Lattimore-KY-1817

Francis Lattimore's will, Barren Co., KY 1817

This is taken from a copy of the original documents in the Barren County Courthouse, Book 1, Barren County Wills, pages 430-435.

[It is typed as precisely as possible, following the spelling, punctuation and capitalization of the original document.]

In the name of God Amen.  I Francis LATTIMORE of Barren County and State of Kentucky being in sound mind and memory thanks to God for the same do make and Ordain this my last will and Testament as followeth To wit, My Will and desire is after my funeral expenses that all my Just Debts be paid.

... Item I give devise and bequeath unto my daughter Rachel WOOD one dollar in Cash to her & her heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath unto my daughter Abby SMITH one Negro man named Sam to her her heirs forever.
... Item I lend to my daughter Jemima DOUGLASS one Negro Man named (old) Abraham untill her daughter Rachel becomes of lawfull age at which time I wish the said Negro to be sold and equally divided between the four daughters of Jimima DOUGLASS Namely Lemira, Polly, Tabitha, and Rachel to them their heirs forever.
... Item I lend to my daughter Peggy RENICK one Negro Man named Lucus until her daughter Abby becomes of lawfull age at which time I wish the said Negro to be sold and equally divided between three of her daughters Namely Rachel, Polley and Abby, to them their Heirs forever---
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my daughter Polly BALES one Negro Woman named Catey and one hundred dollars in Cash to her, her Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath unto my Grand Son William SMITH (son of Rachel) one negro boy named York to him his Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my three Grand daughters (Polly SMITH Jenny FOX and Masseni SMITH three Negroes namely Molly, Jenny and Lucy to them their Heirs forever.  Provided they cannot agree in the division themselves, I wish them to choose three men of Carracter to make the division.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Grand daughter Rachel WOOD one feather Bed and furniture to her her Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Grand son Francis [I. or J.?] SMITH one Negro boy Pol to him his Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Grand Son William SMITH (son of John SMITH) my _____ Mare Nell to him and Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Grand Son George DOUGLASS one Negroe boy named Mark to him his Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Grand Son Will RENICKS and daughter Ann RENICKS one Negroe Girl name Amy to them their Heirs forever.
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my three Grand sons [Jiras? Lisas? Siras?] RENICKS Lattemore RENICKS and Sam RENICKS on hundred and fifty acres of Land to be equally divided between them as they become of age. Beginning at the Beginning Corner of the Meetinghouse Lott at a red Oak thence runing East to my line of the Land whereon I now live thence with Lexus [Texus?] RICEs South line to the forked red Oak Corner, thence westward so as to include the land without interfering with John SMITHs Cleared Land and the Meeting House Lott be the same More or Less to the Beginning to them their Heirs forever---
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Grand Son William BALES one Negroe boy named Aaron to him his Heirs forever---
... Item I give devise and bequeath to my Son inlaw John SMITH all the Land that he has Cleared upon my Land to him his Heirs forever.
... Item My Will and Desire is after my Decease, a Negro Man named Joe be Liberated and enjoy his freedom the ballance of his life.
... Item I Give devise and bequeath the ballance of my Estate both real and personal not before mentioned to five Legatees Viz Abby SMITH Jemima DOUGLASS Peggy RENICKS, Polly BALES and the four Orphans of William SMITH De'cd (Viz Polly, Jenny, Messinni, and William SMITH, for the fifth Legatee) that is to say the fifthe Share equally divided between the four Orphans) to be equally divided between the five Legatees mentioned, to them their Heirs forever.

I hereby nominate Constitute and appoint John SMITH William DOUGLASS and Patrick BOISEAU Executors to this my last Will and Testament In Witness I have caused my seal this 18th of April 1817.
Test
Francis LATTIMORE
Patrick BOISEAU
Saml SCOTT
Alaxr RICE
Thomas STOCKTON

Barren County Towit May County Court 1817
This Instrument of writing perporting to be the last Will of Francis LATTIMORE Dec'd was produced in Court and proved by the oaths of Samuel SCOTT and Thomas STOCKTON two of the Subscribing [?] Witnesses [next four lines scratched out] and therefore the said Writing was ordered to be Recorded as the true last Will and Testament of the said Francis LATTIMORE Dec'd.

[An inventory was taken of his goods and chattels on May 29th, 1817, which is enumerated for two and a half pages and at the end of it it states:]
In Accordance to an order of the Worshipful County Court of Barren at their May term [can't read the next word in parenthesis] as appraisers appointed for the purpose of appraising in current money all the personal Estate and Slaves of Francis LATTEMORE Deceased we make the preceding report Given under our hands and seals this 29th day of May 1817.
Joseph WARDER
Alex EVANS
Saml DOUGLASS

[Then there is an enumeration of notes and their amounts which Francis LATTIMORE apparently held:]
Note on Hugh SMITH
... John MONROE
... John GARNETT
... John WARDER
... Ezekial NEWLAND
... Cary BISHOP
[Patrick BOISEAU signed and served as the Curator, to see that these notes were paid...]

[Next page:]
Barren County Sct.   [Superior Court?]
I do hereby Certify that the within named Samuel DOUGLASS, William BOWLS, Alexander EVANS & Joseph WARDER by order of the County Court of Barren at their May term 1817 to them directed to appraise the personal Estate of Francis LATTIMORE Deceased came personally before me a Justice of the Peace in said County and took the Necessary Oath perscribed by law for that special purpose Given under my hand and seal this 19th day of May 1817
[signed, but signature illegible]

Contributed by: "Linne Gravestock" linne@quiknet.com