WILL OF THOMAS WILLIAMSON ****************************************************************** Submitted by Pattie Causey e-mail:pacausey@mindspring.com Date: 3 April 2004 Copyright: All rights reserved. USGENWEB DISCLAIMER: http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ****************************************************************** Thomas Williamson, Book C, page 104 "I Thomas Williamson of Hempstead County Arkansas being of sound and disposing mind & memory, do make publish and declare this as my last will & testament hereby revoking all former wills & testaments by me heretofore made. Item. I do hereby give will and bequeath to my wife Mary B. Williamson all of my Estate both real personal and mixed for and during her natural life or widowhood to act & dispose of the same as fully & to the same extent that as I could if living & upon the death or marriage of my said wife the whole of my estate of every nature kind & discription is to discend & be equally divided between the whole of my children to have and share alike my will is that the whole of my Estate be kept together until my youngest child shall arrive at full age & be? worked ? the plantation & improved & the proceeds of the farm to be used in the support & Education of my children but none of said Estate is to be sold for said purpose. my wife is fully authorized to settle the whole of my unsettled business after my death as I might or could do if living I hereby appoint and constitute my said wife guardian of all my children without requiring any security of her as such & she is authorized in case! of the bad conduct or disobedience of any of my children towards her during her widowhood to disinherit? them from receiving any portion of my Estate, I hereby constitute & appoint my said wife Executrix of this my last will and testament to act in all things after my death in relation to my said estate as fully as I could if living & request that she take upon herself the execution thereof without giving any security whatsoever for the execution thereof & I hereby appoint Granderson D. Royston as the attorney of my said will to direct and manage all business connected with my estate after death untill the whole business thereof is settled & closed up. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal in the presence of Thomas Hayes and William Crenshaw subscribing witnesses thereto who subscribed the same as such in my presence & at my request & in the presence of each other this 5th Dceber? 1849 My will is also that my afflicted brother Abraham Willamson is to be supported & taken care of out of my said Estate Thomas Willaimson (Seal) Witness Thomas Hayes Wm Crenshaw" (probate 13 Dec 1858) "State of Arkansas County of Hempstead In the matter of the Probate of the last Will and testament of Thomas Williamson deceased Before Simon T. Sanders clerk of the circuit court and Ex officio clerk of the court of Probate county? of Hempstead State of Arkansas on the 13th day December A.D. 1858 it being in the vacation of said Probate court Be it remembered that on this 13th day of December A.D. 1858 at my office in the county of Hempstead State of Arkansas as so? met? in the Town of Washington personally appeared before me George A. Gallagher to me personally well known, who being by me first duly Sworn according to law deposed as follows to wit. I knew Thomas Hayes in the month of July A.D. 1849? - we then both resided in the Town of Camdon? county of (first part too dark to read, but ends in "ita" on next page) State of Arkansas, where we both continued to reside until the time of his death which took place several years afterward the exact time I do not recollect. I know that Thomas Hayes is dead for I visited him several times in his last sickness - saw his dead body and assisted in intering it. I often saw him with in his life time arranged for him in his life time, what little business he had and I think drew up for him his last will and testament. I was perfectly acquainted with his handwriting & am!? still. The signature Thomas Hayes attached to the annexed and foregoing instrument in writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Thomas Williamson is I am certain the true and genuine signature of the said Thomas Hayes to whom I have above referred William Crenshaw the other signature to said instrument I do not recognize - whether I ever knew the writer or not I do not know - I knew Thomas Williamson in his life time - I have seen him write - and I think I am acquainted with his signature and aff? believed that the signature of Thomas Williamson attached to said instrument in writing purporting to be his last will and testament is the true and genuine signature of Thomas Williamson, and farther then deponent saith not. George A. Gallagher sworn to & subcribed before me this the 13th day of December A.D. 1858. S.T. Sanders clerk By T.H. Simons (or Simms?) D.C. And afterwards to wit; on the 14th day of January A.D. 1859 before me the said clerk personally came William Crenshaw one of the subscribing Witnesses to the last Will and testament of Thomas Williamson deceased......" (testimony by sheriff John B. Sandifer about the handwriting of Thomas Williamson follows the testimony of William Crenshaw)