John Lawson Will 1831

Date: [unknown]
Location: Greenup, Kentucky, United States

The 1831 Will of John Lawson of Greenup County, Kentucky, dated 30 Jul 1831, proved 7 Nov 1831.

In the name of God Amen. I John Lawson Senior of Greenup County & State of Kentucky, of perfect mind & memory, but being diseased in body , thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die—do make and ordain this my last will & Testament, that is to Say, principally & first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent order, nothing doubting but that at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God & as touching such worldly estate, wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Catharine Lawson so long as she remains my widow, the plantation on which I now live and also all the household & kitchen furniture & all thereto belonging, & all my books, also $300 in gold & $500 in silver paper to build her a house, also my wagon & her choice of 4 horses & dried grass for the same, 4 milch cows the 1st choice, also as many ploughs as she may see proper to keep, also Negro Dan, Clem, Saul, Joseph, Polly, Hagar, Jane, to hire them out, or dispose them as she may see proper according as they may conduct themselves. And if she should marry again, she is to have nothing but one bed & bedding & all my other moveable property to be sold and also Negro Moses to be sold. The upper place on the Ohio River to be rented, until the children shall be of age. The farm on the Scioto River, Ohio, to be sold as soon as an opportunity may offer.

All the monies that may arise from the sale, and the rents of my property to be equally divided among the six youngest children when they shall come to a lawful age, viz, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Rebecca Jane, John Taylor, Thomas, Catharine, with the exception of $1000.00 to laid out in the education of John T. Lawson, if thought advisable, if not, let is remain in the common Stock, and all the land & Property at the decease of my wife to be equally divided among the above named children. Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Rebecca Jane, John Taylor, Thomas, Catharine. I give a bequest [to] my eldest daughter Hannah Lawson, now H. McKoy, one bed & bedding, now in her possession, and no more.

The property in Greenupsburg, if it should revert to my family, my wife may rent it out or dispose of it as she may see proper. I also request my wife to give as soon as convenient $50.00 to the Bible Society. Also $50.00 to the Foreign Mission Society. Likewise I constitute my beloved wife Catharine Lawson of Green County & State of Kentucky this my last will & Testament to empower her my sole executrix, to fulfill this my last will & Testament according to the true meaning thereof and I do thereby utterly disallow and disannul all and every other form, or Will, Testaments, wills, Legacies & Bequests, ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last will & Testament. In witness whereof I have hereonto set my hand and seal this 30th day of July in the year of our Lord 1831.

John Lawson Senior James Lawson, Clarkson Z. Smyth

At a county court held for Greenup County on Monday the 7th day of November 1831 the will and testament of John Lawson Senr dec’d. was produced in open court and proven…”

Sources

• Kentucky Wills 1822-1945; familysearch.org. Greenup Co., Book 2, pp. 111-112, Will of John Lawson Sr. (FHL#0343997, DGS4818893, image 72f): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GP3L-F8M?i=71&cc=1875188&cat=89176