RUSH-KY-1856 Articles in will pertaining to slavery: Bourbon County Court Will Book G, pp. 529-533. June, 1856 Will of George Rush: 1. I George Rush of Bourbon County Kentucky do make the following as my last will and testament. First. I direct that so soon after my death as is convenient all my fat hogs and cattle that are fit for market be sold and the proceeds applied to the debts and escigances of my Estate. 2. I direct that my son Charles take care of and superintend the management of my farm negroes and stock until a sale is to be made, and for his services in so doing he is to be paid such compensation as three disininterested men shall consider just and reasonable. 4. Previous to my marriage with Nancy (Powell?) my present wife to wit; on the ninth day of October 1854, we entered into a marriage contract wherin I agreed with her that if she survived me, there should be paid to her out of my estate three thousand dollars in three equal annual payments from and after the date of my death, also our negro woman and her youngest child, two horses, two milk cows my Buggy or Barouch if I owned any at the time of my decease, one half of my household and kitchen furniture, one year's provision for herself and family, and one year's provend for her stock, but in case she died without leaving a child or children all said property was to return to my estate. But if Nancy removed from this state the negro woman and child and the increase of the woman was to return to my estate--and if the said Nancy should die leaving lawful heirs of her body all the property given except the Negroes was to go and be inherited by her body heirs. And said Nancy in said contract, agreed to take the property before specified in said Contract as her full portion of my Estate. I direct that my Executors pay to her three thousand dollars as agreed in said contract also that they pay her in money at the time hereinafter directed, the appraised value of two of my best horses and milck cows, my Buggy and one half of my household and kitchen furniture, and the amount and value of one year's provision for herself and family to be paid fixed by the appraisers of my Estate--and in lieu of the Negro woman and child provided in said contract I give to her absolutely one negro girl slave named SALLY, to her and her heirs forever. But if the said Nancy dies without leaving lawful heirs of her body, all the Estate hereby devised to her except the slave, that remains at her death shall return to my estate. The said Nancy may remain in my mansion house and receive her support out of my Estate until it is sold, if she desires to do so--But as soon as she desires to leave if before the sale, my Executors shall pay to her two hundred dollars, in part of the valuation of the property above mentioned and the balance of that valuation shall be paid to her, the balance to be paid her when the sale money of my estate falls due. 5. I devise to my daughter Tabitha Shawhan wife of John Shawhan and to my daughter George Ann Rush my negro slaves LAVIN and her three children AMANDA, ANN, MARIA and infant daughter and MAHALA and her three children CHARLES, MARY ANN, and GEORGE. I wish the said slaves to be appraised by the appraisers of my Estate at their fair value, and then that my daughter draw lots for the choice of the two families, and the woman and her children I give to her my daughters as it may be thus determined by lot to each of them as and the heirs of their bodies living at their decease. But the said slaves are not to be sold out of the families of my daughters and their descendants. I also devise to my Daughter George Ann and her heirs forever the one half my household and kitchen furniture. 6. I devise to my son Charles for the use of himself and family my three Negro men, SAM, LEVI and JOHN, to be held and kept by him for the use and benefit of himself and family during his life and then to the use of his children. But no disposition shall be made of said slaves that will deprive the family of the benefit of their services. 7. My Boy PETER I wish to be placed in the lot with his mother MAHALA and go to the daughter that draws his mother and her children. 11. I direct that all my slaves remain on the farm until the crop is completed Except SAL who I wish to go directly to my wife. If my wife shall be unwilling to accept the provisions made for her in this will and shall insist on receiving the property stipulated in said marriage contract, I wish her to have it--and as in that event one of my daughters will be deprived of a portion of the slaves devised to them--I direct that the portion of such daughter in my estate shall be made up to her out of my estate--so that the share of each of my children shall be equalized. In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of April 1856. George Rush (seal) Attest Tho. L. Arnold F.R. Wyatt Tho. P. Smith At the June Term of the County Court of Bourbon County Ky on the 2nd day of June 1856. This last will and testament of Geo. Rush decd was this day produced and improved in open Court by the oath of Thomas D. Arnold, F.R. Wyatrt and Thomas P. Smith the attesting witness thereto and having been sworn to by John Shawhan one of the Executors therein named and ordered to record. Witness R.J. Bronn clerk of said court the date above. R.J. Bronn clk Contributed by: darby@visi.net "Bob Francis"