Oliver Family Estate Papers, 1759-1870, MS 626.2

Oliver Family Estate Papers, [1759-1870]

MS 626.2

Maryland Historical Society

Baltimore MD 21201-4674

This collection consists of papers of lawyer David Maulden Perine (1796-1882) who acted as the agent for the administrators and trustees of the Oliver family's various estates. The collection includes papers relating to Robert Oliver's estate; the trust estates that Oliver's will established for his two daughters Emily [Oliver] Gibbes and Margaret [Oliver] Colt; and the special trust Robert Oliver's will established for his three sisters and the two illegitimate sons of his brother John Oliver. The collection also includes some papers concerning the estate of Robert Oliver's son Charles Oliver, and that of Oliver's son-in-law Robert Morgan Gibbes.

The papers concerning these estates that were in Perine's possession include Perine's correspondence with the various executors and trustees; copies of legal documents; and the financial papers of the executors and trustees, especially vouchers, cancelled checks, checkbooks, bankbooks, and account books.

ROBERT OLIVER ESTATE

Robert Oliver died in 1834 a wealthy man, and it took nearly 30 years to execute his will. Oliver appointed as executors and trustees his two sons Thomas and [UNK] [UNK] his two sons-in-law Roswell L. Colt and Robert M. Gibbes. The papers in this collection revolve around these four men and their agent David M. Perine. (As the original trustees resigned [Colt in 1840] or died they were replaced by Allen Thomas, Columbus O'Donnell, David M. Perine, and James Mason Campbell.)

The difficulties in settling Oliver's estate can be seen through Perine's correspondence (1834-1864, ca. 1000 items) with the executors and trustees. Among the topics covered in these letters are the sale of Baltimore and Ohio Railroad stock,

municipal bonds, Tide Water Canal and Susquehanna Canal Company bonds, and real estate in Baltimore, New York, and New Jersey.

The most time-consuming aspects of settling Robert Oliver's estate were the creation and management of trust estates for his daughters Emily [Oliver] Gibbes and Margaret [Oliver] Colt. Also detailed in the papers were smaller trusts for Robert Oliver's three sisters who lived in Ireland, Elizabeth [Oliver] Gray Kelly, Mary [Oliver] Curran, and Jane [Oliver] Carlton and for two illegitimate sons, John Robert Oliver and Henry Williams, of John Oliver.

A second time-consuming aspect of managing the estate was the settlement of a claim of the Mexican Company of Baltimore.

David Perine separated the administration of the trusts of Emily Gibbes and Margaret Colt from the settlement of Robert Oliver's estate, and these materials have been organized separately. They will be discussed below. The trustees of the Emily Gibbes and Margaret Colt trusts were the same as the executors of Robert Oliver's estate (i.e. Thomas Oliver, Charles Oliver, Robert M. Gibbes, and Roswell L. Colt, until 1840). Therefore, their letters to Perine often discussed both Robert Oliver's estate and the Gibbes and Colt trusts. These letters were filed by Perine in the Robert Oliver Estate correspondence (Boxes 1-3) although they deal with both the estate and the trusts.

The material on the trusts for Robert Oliver's sisters and his brother's two sons are collected under the heading Special Trust. These papers include correspondence between Robert Oliver and his sisters who lived on the Isle of Man and correspondence among David Perine, the estate executors, Robert Oliver's sisters, and the guardians of John Oliver's illegitimate sons. Also included are account books, a check book, cancelled checks, and vouchers used in administering the special trust

and kept by Perine.

One of the most interesting parts of the collection is the material relating to Robert Oliver's claim against the Mexican government on behalf of the Mexican Company of Baltimore and a countersuit against him. This company was formed in 1816 to procure arms, vessels, munitions, goods, and money for General Mina, an agent of the Mexican government. The company, however, never received payment. Robert Oliver obtained shares in the Mexican Company of Baltimore in payment of debts to him by three shareholders in the company: Lyde Goodwin, John Gooding, and James Williams. By an 1839 U.S.-Mexican treaty, the Mexican government settled its debts with Americans, including the shareholders of the Mexican Company of Baltimore. As soon as the money ($ 417,000) was paid (1841) to Robert Oliver's estate, however, the heirs of Goodwin, Gooding, and Williams sued the estate. Much of the Perine correspondence for the period 1840-1850 alludes to the Mexican claims, and Perine kept copies of the briefs and records of these suits against the estate as well as an account book, check book, and vouchers relating to the Mexican claims.

A smaller claim (1833-1862) dealt with the payment of New Granada (Columbia) bonds to the estate.

Robert Oliver held a considerable amount of real estate. Plat books showing which properties he willed to his children are in the papers of Emily Gibbes, Margaret Colt, and Charles Oliver below. In the Robert Oliver estate papers (Box 22) is a plat book of a piece of his property in Bombay, New York, and there are also Perine's advertisements for and records of the sale of much of Oliver's real estate in 1836-1843 (Box 15). There is a volume of copies of land deeds owned by Robert Oliver for the period 1784-1835 that is part of the Oliver Record Books MS. 626.1.

In 1825 Robert Oliver acquired some property in Monaghan County, Ireland. His son-in-law Roswell L. Colt administered this property until 1840 and his papers concerning this land are part of the Estate papers. (Box 8).

The remainder of the Robert Oliver Estate Papers is a minute financial accounting kept by David Perine. These include records of both the executors and the trustees. Included are vouchers, cancelled checks, ledgers, account books, bank books, check books, and blotters.

EMILY OLIVER GIBBES TRUST ESTATE

The papers concerning Emily Oliver Gibbes trust estate cover the years 1836 to 1875. They deal largely with the financial administration of the trust during her lifetime with a small amount of material on the legal battle over the dissolution of her trust at her death in 1870.

The financial administration of Emily O. Gibbes trust estate is well-documented in the correspondence between D.M. Perine and the three successive trust agents. Her brother-in-law Thomas S. Gibbes handled the trust from 1839-1857; her husband Robert M. Gibbes handled it from 1858-1864; and her son-in-law Edwin A. Post from 1864-1871. The letters are largely instructions to Perine and his replies dealing with the acquisition and sale of stocks and bonds, especially railroad stocks and municipal bonds. Although most of the administration is dealt with in this correspondence file kept by Perine on Emily Gibbes' trust (Boxes 30-33), there is some information on her trust in the letters written to Perine by R. M. Gibbes which Perine kept with the Robert Oliver estate correspondence (Boxes 1-3).

The other papers relating to Emily O. Gibbes trust are financial papers of her trustees including vouchers, account books, blotters, checkbooks, cancelled checks, and bank books. There are some papers relating to the real estate in her trust, including a plat book of real estate left to her by her father. Also, there are legal papers such as releases, powers of attorney, and decrees appointing trustees.

MARGARET OLIVER COLT TRUST ESTATE

The papers concerning Margaret Oliver Colt's trust are much like those of her sister Emily O. Gibbes' trust. There is correspondence between David M. Perine and her agent, her son James O. Colt. There is also some reference made to Margaret O. Colt's trust in the letters of her brother Thomas Oliver which Perine filed with the Robert Oliver estate correspondence (Boxes 1-3).

Other papers dealing with Margaret O. Colt's trust are financial papers of her trustees such as vouchers, account books, blotters, check books, cancelled checks, and bank books.

There are some papers pertaining to the real estate in her trust including a volume of plats of the real estate left to her by her father Robert Oliver. Included with Margaret O. Colt's trust papers are a few letters of Perine's dealing with the administration of the estate of her son John O. Colt.

CHARLES OLIVER ESTATE

David M. Perine was Charles Oliver's agent and also administrator of his will, and Perine's papers on Charles Oliver reflect these two activities. Charles Oliver

resided in Paris for nearly 20 years (ca. 1838-1858). During this time Perine acted as Oliver's agent in the administration of Oliver's lands in Allegany County, Maryland and Hampshire County, Virginia. There are about 150 letters (1836-1852) pertaining to these transactions.

Charles Oliver died in Paris in 1858, and Perine was named the administrator of his estate. The papers pertaining to this administration include correspondence between Perine and the U.S. Consul in Paris, the estate's residuary legatees, and the claimants on the estate. There are also some legal documents and financial papers pertaining to claims on the estate. Perine also kept a volume of copies of legal documents pertaining to the estate, as well as an account book, bank book, and check book for the estate. Included among Charles Oliver's estate papers is the volume of plats of real estate left to Charles by his father Robert Oliver.

ROBERT M. GIBBES ESTATE

David M. Perine was Robert M. Gibbes' attorney and acted as his agent while Gibbes was in Europe and New York (1839-1850). The papers in Perine's possession are financial relating to business he transacted for Gibbes. These papers include an account book, bank book, check book, cancelled checks, and vouchers. Gibbes' instructions to Perine on these transactions are included in Gibbes' letters to Perine on the Robert Oliver estate, and are filed in the Robert Oliver estate correspondence (Boxes 1-3).

NON-ESTATE PAPERS

There are a few items relating to members of the Oliver family but not connected

with Robert Oliver's estate. There are four items of Thomas Oliver's and 30 letters (1828-1883) of his wife Mary C. [Harrison] Oliver. There are also letters (1869-70, n.d.) of Meta [Oliver] Thompson, her husband Henry Fenwick Thompson, military commissions (1815, 1819) of his father Henry A. Thompson, and military commissions (1807, 1809) of Henry Thompson. Also an obituary of Roswell L. Colt and a copy of his will.

There are several papers (memorials and land plats, 1850-1866) relating to mining in Frederick and Carroll Counties, Maryland.

BOX 1

Robert Oliver Estate

David M. Perine Correspondence 1834-1843

BOX 2

David M. Perine Correspondence 1844-1848

BOX 3

David M. Perine Correspondence 1849-1864, n.d.

BOX 4

Executors and Trustees Letterbook, 1835-1841

Executors and Trustees Letterbook, 1841-1863

BOX 5

Copies of legal documents (Chancery cases), 1835-71

Copies (legal documents) Vol. 1, 1835-1863

BOX 6

Copies (legal documents), Vol. 2, 1835-1843

Copies (legal documents), Vol. 3, 1840-1863

BOX 7

Legal papers

Robert Oliver will

powers of attorney

releases

decrees appointing trustees

land deeds

BOX 8

Papers pertaining to land in Ireland, 1789, 1799, 1825-1840

BOX 9

Papers pertaining to New Granada Bonds, 1833-1862

David Perine Correspondence RE: Mexican claims, 1842-1855

BOX 10

Mexican Claims

Memoranda in relation to Mexican claims

Opinions and Decrees in the Mexican Cases, 1855

Record in the Mexican Cases in the Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1849

Brief in the Case of Lyde Goodwin in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1850

Record in the Case of Lyde Goodwin in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1850

Brief in the Case of John Gooding in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1850

Record in the Case of John Gooding in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1850

Brief in the Case of James Williams in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1850

Brief in the Case of John Deacon, Baring Brothers and Co. in the Supreme Cout of the U.S., 1852

Record in the Case of John Deacon, Baring Brothers and Co. in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1852

Record in the Case of Lyde Goodwin the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1855

Records in the Cases of James Williams and John Gooding in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1855

BOX 11

Record in the Case of James Williams in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1856

Report of the Master in Chancery in the Cases of James Williams and John Gooding, 1856

Record in the Case of John Gooding in the Supreme Court of the U.S., 1857

Mexican Claims Trustees' (David M. Perine and John Glenn) Reports; 1841-1850

BOX 12

Mexican Trust Fund Account Book, 1841-1850

Mexican Claims Trustees' Bankbook, 1843-1850

Mexican Claims Trustees' Checkbook, 1843-1850

Mexican Claims Cancelled Checks, 1843

Mexican Claims Vouchers, 1843-1851

BOX 13

Special Trust Correspondence, 1817-1875

BOX 14

Special Trust Account Book, 1836-1863

Special Trust Checkbook, 1837-1863

Special Trust Vouchers, 1836-1863

Special Trust Checks, 1837-1863

Special Trust Account, 1842-1850

BOX 15

Financial papers

Real estate, 1836-1844

Notes due, 1838-1855

BOX 16

Vouchers of the Executors, no. 1-199

BOX 17

Vouchers of the Executors, no. 200-400

BOX 18

Vouchers of the Executors, no. 401-649

BOX 19

Vouchers of the Executors, no. 650-931

BOX 20

Vouchers, 1835-1858, 1863

BOX 21

Cancelled checks of the Executors, 1835-1863

Cancelled checks of the Trustees, 1835-1840

BOX 22

Plat book, Bombay property division

Account of debts due estate

Robert Oliver Estate Daybook, 1835-1845

BOX 23

Robert Oliver Estate Ledger A, 1836-1840A

BOX 24

Account book of sundries of the Executors, 1835-45

Account book of the Executors, 1835-1863

BOX 25

Summary Accounts, money paid by Executors

Summary Accounts, money received by Executors

Interest Account of Executors, No. 1

Interest Account of Executors, No. 2

Memoranda of certain accounts

Bank book, 1834-1835

BOX 26

Checkbooks of the Executors (5 vols.), 1835-1863

Blotters of the Executors (4 vols.), 1835-1863

BOX 27

Account Current Book A of Trustees, 1835-1852

BOX 28

Blotters of the Trustees (3 vols.), 1837-1863

Bank book of the Executors, 1835-1863

Bank books of the Trustees (3 vols.), 1835-1863

BOX 29

Check books of the Trustees (4 vols.), 1835-1863

BOX 30

Emily Oliver Gibbes Trust

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1836-1843

BOX 31

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1844-1848

BOX 32

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1849-1857

BOX 33

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1858-1875, n.d.

BOX 34

Legal papers

BOX 35

Financial papers concerning real estate

BOX 36

Financial papers

Vouchers of Trustees, 1835-1851

BOX 37

Vouchers of Trustees, 1851-1871

BOX 38

Plat book of real estate

Account book (current) of Trustees, 1835-1850

BOX 39

Account book (current) of Trustees (2 vols.), 1850-1871

BOX 40

Blotters of Trustees (3 vols,), 1840-1854

BOX 41

Blotters of Trustees (3 vols.), 1854-1871

BOX 42

Bank books of Trustees (2 vols.), 1837-1871

Check books of Trustees (4 vols.), 1837-1871

Cancelled checks of Trustees, 1837-1871

BOX 43

Margaret Oliver Colt Trust

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1836-1852

BOX 44

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1853-1859

Legal papers, 1858-1863

John O. Colt Estate

will, 1857

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1865-1866

BOX 45

Financial papers

Vouchers of the Trustees, 1835-1858

BOX 46

Account books (current) of the Trustees (2 vols.), 1835-1852

BOX 47

Plat book of real estate

Blotters of Trustees (2 vols.), 1840-1849

BOX 48

Blotters of the Trustees (2 vols.), 1849-1858

BOX 49

Bankbooks of the Trustees (2 vols.), 1837-1858

Check books of the Trustees (3 vols.), 1837-1858

Cancelled checks of the Trustees, 1837-1858

BOX 50

accounts or reports, 1845-1858

rents received, 1840-1858

record of sale of real estate, 1845-1847

notes due Trustees, 1852

insurance policies

BOX 51

Charles Oliver Estate

David M. Perine Correspondence, 1836-1860

BOX 52

Administration papers, 1839-1860

BOX 53

Copies of legal documents, 1858-1860

Plat book of real estate

Account book of administrator, 1859-1860

Bank book of administrator, 1859-1860

Check book of administrator, 1859-1860

Cancelled checks of administrator, 1859-1860

BOX 54

Robert M. Gibbes Estate

Power of attorney to D.M. Perine, 1839

Account book of attorney, 1839-1850

Bank book of attorney, 1839-1850

Check book of attorney, 1839-1850

Cancelled checks of attorney, 1839-1850

Vouchers of attorney, 1839-1850

Instructions on property, 1838-1839

BOX 55

Non-Estate Papers

Thomas Oliver Papers (1831-1845,

4 items)

Mary [Harrison] Oliver Papers (1828-1883, n.d.,

30 items)

Henry Thompson military commissions (1807, 1809)

Henry A. Thompson military commissions (1815, 1819)

Meta [Oliver] Thompson Papers (1869-70, n.d.

20 items)

Henry F. Thompson Papers (1848-60,

4 items)

Roswell L. Colt Papers (1856,

2 items)

Charter for Patapsco Copper and Cobalt Mining Co., 1850

Act to form corporations for mining purposes, 1852

New London Mine Plats, Frederick County, Maryland, 1864

Mineral Hill Mine Plats, Carroll County, Maryland, 1864, 1866