LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF EZEKIEL NEAL

March 13, 1866

State of Kentucky, Metcalfe County and Ezekiel Neal of the County and State above written.

1st - I desire after my decease that a sufficiency of my perishable estate be sold to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses if it should be necessary to sell anything for that purpose.

2nd - after the payment of my just debts and funeral expenses, I give my wife Ann E. Neal all my estate both real and personal for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease I give to my children herein mentioned to be equally divided as shall hereafter be mentioned to be enjoyed by them forever upon the condition of my wife Ann E. Neal braking up and failing to keep house upon the farm upon which I now reside and desire all my perishable property immediately sold and divided as herein after mentioned and my real estate divided as herein after mentioned.

3rd - I give to my son Noah A. S. Neal one horse, bridle and saddle as soon as he arrives at the age of twenty-one years to be worth one hundred dollars to him and his heirs forever.

4th - I give to my son Thomas Neal one horse, bridle and saddle as soon as he arrives at the age of twenty-one years to him and his heirs forever to be worth one hundred dollars.

5th - I give to my granddaughter a good cow and bedstead and furniture when she marries or arrives at the age of twenty-one years, to wit, Martha W. Slinker (she was a child of Francis Neal Slinker, who died young, Martha was raised by her grandparents after her father remarried) to her and her heirs forever.

6th - I give to my grandson Fountain Goodman five dollars to him and his heirs forever (he was the child of Amanda J. Neal Goodman, Fountain and Amanda Goodman were living with Ezekiel and Ann Neal in the 1850 Barren County Census, I am not sure what happed to the child's father).

7th - I give to my grandson Alonzo McKinney five dollars to him and his heirs forever.

8th - I give to my granddaughter Margaret A. McKinney five dollars to her and her heirs.

9th - I give to my grandson William McKinney five dollars to him and his heirs forever.

10th - I give to my granddaughter Nancy J. McKinney five dollars to her and her heirs forever.

11th - I give to my granddaughter Molly R, McKinney five dollars to her and her heirs forever.

12th - I give to my four sons to wit, Henry H. Neal, Sampson Neal, Noah A. S. Neal and Thomas Neal my farm upon which I now reside containing more or less which I desire to be equally divided between my above written four sons at the death of my wife Ann E. Neal to them and their heirs forever.

13th - Al the rest of my estate both real and personal of what nature or kind whatsoever it may be not herein before particularly disposed of, I desire may be equally divided among my several children to wit, Henry R. Neal, Sampson Neal, Elizabeth Williams (my 2nd great grandmother), Sarah Neal, Nancy J. Despain, Mary W. Despain, Noah A. S. Neal, Thomas Neal and my granddaughter Martha W. Slinker which I give to them, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Thomas G. Shuffett executor of this my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all other or former Wills or Testaments by me heretofore made in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand a affixed my seal this 13th day of March 1866.

Ezekiel (x) Neal

Signed and sealed and delivered as and for Last Will and Testament of the above mentioned Ezekiel Neal in the presence of us:

T. G. Shuffett
C. Sandige
Jarvis M. Robinson

STATE OF KENTUCKY
METCALFE COUNTY SCT

I Thomas E. Young, Clerk of the County Court for said county, certify that the within Will of Ezekiel Neal was this day produced in open court and proven by the oath of Christopher Sandige and James M. Robinson of the subscribing witnesses thereto to the Last Will and Testament of E. Neal, deceased. Whereupon the same and this certificate is duly recorded in my office.

Given under my hand this 20th day of August 1866

Thomas E. Young CLK

A copy Attest:
E. R. Beauchamp, Clerk

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The above is a translation of the Last Will and Testament of Ezekiel Neal, the original is in the Metcalfe County, KY Courthouse. Copied here by Jeanette Douglas Denton, 1999.