Will of John McNeese

Date: 16 Sep 1804 to 1805
Location: Harrison, Kentucky, United States
Surnames/tags: McNees McNeese

Contents 1 Will of John McNeese (abt.1741-aft.1804) 2 Notes 2.1 Will Extract 3 Sources

Will of John McNeese (abt.1741-aft.1804)

Transcribed from a digital image on the ancestry website. Paragraphs and bold text have been introduced for ease of reading and we’re not present in the original.

“In the name of God Amen I John McNeese of the county of Harrison & State of Kentucky being sick and poorly but of perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed to all men to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and testament

First I recommend my soul to God who gave it, and my body to be buried in decent Christian manner & as touching such worldly goods and hath pleased God to bless me with, I do dispose of the same in the manner and form following to wit

First after all my just debts are paid I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Ann McCormac a certain Negro girl named Winna to her & her heirs.

Also to my well beloved son Abraham the one half of the tract of land whereon I now live to be divided equal in quantity and quality likewise a negro boy named Frederick to him and his heirs forever.

Also to my beloved son Alexander the other half of the tract of land whereon I now live equal in quantity & quality likewise a negro boy named Lias to him & his heirs forever

Also to my daughter Elizabeth Lemmon a negro woman named Nell at the Death of my wife Jean, to her and her heirs & likewise the said Nell’s next child to her and her heirs forever

Also to my well beloved wife Jean two thirds of the cleared land to take in the new house & farm also a sufficiency of timber and firewood out of the tracts of land in whereon whereon I now live bequeathed to my sons Abraham & Alexander as above likewise the ballance of my estate during her natural life and then to be disposed of as she thinks fit except my negro man Ben who is to be free at the death of my wife Jean & if my said wife Jean don’t think proper to keep house said Ben May be free immediately by paying ten pounds yearly to my wife

and further I give unto John McCormac & John Lemmon my grandsons to each a house worth twenty five pounds out of the legacy bequeathed to my wife when they come of age

I do hereby appoint my sons Abraham McNeese & Alexander McNeese Executors of this my last Will and testament utterly disallowing revoking and disannulling all every other Will & testament legacy or bequest in any wise made by me Ratifying and confirming this my last Will and testament Given under my hand and seal this sixteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & four

John McNeese (his mark)

Signed sealed & delivered in the presence of us

Josephus Perrin

Z Hugh Newell

John Berry

This is my last will and desire to have my Negro Benjamin set free at the term & end of six years Given from and at my hand this 19th day of November 1804 John McNees

Test Jacob Lemmon

Abraham McNees

Harrison County March Court 1805

This last Will and testament of John McNees deceased was proved in Open Court by the Oath of Josephus Perrin & John Berry & the Codicil thereto annexed was proved by the oath of Abraham McNees subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded .

Notes

Note in particular that the commonly quoted will extract has mistakes. The John Lemmon and John McConnac in the will are not spouses of John McNeese’s daughters, but their sons. Also, McConnac is probably a mistranscription of McCormac.

Will Extract

“JOHN McNEESE - Will Book A, Page 53 - Names daughters, Ann McConnac (wife of John); Elizabeth Lemmon, (wife of John) ; sons Abraham, Alexander, wife, Jean. Written September 16, 1804. Proven Nov. 19, 1804. Executors - Abraham McNeese, Alexander McNeese. Witnesses - Josephus Perrin, Hugh Newell, John Berry.”^{[1] [2][3]}

Sources

1. ↑ Kentucky Records; Author: Ardery, Julia Hoge Spencer, B. 1889; Probate Place: Kentucky volume 1 page 56
2. ↑ "Vol A-B Harrison Co, KY wills 1794-1832", November 1804; Page 53 #0216864
3. ↑ "Will Book A", pages 53 & 54. Names daughters Ann McConnac and Elizabeth Lemons. Sons Abraham and Alexander as executors. First written 16 Sep 1804, addendum written 19 Nov 1804. Proved in court Mar 1805

See also:

• Probate: "Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989"
  Harrison > Wills, Vol A-B, 1794-1832 > image 39 of 561
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image (accessed 23 March 2022)