It is my will and desire that my beloved wife shall have the lot of land No. 1 and small tract of land purchased of Elijah Franklin in Wane County, so long as she lives or continues a widow, the said land is to fall to my beloved son Zacheriah Ford, and if he should die without a lawful heir it is to be sold and the money arising from the sales to be equally divided amongst my heirs. I also leave unto my wife the following negroes during the above stated time, -a negro man by name of Gloster, a woman by name of Molly, a man by name of Phillip, a boy by name of James; also a woman by name of Lillie, and if my wife should die or marry, the above negroes are to be sold and the money arising from the sale of the same is to be equally divided amongst all my lawful heirs. I also leave unto my son Zachariah 2 small negroes, a boy by name of Simon, a girl by name of Mariah, supposed to be worth $500.00, a I feel disposed to price all my property I give away while I live equally, the land named above to be worth $1166.50.

I also give to my daughter, Keziah Evans and her heirs forever, a lot of land known as No. 2, containing by survey 339.3 acres, worth $903.00, and a negro woman by name of Letty and her two children, Stanton and Presley, and other property to the amount of $600.00.

I also have given unto John Ford, my son, a lot of land known by the lot No. 3, containing by survey 315 acres worth $945.00 and two small negroes by name of Ionston and Harriet, worth $500.00, and other property to the amount of $142.00.

I also have given unto Elizabeth Weaver and her heirs forever, a negro girl by name of Abeline, and other property to the amount of $450.00 and a lot of land known by the lot No. 4 containing 34 acres and worth $1039.50.

I also have given to Ebby Yager and her heirs forever a negro girl by name of Sely, and other property to the amount of $440.00 and a lot of land known by the Lot No. 5, containing by survey 369 acres worth $1010.00.

I have given unto my son, Reuben Ford, and his heirs forever $624.00 in money and property, and also a lot of land known by Lot No. 6 containing by survey 311.3 acres, worth $935.25.

I have given unto my daughter Polly Wever and her heirs forever a negro girl by the name of Lissy, and other property to amount of $400.00 and also land forever known by Lot No. 7, containing 287 acres and one fourth, worth $802.00.

I have given unto James Ford, my son, and his heirs forever a negro by the name of Iral and other property to the amount of $325 and 4 cents, also a lot of land known by the No. 8, containing by a little survey 298 acres worth $850.00.

I have given Frankey Gilmore and heirs forever a negro woman by the name of Silvey and child by name of Matilday worth $575.32, but also other property, also a lot of land containing by a survey No. 9, 423 acres, worth $1000.00.

I have given unto my daughter Nancy Weaver and her heirs forever a negro girl by name of Mariah, and other property to the amount of $490.00 and also a lot of land known as Lot No. 10, worth $1075.00.

I give unto my wife two feather beds and furniture and one of my best horses and a good saddle and bridle. These to be at her own disposal to give to whom she pleases. I also give to my son Zachariah a horse, saddle and bridle to be worth $100.00. I wish the remaining part of my estate to be settled and the money arising from the sale of the same first to pay all of my just debts and secondly the balance to be proportioned to all my children to amount to the same, and remains to be equally divided among all is my wish and desire, and lastly I appoint Mariah Yager, Robert Gilmore, and Josiah Evans, friends, to be executors of this my last will and testament.

Zachariah Ford

Signed in presence of Matthew Floyd, Labon Hail, Simeon Weaver.

An additional note written by James Ray Ford (1833-1917), great-grandson of Zachariah:

That part of the "pedigree" taken from Cousin Frank's Bible is proven to be true where it says
Zachariah Ford moved to Pulaski County, KY, and bought vast lands on the Cumberland River.

I never could rave over Abe Lincoln. I do not believe in slavery, but the South should have been
paid for their slaves. They were property, as much as land, and the taking away of them left the south destitute.

Women have come a long way since Zachariah's Will. The wife did not have even "joint tenancy" in the
feather bed. From all the kids they had one would have thought she should have owned it in its entirety.