last will and testament in presence of us, who in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names. Samuel A. Chace, Henry G. Arnold, Franklin Preston, witnesses."

The executor, Joseph Oatley, presented the will to the probate court in Killingly on 14 February 1865. The court decreed that six months be allowed and limited to the creditors of said estate to exhibit their claims against the estate to the executor, and directed that public notice of the order be made by advertising in a newspaper published in Killingly and by posting a copy on the public sign post in Killingly nearest the place where the deceased had dwelt. The court appointed Samuel A. Chace and John White, disinterested persons, to appraise the real and personal estate of the deceased and to make a true and perfect inventory.

On 23 March 1865, Joseph Oatley, under oath, presented an inventory, made by Samuel A. Chace and John White, showing the real estate, consisting of a house, barn and other buildings together with the land, was valued at $850. The court accepted and recorded the inventory.

On 22 August 1865, the executor alleged that it would be necessary to sell certain real estate belonging to the estate for payment of debts and charges against the estate, and that the estate cannot be beneficially divided. The application was accepted, and the executor was directed by the court to give public notice of the order at least three days before the day of the hearing, set by the court as 26 August 1865.

On 26 August 1865, the hearing was held by the probate court. The real estate was described as bounded to the north by lands owned by Leonard Bartlett, east by lands owned by Waldo Bartlett, south by lands owned by Joseph Oatley, west by the highway leading from the old Providence Turnpike to Miller's Village, lying and situated in Killingly, containing about one fourth of an acre. The court approved the application and directed that the whole real estate be sold. The executor was directed to give at least 20 days notice of the proposed sale by advertising in a Killingly newspaper and on the public signpost nearest to the estate to be sold.

On 2 October 1865, the court ordered that the administration account of the estate be presented for adjustment, allowance and settlement on 7 October. On 2 October, Joseph Oatley gave notice to the court that he had sold the property to William H. Oatley for $950 and executed a conveyance thereof.

On 7 October 1865, the executor presented his account of his administration of the estate, as follows:

To inventory: 850.00 additional 132.00

The costs included:

expense of last sickness 21.00 funeral expenses 15.00 debts 471.74 repairs 1.38 taxes 2.70 settling estate 6.75 executor's services 10.00 probate fees 9.66

The balance of $443.93 was in the hands of the executor. No record of the distribution was found.