|
Barren County, KY African American Wills
Courtesy Barren’s Black Roots, Volume 3,
Michelle Gorin Burris,
Gorin Genealogical
Publishing,
(c) May 1993). My permission.
“I
JACKSON JOHNSON,
a man of color, being advanced in years, and
afflicted in body, and being desirous to
arrange and settle my worldly affairs while
mind and memory remains unimpaired, do
ordain and establish this as my last will
and testament.
“1st:
If my wife Belle Johnson shall survive me, I
will and bequeath to her all my estate, of
whatever kind, both personal and real for
the purpose of the better preserving and
taking care of said estate of every kind as
above indicated, I hereby appoint J. P.
Nuckols, Trustee, to take and control and
same, in trust for my said wife, and also to
take preserve and control the same for me as
my agent during my life, Provided that after
my death my said agent and trustee shall
take a full inventory of all my estate of
every kind and character and have the same
witnessed and subscribed by two persons one
of whom shall be the County Judge of barren
County, and preserve the same, that he shall
pay all my just debts that I may then owe,
out of my estate, if there be enough, that
he take charge of al the remainder and
control it for the support of my said wife,
and I hereby authorize and empower him to
sell and convey any and all of my said
estate, conveying the realty by deed,
whenever in his judgment it is best so to
do.
“I do not
wish any other execution or administration
under this will, and do not intend that my
said agent & trustee shall execute any bond
for the execution of the same.
“If there
shall be any remainder of my estate, I
desire it to go to my said agent & trustee
for his services & compensation.
/s/ Jackson (X) Johnson
Witness: M.
H. Dickinson, V. H. Jones
HENRY LEWIS,
of Color, made his will 24 Apr 1882. It is
recorded in Will Book 4, p. 22 and reads as
follows:
“Glasgow Ky,
April 24th 1882. I, Henry Lewis,
do make and declare this to be my last will
and testament.
“1st:
I give to my son Aaron Rogers and my
daughter Courtney Lewis (wife of Armstead
Lewis) jointly one acre of land of the place
I now live on and adjoining Mac Wade’s land.
“2nd:
I give the remainder of my land including
the home to my Granddaughter Sarah Maxey to
have and to hold during her life and at her
death to go to her bodily children. Geo
Maxey the husband of my said grand daughters
must have no use or control of this land
whatever.
“I further
give my grand daughter all of my personal or
other property of what ever kind that I die
possessed of. This the Twenty fourth day of
April 1882.”
/s/ Henry (X) Lewis
Witnesses:
Jack Lewis, John U Rogers.
ANDERSON EDMUNDS,
noting that he was
a free male, wrote his will 11 May 1882,
recorded Will Book 5, p. 52:
“I, Anderson
Edmunds, a F M [free male] of Barren County,
Kentucky do make the following as and for my
last will and testament.
“1st:
I desire after my death that my funeral
expenses shall be paid together with all of
my just debts also be paid.
“2nd:
I give to my wife Eliza Edmunds the
following property, to wit: The North side
of the tract of land I bought of Harrison
running from the upper gate as the road ends
to the Old gate plan or Buck & Including the
dwelling house, also one horse, one cow &
some 5 head of shoat if there be any on
hand, one bed & furniture together with all
of the cooking utensils also 1 set of cups &
teas, one set of plates & a set of knives
and forks, this property I desire her to
have hold and enjoy during her widowhood
should she again marry I then desire the
same to be then go [sic] to equally to my
then living children.
“3rd:
The remainder of my estate divided between
my then living children that is my real
estate the chattel part of my estate I want
it sold & the proceeds thereof be also
equally divided between my living children.
“4th:
Lastly, I hereby appoint my brother Frank
Edmunds & My Nephew Richard Edmunds my
executors to fully Carryout the provision of
my will.
“In testimony
thereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th
day of May 1882.
/s/ Anderson Edmunds
Witnesses:
John N. Fitzpatrick and J. H. M.
Fitzpatrick.
Note: Eliza
Edmunds remarried before February 20, 1888
as the next document is a Renunciation of
the will of Anderson Edmunds. She signed as
Eliza Dougherty, widow of Anderson Edmunds
Deceased. She chose to take her dower in the
estate. The document was witnessed by J. W.Jones.
JOSEPH BROWNING
prepared his will
27 Jan 1890 and it is recorded in Will Book
5, p. 114. It reads as follows:
“I, Joseph
Browning, of color, being of sound mind and
disposing memory and knowing the uncertainty
of life, and the certainty of death, do make
and constitute this my last will and
testament, towit:
“1st:
I give and bequeath unto my beloved friend
Johnson Botts, he having cared and looked
after my wants and feeble health in my old
age, a tract of land deeded to me by James
C. Lain &K wife Zorata T. Lain situated in
Barren county & bounded as follows:
Beginning at a beech corner to C. L.
Brownings, thence with his line old call; S
25 W new call S 46 ¾ W 41 poles to a small
sassafras Said Browning’s corner, and James
Browning’s corner, thence S 3 10 poles to a
beech, thence S 64 ½ E 34 poles to a stone;
thence N 46 ¾ E 38poles to a beech of small
chestnuts in Charley Browning’s line, thence
with his line N 41 W 22 poles to a gum,
thence with said Line N 62 W 19 poles to the
Beginning Eleven acres or more or less lying
and being on the waters of Beaver Creek in
Barren County, Ky., to him and his heirs to
dispose of as he pleases forever.
“2nd:
I bequeath and give unto my daughter Emma
Halsell late Browning One dollar and no
more.
“3rd:
I give and bequeath to my Grand daughter
Eliza Browning One Dollar and no more.
“Given under
my hand this 27th day of January
1890.
/s/ Joseph (X) Browning
Witnessed by
J. T. Wooten and J. R. Stone
Will
Book 2, p. 318:
“Barren County, State of Kentucky. In the
name of God, Amen. I,
Sampson, being a free colored man
and of Lawful age, do make and ordain this
my last will and testament in manner
following. First of all I wish to sell part
of my stock to pay all my Just Depts.
“Item. I give
to David Shipman the field that William
Lewis --- in Oats for five years, and he,
Shipman, may clear out four or --- acres if
he please.
“Item. I give
and bequeath to my well beloved wife Rose
all the balance of my estate real and
personal during her lifetime, at her death
my Will is for David Shipman to have all
which is about one hundred Acres and at my
wife's death my Executor is to divide all
the personal Estate which shall be left – my
wife’s three children equally between them
and last of all I leave my friend Hezekiah
Davidson my whole and sol --- (unreadable).
As Witness I have set my hand and Seal this
--- day of June 1823. /s/ Samson (X). Test:
John Cosby, Archaleas Y Cosby, John Mosby.”
“Pursuant to
an order of Barren County Court at the April
term to us directed after being duly sworn
to value the property of Sampson, Dec’d, a
free man of Colour Shown to us by Hezekiah
Davidson, Executor, with the bill annexed
which appraisement is hereunto annexed July
3rd, 1824.
“To amount of
Cash received for property sold since the
said Sampson Dec’d which was in Commonwealth
paper: $128.25.
Old bay
Horse
15.00
1 Cow and
Calf $12.00 1 tobacco Hogshead
$1 13.00
1 Empty
Barrel 25 cents 3 do do 1/6 pr Barrell 75
cents 1.00
1 Cotton
Wheel $2 and 1 Flsx wheel 3 dollars
5.00
1 Clock Bell
1 dollar 1 Kettle & pot 1 over & 2 hooks 7.50 8.50
1 old washing
tub 25 cents, scales & a
bucket 1.00
1 Bell 1
auger & 1 chisel 75 cents 1 pr plow gear 2
dols 2.75
1 Old saddle
& 2 bridles
$3.00 5.00
Farming
utensils $6 &1 chair 37 ½
cents 6.37 ½
Cupboard
furniture 12.00
6 Chairs 1/ 1
chest & Base
12/ 4.00
2 bedssteads
&
furniture 40.00
2 Slays 7/6 1
hatter chain
4/6 2.00
5 bee hives
$6.00 Iron pot rack
$1.50 7.50
1 hog and
three
shoats 4.50
“Given under
our hands this 3 day of July 1824. /s/ Wm
Edmunds, John Edmunds, Wm Lewis”
Will
Book 5, p. 88. “In
the name of God, Amen. I
Ben Johnson of
color of Barren County, Kentucky, being of
sound mind do hereby make this my last will
and testament.
“1st
I desire that my just debts and funeral
expenses be paid and I desire that enough of
my personal property to be sold to pay same.
“2nd.
I give and bequeath to my daughter Cansada
and her heirs and assigns forever all my
property both real and personal, and I
desire that ___ of same be ___ expect enough
to pay my just debts and funeral expenses.
In case she should die intestate and have no
bodily heirs, I will and desire that all
that of my property shall descend to her
half brother and sister Harrison and China.
Given under my hand this 9th day
of August, 1888.
/s/ Ben (X) Johnson.
Witnesses: Thomas Dickinson, G W Berry.”
Will
Book 5, p. 308:
“Know all men by these presents that I,
Rose Trigg, of
color and Barren County Kentucky being of
sound mind and memory make this my last will
and revoking all others.
“1st:
I will and desire that all the proceeds of
my property that all my just debts and
liabilities be paid.
“2nd.
After paying all my debts I will to my son,
Andrew Trigg, one dollar. To Richard Trigg
one third (1/3) of the proceeds of my estate
and to Ollie Trigg, wife of Andrew Trigg,
one third 1/3 of the balance of my estate.
To Rose Ann Trigg one dollar and to
Henrietta Trigg one sixth (1/6) of my
estate. To Richard Trigg one bed and one bed
stead. To Pearl Overstreet, one ___ machine.
“3rd.
It is my will and desire that the remainder
of my property not specified be sold by my
executor and the proceeds divided among
Richard Trigg, Ollie Trigg, Rose Ann Trigg
and Henrietta Trigg as stated.
“4th.
I hereby appoint R D (unreadable) as my
executor to carry out this will. Given under
my hand this 25 day of June in the year of
our Lord 1895. /s/ Rose (X) Trigg.”
|