Will of George Boyd Hopson

Date: 1 Mar 1847 [unknown]
Location: Montgomery, Mississippi, United States
Surnames/tags: Hopson Black_Heritage

Complete Will

Will of George Boyd Hopson, Clarkesville, Montgomery County, Mississippi

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G.B. Hopson

State of Tennessee

Montgomery County

Be it remembered that at a county court began & held at the courthouse in the town of Clarkesville for said county of Montgomery on Sunday March the first 1847 and continued from day to day present & presiding

M.F. Price

R.W. Monesui (?)

Thomas Lyle

Among other proceedings the following were had to wit This day was produced in open court an instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of G.B. Hopson, deceased the execution of which was proved by the oath of W.B. Johnson one of the subscribing witnesses to the same upon which the court admitted the same to probate and ordered it to be recorded, the other subscribing Wm. M Finley not being present W.B. Hopson the other witness proves that the said Finley and himself were each called upon by the deceased to witness the same and that the said Finley would on ___ appear in court and prove the same thereupon George C. Boyd and Howell R. Hopson the executor named in said will came into court and entered into bond in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars with G.B. Hopson John P. Williams and P.F. Norfleet (?) as their securities which was received by the court and ordered to be recorded and they were qualified according to law and letters testamentary were issued accordingly

Tuesday morning March 2nd 1847

Same justice present & presiding

This day appeared in open court Wm M. Finley one of the subscribing witnesses who made oath that he was ___ the last will and testament of George B. Hopson deceased which said will was on yesterday forwarded in open court and the execution thereof ___ ¬¬¬proven by W.B. Johnson the other subscribing witnesses hereto he the said Finley this day as the other witnesses proves the execution of the same agreeably to law, which will was in words and ___ following; viz, J George B. Hopson do make ordain and ___ this my last will and testament revoking all previous wills and testaments at any time made by me.

Item 1st, I wish all my just debts as speedily as possible and to the end I will to my executors all my lands in the state of Mississippi and all my negroes and personal estate of every kind and wheresoever situated. I desire them to carry on my farm in the state of Mississippi for the term of five years and to apply the proceeds to the payment of my debts and to the support of my family as hereinafter dictated

2nd, If the means of my estate for the term of five years shall not be sufficient for the payment of my debts my executor if they think it best for my estate may keep all the property together and carry on said farm until all my debts shall be paid.

3rd, After the payments of my debts I give my wife Eliza during her natural life for the support of herself and our two children Sally Ann and George the tract of land upon which we now live near Port Royal in Tennessee and the following negroes ? with Armistead & his wife Mary and their five children Betsy, Sukey, Kiziah, Juddah & Dennis my two men (Isaac?) & John the carpenter and also Milley Harriet Warrick and old Harry. This property is given to my wife for the support of herself and our two children Sally Ann and George who are to be supported out of it used to with their mother as they may live single.

4th, During the time my executor may keep some property to gather and carry on my farm in the South for the payments of my debts. I wish ___ to permit my wife to reside where she does now and to keep in her possession all the servants she has now with her and to see that she and her family are supported out of the increase in the property in the same way & manner they have heretofore been accustomed to live.

5th, I give to my daughter Elvira Norfleet during her natural life and for her sole and separate use Martha the daughter of Armistead and Nancy Sally the daughter of Peter Sylvia Sukey, Hannah’s child and at her death to be equally divided amongst the daughters.

These negroes are given to my daughter Elvira in consequence of her having a large family and I wish her to have them over and above the equal portion of my negro property.

6th, I give to my son George Hopson Jeane(?) and Lucy and their children Willie Fanny, Elsie Massthalia Luke and Henry, Elizabeth, Jenny and also old Harry on the death of my wife Eliza

7th To my daughter Eliza Jane Lewell I give my negro woman Hannah and her five youngest children

8th To my daughter Sally Ann I give Bill Alder, Homer Phil & his wife Dilsey and their two children Lewis & Wright' and I also give her Nellie and Harriet on the death of her mother my executor may give up to Sally Ann upon her marriage any of the negroes mentioned in this item except those given to my wife for her life.

9th, To my daughter Matilda Williams I give Frank & his wife & child

11th, I wish my wife Eliza and daughter Sally Ann to support and educate my granddaughter Margaret Davis(?) ___ and I wish my wife on her death or sooner if she choose to give her the negroes out of those I willed to her say two girls and a boy

12th, In consideration of the valuable services which have been rendered same by Robt. McCutcheons I wish each of my legates upon the division of my estate to give him out of their respective shares one hundred dollars and to see that he is taken care of and supported during his lifetime.

13th, After the death of my wife Eliza I give to my negro man Warrick to my son Joseph J. Hopson

14th, All my lands not heretofore divided I give to my executor to be sold for the payment of my just debts.

15th, Should my wife desire if my executors are hereby directed to sell my tract of land near Port Royal and invest the proceeds or any portion thereof in the purchase of which other property as my said wife may direct to be sold in the same way and for the same use and purchases and the land was sold

16th, Should any of the female slaves herein specially bequeathed have increase after this will I bequeath such increase to each of my legatus(?) as may own the mother of such increase

17th, After the payment of all my debts then I wish a division of all my negro property to take place among all my children in such way the share of negro property of all my children may be equal except Mrs. Eliza Norfleet who shall have the negroes heretofore given to her and their children over and above her equal portion of my negro property In making such division regard will be had as well to the negroes before given as well as to those given in this very last will and if any of my children shall receive by this will and former gifts more ___ is her equal portion of negroes then each child or children having received more shall make up in money or negroes to such as have received less than their equal portion of negro property

18th, After the payments of all my just debts I will to my executors all my real and personal property except negroes to be sold on such terms as they think best and out of the proceeds of which sale I give to Wil and William $400 and I give the balance in equal portions to my wife and my two children Sally Ann and George

19th, I also will to my executor to be sold the tract of land near Port Royal if not sooner sold and all the personal estate except negroes In Tennessee and when sold I give the proceeds to Joseph J. Hopson Howard R. Hopson Elvira Mildred Williams and Eliza Jane Leavell

20th, The negroes herein given to Eliza Norfleet specifically are to be so much over and above the equal portions of my estate and all the property herein and hereby given to her shall be held by her during her natural life for her sole and separate use and at her death the same shall be divided amongst her daughters.

21st, Should the pressure of debts on the ___ of my estate require it then I give to my executors the power to sell each of my slaves as are not herein specifically bequeathed

22nd, Upon a final division of my negroes I wish my old and faithful servants Phill, Billy, Daniel & Peter to be set at liberty and to live with each of my legates as they may choose and I wish all my legates to be a guardian and protector for them as long as they may live

23rd, If the tract of land near Port Royal should be sold by my executor and the proceeds of such sale invested in other property, then on the death of my wife I wish such property so purchased to be sold by executor and the proceeds divided as I herein directed the proceed of the said piece of land to be divided

24th, My negro man Monroe(?) has been to me a valuable servant faithful, and I wish my wife at her death to set him free if he prove to her to be a good & faithful servant.

25th, Such negroes as I have willed to my wife for her life and not have disposed of by name in this will, I wish her to divide amongst our children upon her death as she thinks proper

26th, I do hereby nominate and constitute and appoint my sons Howell R. Hopson and Joseph J. Hopson and my son-in-law Philip F. Norfleet and my relative George C. Boyd executors of this my last will and testament after the writing and before the publication or signing of this will the word children in 5th and 20th items have been erased the word daughters (inserted?) in its place, it is my further will and desire that my executors after my death pay to my friend and relative George C. Boyd the sum of $2500 in cash so soon as they can conveniently raise the funds from my estate after the payments of my debts, This devise is made to George C. Boyd as a small compensation for his service heretofore rendered to me as a friend and in his official capacity as my attorney. In case George C. Boyd refuses or fail to receive the amount of money from my executor as __ case he did before I do then it is my earnest desire that my executor pay the same to his two children now living (to wit/wife Mary Boyd and Millard/Willard C. Boyd and in case of the death of either of them without issue living then to the legal heir of the George C. Boyd

In testimony whereof I have herein to set my hand and seal to this the first day of September 1846

George B. Hopson {seal}

Signed in my presence the day it bears date both sheets of paper which is united by a seal

W.B. Johnson}

Wm. M. Finley}

State of Tennessee}

Montgomery County}

I William Pogue clerk of the county court of said county do certify that the foregoing pages 1 2 3 4 5 & 6 ___ contains a true and correct copy of no __ had in our said court March term 1847 in the case of the probate of the will of George B. Hopson qualifications of executors copy of will & as the same appears in my office of record In testimony whereof I have presents I set my hand and seal affixed my seal of office in the town of Clarkesville the 10th of Nov 1847 and 72 year of Ind. Of America _M Rogers Clerk

Sources

• Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930, images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QX-M93F-1?cc=2036959&wc=M7MB-WM9%3A344537901%2C345798102 : 21 May 2014), Coahoma > Wills 1841-1917 > image 40 of 370; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.