AMANUENSIS MONDAY~Probate record for Isaac Frampton Jr died 1860, age 18

What does Amanuensis mean?
To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”

Today I will transcribe the last will & testament for Isaac Frampton, Jr.  He is the youngest person in my tree for whom I’ve located a will/probate record. 

Isaac Frampton, Jr. was the son of Isaac Frampton (1790-1859) and Jane MANN (1805-1857).  He was the youngest of 7 children born to this couple.  His parents, one brother, James and one sister, Barbory J. all predeceased him. 

(click on any image to enlarge it)

Here is my transcription to the best of my ability to read this record.

Isaac Frampton will:                                                                                             347

In the name of God amen I Isaac Frampton of the County of Cabell and State of Virginia being of sound mind & memory and considering the uncertainty of this frail & transitory life do therefore make ordain publish decree this to be my last will and testament that is to say first after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged I direct my executors, who are hereafter named first to have my body interred beside the ____ of my father & mother then to inclose the grave w an iron railing having first erected a neat tombstone over my remains  I give and bequeath to Charles Everett the entire use controll & benefit of my whole landed estate proceeds of the present years crop all moneys due by note document or otherwise for the next two ensuing years the money notes acounts & __ with my sorrel filley & my bed and beding to be his forever  I next give & bequeath to my Sister Rebeca J EVERETT the forty acre field including the two lots & houses now ocupied by H McCULOUGH bounded on the East by the farm of the late G L Busing on the south by the James river & Kanawha turnpike on the west by the land runing from said turnpike to the Ohio River & on the North by the Ohio River to be hers forever then at the expiration of the two years above mentioned I give & bequeath the residue of my ___estate to be divided equally between David Frampton Hyram Frampton & Charles T Everett by each one paying to Ephram Frampton the sum of one hundred dollars Likewise I make constitue & ____Charles T. Everett & H McCulough to be Executors of this my last will & Testament there by revoking all former wills by me made in writing where of I have here with subscribed my name and affixed my seal this 27 day of September A D 1860

Cabell County court clerks office Oct 1st 1860 The last will & testament of Isaac Frampton decd was this day presented in court the same is ordered to be recorded  A copy teste H H Wood clk

For such a young man, age 18, to have to write a will is sad.  What did he died of?  The only cause of death I have for the other family members, is his father Isaac Sr., who died of Dropsy.  That was recorded in the 1860 Mortality schedule.

Of those mentioned in Isaac’s will, sadly, both his brothers, David & Hiram and his brother-in-law, Charles Everett, all died in 1861.  Again, wondering how did they die?  David was 29 yrs, Hiram was 30 and Charles Everett was 32.

Isaac is buried at Burlington Green Lawn Cemetery in Fayette, Lawrence, Ohio.  I've been to this cemetery and visited the graves of many family members, including Isaac.  You may visit his memorial here #66806705

If you think you might be related to anyone mentioned in this blog post, please contact me.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2021   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

AMANUENSIS MONDAY ~ The will of Stephen Wilson of Lawrenc Co., Ohio - 1871

Will of Stephen Wilson

Lawrence County Probate Court Monday October 2^nd AD 1871.

Pleas in the Probate Court in and for the county of Lawrence and State of Ohio, before Peras R. Polley, Judge of said court, at a session thereof, held in Ironton, on the second day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and seventy one.

       Be it remembered that on the second day of October in the year one thousand and eight hundred and seventy one; There was produced in open court, for the Probate, an instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Stephen Wilson, late of said Lawrence County, deceased, which will reads in the words and figures following:

       In the name of the Benevolent Father of all and State of Ohio, do make and publish this my last will and testament.

Item 1^st It is my will and devise that the store in Burlington, owned by my son John G. Wilson and myself, in equal proportions, and now carried on in the name of S. Wilson & Son, be continued after my death in the same manner that the business is now conducted, and that my wife Sarah Wilson, to own the interest in said store and business owned by me at the time of my death, and shall receive benefits and profits arising from said business in the same manner, and to the same extent that I could were I then living.

Item 2^nd I devise and bequeath to my said son John G. Wilson, the farm with all the privileges and immunities thereto belonging situate immediately above Burlington, and known as the Bryan and Wilson farm containing fourteen and one half acres more or less.

Item 3^rd I devise and bequeath to my son, Robert S. Wilson, the farm of Solada Creek heretofore conveyed to him by John Ballard, now in his possession and known as the Ballard farm containing two hundred acres more or less together with a forty four acre lot adjoining the same and known as the Old Billy McKee place. The last above mentioned devise is made on condition that my said son Robert S. Wilson, will pay to my son DeWit Clinton Wilson the sum of Five hundred dollars within five years from the date probate of this will, without interest. 

 

Item 4^th I devise and bequeath to my said son DeWit Clinton Wilson, one thousand dollars in Bank Stock owned by me in the Second National Bank of Ironton, together with all the recover___ funds belonging thereto with all the accruing profits belonging to and growing out of same.

Item 5^th I devise and bequeath to my daughter Emila Jane Morris, three thousand dollars to be paid by my executor herein after named out of the residue of my estate not herein above devised in instalments of not less than five hundred dollars per annum without interest.

Item 6^th I devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Wilson all the residue of my estate Real and Personal not hereinbefore devised, after payment of my just debts and funeral expenses to hold as her own property during her natural life; and after her death all of the property and effects both real and personal above devised to my said wife Sarah Wilson, to be equally divided between all my said children, or their heirs and survivors according to the law of the State of Ohio.

Item 7^th I do hereby nominate and appoint my said wife Sarah Wilson, and my said son John G. Wilson, Executors of this my last will and testament hereby authorizing them to compromise, adjust release and discharge, in such manner as they may deem proper, the debts and claims due me.  I do also authorize and empower them, if it shall become necessary in order to pay my debts, to sell by private sale or in such manner and upon such terms of credit or otherwise as they may think proper all or any part of my real estate, leaving the lands herein before devised as the last, and to execute and acknowledge deeds therefor in fee simple.  I do hereby revoke all former wills by me made.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 16^th day of August in the year 1871

Signed and acknowledged by said Stephen Wilson as his last willand testament in our presence, and signed by us in his presence.

Elias Nigh

George W. Thompson

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

SUNDAY’S OBITUARY ~ Following yesterday’s post–Here are the obituaries for Stephen Wilson (1803-1871) and his wife Sarah Gillen Wilson (1808-1878)  

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

AMANUENSIS MONDAY ~ The Last Will & Testament of George F. Hall–1837-1896

What does Amanuensis mean?
To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”

I’ve been writing about my husband’s great granduncle, George F. Hall.  First I wrote about his Civil War Pension and then about how I located his probate record.

Today, I am presenting the transcription of his last will & testament and a couple of gems it contained.

Here is George in his Civil War uniform.  He fought for the north out of units from New York.

Photo used with permission of Brian White

George’s wife Sarah Wilson Hall had died 4 years prior to him on 20 Sep 1892 (date is from her findagrave memorial and I haven’t yet located the death record).

Here are the two pages of George’s will.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)


HERE IS THE TRANSCRIPTION OF PAGE 1 GEORGE’S WILL.

I didn’t transcribe the second page which discusses the death of one of the witnesses.



If George’s wife, Sarah did die on 20 Sep 1892, as her headstone states, then George drew up this will just 9 days after her death.  Sarah was only 49 years old when she died and George just 55 years old at the time of her death.  Maybe her death made him realize that he needed to get his affairs in order.  After all, George had ongoing health issues from his service in the military.

What this document provided me, that I didn’t have before, was the married name of his sister Cornelia and her location in Iowa.  And, the name of a sister that I don’t have listed in my tree, yet.
 
Needless to say, these are gems and will lead to further research on this family.

Probate records are important family documents and usually lead us to more information and to further finds.
 
Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2018   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

AMANUENSIS MONDAY ~ The Last Will and Testament of John Lunsford 1794-1858

What does Amanuensis mean?
To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”

Today I am presenting a transcription of the Last Will and Testament of my 4th great grandfather, John Lunsford.  John was born on 5 May 1794 in Virginia and married Mary “Polly” Sackville Hudson probably prior to 1815, when their first child was born.  Together this couple had 16 known children.  I have good information on most of the 16, but some still need some work to determine death dates etc.

I wrote a previous post about these 16 children on Sibling Saturday ~ 16 Siblings – Children of John & Mary Lunsford.

My research indicates that John Lunsord lived in Lawrence County, Ohio for most of his adult life.  The earliest record I have for him, in Lawrence County is the 1820 census.  He and his family are enumerated in the various townships of Windsor, Mason and Rome.

John was engaged in agriculture, probably farming.  He was able to leave both land and money to his wife and children.

Here are the five pages from his last will & testament.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

HERE IS MY TRANSCRIPTION OF JOHN’S PROBATE RECORD

The Last Will of John Lunsford dec

See Journal No. 2 Folio 155, where the following entry occurs.

Court of Probate of Lawrence County Ohio held at this Courthouse in Ironton on the 17th day of April A.D. 1858

                                     In the matter of the Estate

                                     of                                                                               Proof of Will

                                     John Lunsford deceased

                                                                                                     The last will and testament of John Lunsford late of said County deceased was this day presented in the Court, by the Executor in the will named and thereupon appeared also in open Court Sanders Russell and John Waugh the subscribing Witnesses to said will and on oath testify to the due execution of the same, which testimony was reduced to writing and filed with said will, and it appearing to said Court by said testimony that said Will was duly attested and executed and that the said Testater at the time of the executing the same was of full age and sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint.  It is therefore ordered that said last will and testament aforesaid together with this journal entry and the testimony aforesaid be recorded in the Records of Wills

                                                                                   S. M Cown Probate Judge

Will

In the name of the Benevolent Father of All. I John Lunsford of the Township of Mason in the County of Lawrence in the State of Ohio through the afflictions of disease enfeebled in health, yet by the goodness and mercy of God sound in mind, Do make and publish this my last will and testament.

Item 1st  I give and devise to my son Thomas that portion of my farm west of a line to be run from the mouth of the lane south, to the south line of my land and from the mouth of said lane as aforesaid northerly within said lane to a point in said lane near the house thence with the spring branch to the head of the orchard field, thence north to the north line of my land.  Upon the following conditions, Viz. 1st that my beloved wife, Mary Lunsford is to have the entire control and use of and the profits arising therefrom during her lifetime, Excepting 2ndly That my daughter Margaret is to have a lifetime lease of that portion upon which she resides lying south of the ditches at the foot of the hill and west of a line running from the mouth of the Hollow near where she resides couth so as to include twenty acres, and that he pays or causes to be paid his proportion of the sum necessary for the liquidation of the bequests herein after specified. 

Item 2nd  I give and devise unto my son Elijah that portion of my farm lying between said line running through the lane as aforesaid, and a line to be run as follows, Viz: Commencing at a point in a small gut or branch at the foot of the lick field midway between the fences and running from said point south to the south line of my land, and also from said point north to the north line of my land, To take possession at my death subject only to the condition that he is to pay or cause to be paid his proportion of the sum necessary to the payment of the bequests herein after specified.

Item 3: I give and devise to my daughter Susannah Cory that remaining portion of my farm lying east of said line along the branch at the lower end of the Lick field as heretofore described, subject to the like condition that she shall pay or cause to be paid her proportion of the sum necessary for the liquidation of the bequests herein after specified.

Item 4th  I give and bequeath to my daughter Margaret in addition to her lifetime lease of the land before described, one hundred dollars which I require my Executor to use as judiciously as he can in the purchase of a horse beast and a cow for her.

Item 5th  I give and devise to my daughter Amanda and her heirs, Three hundred dollars to be applied to the purchase of a homestead for her and her family: and to her daughter Jane, three head of cattle now in their possession and six head of sheep.

Item 6th  I give and devise to my daughter Martha Three hundred dollars, and to her son Reuben when of age, a colt worth Fifty dollars.

Item 7th  I give and devise to my daughter Sally Vermillion and her husband the sum of Three hundred Dollars.

Item 9th  I also give and devise to my daughter Elizabeth Goff and her husband the like sum of three hundred dollars.

Item 8th  I also give and devise to my three sons Richard, Reuben and Jackson, each the sum of Four hundred dollars.

Item 10th  I give and devise of my personal property as follows, Viz: To Thomas J. Lunsford and to Elijah Lunsford my sons, each one the colt now claimed by him as his own: and to my beloved wife Mary Lunsford my Kit mare, three cows the sheep not already appropriated, the hogs, poultry and household furniture, and the farming utensils for the us of the farm.  The remaining portion of my personal property I leave to be appropriated to the payment of debts due by me and in payment of the bequests made to my several children that are not granted any portion of the farm.

Item 11th  I give and bequeath unto my daughter Nancy Boggs, and her husband the sum of Five dollars, and also I give and devise unto my son William Lunsford the like sum of Five dollars.

Item 12  I hereby give and appoint unto my three children to whom I bequeath my farm, five years in which to liquidate and pay the bequests made to my other children and further provide that if any one or more of them may have paid his full proportion to the other heirs while any other one or more may not have paid his full proportion, I desire that the estate of whichsoever one may have failed to make such payment shall first be subject to such claim of those who are unpaid.

Item 13th  I do hereby nominate and appoint Benjamin F. Cory Executor of this my last will and testament, hereby authorizing and empowering him to compromise, adjust, release and discharge in such manner as he may deem proper, the debts and claims due me. 

I also desire and appoint that no appraisement or sale of my personal property be made, but that my Executor see to the preservation and sale of such property as is not specifically provided for, and that the proceeds be applied to the payment of claims as heretofore specified in such manner as he may deem just and equitable.

I do hereby revoke all former wills by me made.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of January, in the year One thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Eight.

Signed and acknowledged                                                      

by said John Lunsford in                                                   

our presence as his last will                                                     

and testament, and signed by us in his presence

in open Court before me S. M Coun judge of the Court of Probate for said County at the Court house in Ironton Sanders Russel and John Waugh of said County and both of lawful age, who by me being first duly sworn according to law, make oath and say respectively that they are witnesses to the last will and testament of John Lunsford late of said County deceased, that the paper here shown to the Judge of this Court and herewith annexed, and purporting to be the last will and testament of said John Lunsford was signed by said testator in presence of these deponents, and that the same paper was signed as witnesses by these deponents in presence of said testator and at his request and that said testator at the time of executing said last will and testament was of full age and of sound mind and memory and not under any restraint

Sworn to before me and                                                          Sanders Russell

subscribed in my presence                                                       John Waugh

the 17th day of April A.D. 1858

       S. M Cown Probate Judge

Examined

NOTE:  You’ll notice I have highlighted, in yellow, Item 11, in John’s will.  That’s because it mentions two of his 16 children.  Nancy and William.  I am directly descended from Nancy, who married William Boggs.  I find it odd that he mentions them and specifically only gives each of them five dollars.  When he gave some of his other children $300 and $400 dollars, you have to wonder if there was a riff in the family.  None of my research on Nancy and William Boggs gives me any reason to believe they were independantly wealthy, so I doubt that’s the reason.  Interesting to be sure.

Probate records can reveal a lot about a family. Here are a few items that can may be ascertained:

• Who were the favored children?
• How many worldly goods did your ancestor have?
• Did he or she have land?  Are there land records to be found?
• As in this case, who is obviously shorted in the will
• Who was left out of the will entirely?
• Are there later records in the courts regarding the transactions associated with the will?

I’d love to hear about the probate records you’ve found.  Were there any surprises?

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

SURNAME SATURDAY - Boggs & Lunsford (here's the couple that was only given $5 in John's will)

HOW TO FIND PROBATE RECORDS ONLINE

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION