MERIWETHER COUNTY,  GEORGIA.  WILL BOOK A, PAGE 21-25

25 April 1837    Will of HENRY JOSSEY

 

 

 In the name of God Amen.  Meriwether County. 

     I, HENRY JOSSEY of the County and State aforesaid, being of sound and disposing mind and without any improper motion, me hereunto moving and freely and of my own accord, make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament, knowing the uncertainty of life and that as it is appointed that all men shall die and can carry none of their worldly goods into eternity, I dispose of my property, goods and effects in this my Last Will according to the following Items.

     And I do hereby bequeath my love to God hoping that it will be purified by the merits of a gracious Saviour and find rest in eternity when my frail body shall be still in the confines of the grave. I wish to be buried in decent and becoming manner and according to my condition in life

     ITEM First:  I do hereby give and bequeath to my dearly beloved wife SARAH JOSSEY, WILLIS,  EVELINE,  and NANCY, Three negro slaves, the first a Man about Twenty Five years of age and the second a Woman, the Wife of said WILLIS of or about the age of Twenty Five years and the Third a Woman of the age of Fifty years and the future increases of the said negro Woman EVELINE and NANCY, and the following tracts or lots of land. I do give to my beloved wife SARAH JOSSEY, Lot of land number One Hundred and Thirty Six (136) in the Ninth district of Formerly Troup County, now Meriwether County and part of lot of land number One Hundred and Eighty Five, to wit,  The West part of said last mentioned lot to be bounded by a line commencing on the South line of said lot to run a due North course by a Well usually known as the Widow Gray's old Well on the said lot of land. and to terminate at the North line of said lot of land situated in the County and District aforesaid, and I do give to her, my said Wife, all my household and kitchen furniture, A Bar coach which I now own and two mules or horses such as she may choose, of those of which I may be possessed at the time of my decease.  A yoke of oxen and an ox cart, two cows, and calves, such as she shall choose of my stock of cattle, and two choice sows and pigs, ten shoats and ten head of such sheep as she shall prefer. and such an amount, meat and corn and other grain and fodder as my executors shall consider necessary for the support of and well management of the family for One year after my decease, and such Plantation tools as shall be thought proper and necessary for the use of the farm, the foregoing property real and personal with all the improvements and appurtances on the said lot and part lot of land, including a Gin if there should be one, and all property goods and effects before named and hereby given to my said beloved Wife.  She is to have, hold and keep for her own proper use and benefit for and during her natural life ( except such part of the household and kitchen furniture as shall be hereafter directed to be given to my Children as they shall marry or settle to themselves) and after the death of my said beloved Wife SARAH JOSSEY,  all the aforesaid property to go to the vest in my Children.  Viz. SARAH M REEVES, formerly SARAH M JOSSEY; JOSIAH W JOSSEY, HARRIETT WILLIAMS, formerly HARRIETT JOSSEY,  JOHN H JOSSEY, MARY E JOSSEY, ROWENA JOSSEY, KITTY ANN JOSSEY and WILLIAM J JOSSEY.

     ITEM 2nd.  I will that my Children hereinafter named, to wit,  JOHN H JOSSEY, MARY E JOSSEY, ROWENA E JOSSEY, KITTY ANN JOSSEY, and WILLIAM J JOSSEY, shall each as he or she shall marry or settle to him or herself, have Two negro Girls, or a negro Boy and Girl, of the age of Ten or Fifteen years, and in case there should not be negroes of the discription here stated, then my said Children to have the value of such negroes at the time they should have the negroes given them.

     ITEM 3rd.  I will that my Two youngest Children, KITTY ANN JOSSEY, and WILLIAM J JOSSEY, shall have the expense of their education paid out of my Estate, without any deductions from that part or portion of property to which they may or shall be entitled, as if such expence of education may or shall not be made.

     ITEM 4th.  I will that the balance of my property real and personal shall be disposed of by my Executor according to the following directions. Viz,  The negroes to be equally divided between my Children in the first Item of this my Will named, and all of my personal Estate not herein before disposed of, to be sold and the proceeds thereof divided between my said Children, and my Children, JOHN H JOSSEY, MARY E JOSSEY, KITTY ANN JOSSEY, and WILLIAM J JOSSEY, each shall have a good feather bed and furniture and bedstead, a cow and calf, and a horse, or the value of such last mentioned articles, and my real estate, I wish to be rented or sold as my executors shall deem for the best interest of the legatees to my said Estate.

     ITEM 5th.  I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty and kind friend's RICHARD J WILLIS, of the County of Wilkes, and WILLIAM D MARTIN, and my Son JOSIAH W JOSSEY, of the County of Meriwether, and all of the State of Georgia, my true and lawful executors, confiding in their providence and fidelity for the faithful execution of this my Last Will and Testament.

     In testamony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the Twenty-Fifth day of April in the year Eighteen Hundred and Thirty Seven.

 

Signed, Sealed and delivered before us

the day and year above written                                         HENRY JOSSEY

ABRAM  HILL

ALBERT  G  HILL

CHARLES  R  GREEN