Tallapoosa County AlArchives Wills.....The Will of Silas M. Ray 1860 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Beverly Giles Loffler beverly@jloffler.com Genealogy Notes at the conclusion of the transcription are the research of Beverly Loffler. The Will of Silas M. Ray, Tallapoosa Co., AL- 1861 Silas M. Ray’s Will Will Book 1 Page 157 and 160 In the name of God Amen. I Silas Ray being of sound mind and knowing that life is uncertain and death is certain and whereas I want to make a distribution of my effects while I am in my right mind and I make this my last will and testament. Item 1st It is my desire that all my just debts be paid. 2nd I will to my wife Sarah the half section of land that the house is on that I now live in it being the north half of section sixteen in Township 22, of Range 22 in Tallapoosa County state of Alabama during her natural life. I will to my wife Sarah all my household and kitchen and, one years provissions (sic) Also the sorrel mare, the small wagon and (can’t read) one cow and calf, one half of my plantation tools all my slack hogs at my home place and one side saddle. 3rd I will to my children the mill tract of land known as the south half of section nine also the east of the south east quarter of section eight containing forty eight acres more or less all in Township 22, of Range 22, containing four hundred and forty eight acres more or less also the mill and the gin, fan (?) and thrash, two large wagons blacksmith tools and every thing that belongs to the aforesaid premises at my death they can divide the land or sell it as they choose and each one share and share alike, also I want the sisters (?) to stay on the land and all of them is to pay one third of the grain and one forth of the cotton except John Moncreif and John Freeman I am to furnish them land horse to plow and tools to cullivate (sic) the land with and I am to have half they make. 4th I will my youngest son Irvin Lawson Ray one feather Bed Bed sted (sic) and furniture the pet (?) mule and fifty dollars and my new saddle to make him equal with the rest of my boys that has left me Also my two daughters Sarah and Charity fifty dollars each to make them equal with the others of my children that is older than them. 5th At the death of my wife I want the half section of land that that (sic) I have willed to her to be divided among my children or sold and the proceeds equally divided amongst them 6th I appoint my two sons Daniel, and William Ray and James M. Ray executors of this my last will and testament done and signed this the 4th day of March in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty one, Silas Ray His mark Attest W. S. Banks John A. Stow State of Alabama Tallapoosa County Probate Court of said county. In the matter of the Probate of the last will and testament of Silas Ray. Page 160 Before me Allen P. Sturdivant, Judge of said county, personally appeared in open court, W. S. Banks, and John A. Stow, who having been by me first respectively duly sworn and examined, did do depose and says on oath, that they are each subscribing witnesses to the instrument of carilrieg (?) now shown to items, and which purports to be the last will and testament of Silas Ray, deceased late on inhabitant of this county; that said Silas Ray, since deceased, signed and executed said instrument on the day the same bears date, declared the same to be his last will and testament, and that affiants set their signatures thereto, on the day the same bears the date, as subscribing witnesses to the same in the presence of said testor; that said testor; was of sound mind, and disposing memory; and in the opinion of the deponents fully capable of making his will, at the time the same was so made as aforesaid. Affiants further state that said testor was, on the day of said date of said will of the full age of twenty one years and upwards Subscribed and sworn to this the 18th day of June 1861. W. S. Banks Allen P. Sturdivant Judge of Probate Genealogy Notes by Beverly Loffler The will of his wife, Sarah Stagner Ray in 1867 provides the name of seven living children and one deceased child. They are as follows: Daniel, William, Elijah, Irvin L., Elizabeth Sowell, Charity Vickers, Sarah Ray, and the children of Ransom G. Ray, deceased.