An 1874 newspaper reference from Quincy, Illinois, indicated that Henry Sartorius was a witness to the will of Nicholas Bartells and that he was also an appraiser to Nicholas’ estate as well. Newspapers in the United States during this time period occasionally mentioned individuals who were involved in the settlement of estates. While today such details would not be published, it is important to remember that court actions related to the settlement of estates are generally public records.
This would be a good place to get Sartorius’ signature and perhaps to see if he was involved in the settlement of the estate in other ways. Heirs to an estate could not witness wills or appraise it, so the reference to Sartorius as a witness and an appraiser suggests that he’s not an heir.
He could be a relative–as not all relatives to a deceased individual are necessarily heirs to their estate.
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