Kent County, Delaware - Will: Joseph Graham ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jerri Burket: February 10, 2002 ************************************************************************ DE Will of Joseph Graham - 1877 I Joseph Graham of the county of Kent and state of Delaware, being of sound and disposing mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of life, do make and publish this my last will and testament; resigning my soul into the hands of Almighty God, committing my body to the Earth and giving, devising and bequeathing my worldly Estate as follows. First, I give and devise to my wife Rebecca Ann all the personal estate owned by me at my decease - including household furniture, live stock, farming implements, notes, bonds, obligations and moneys, directing that out of the same she shall pay all my just debts and my funeral expenses. Second, I give and devise to my said wife the farm on which I now reside, together with all the lands, hereditaments and appurtances thereunto belonging, and the rents, issues and profits thereof for and during the term of her natural life; and from and after the decease of my said wife I give and bequeath the said farm, lands, hereditaments and appurtances unto my three youngest children, Alice, Joseph and Octavia, share and share alike. And I further give unto my said wife, for and during the time of her natural life, and from and after her decease to my three youngest children, aforesaid, Alice, Joseph and Octavia, share and share alike, a lot of ground on which there now stands a small dwelling and also a shop, situated on the south side of Main Street and near the corner of Water Street in the Town of Felton, County of Kent and State of Delaware, together with all the buildings and appurtances thereunto belonging. Also I give and devise to my said wife, for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease to my three youngest children aforementioned, Alice, Joseph and Octavia, A lot of ground situated on the north side of High Street, East and near the corner of Church Street in the Town County and State aforesaid. Which said legacies given to my said wife as aforesaid, I hereby declare is intended to be and is so given to her in full satisfaction and recompense of, and for her dower and thirds, which she may or can in anywise claim or demand out of my estate. And I hereby commit the guardianship of my three youngest children, Alice, Joseph and Octavia, unto my said wife until they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years; And do hereby declare that the expenses of the maintenance and education of my said children until they shall attain the age aforesaid, shall be paid and borne by my said wife, by and out of the moneys, rents, issues and estates given and bequeathed to her in and by this, my last will and testament. Third, I give, devise and bequeath unto my daughter Susan (now Susan Anthony) and Mary (now Mary Dill), their heirs and assigns forever, a tract of land lying and being in Misspillion Hundred, county of Kent and State of Delaware in the vicinity of the town of Vernon and known as the Marsh farm, equally to be divided between them. I also give, devise and bequeath unto my said daughters, Susan and Mary, their heirs and assigns forever, all the lands together with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, I own on either or both sides of the Beoff River in the County of Chicot and State of Arkansas, the same being known as the Brasswell place and containing about eleven hundred acres, equally to be divided between them. Fourth, I give devise and bequeath unto my son George, for and during his natural life, and from and after his decease, unto his son Edgar, the following tracts, pieces or parcels of land. A portion of a tract in the northern part of the county of Livingston and state of Kentucky, being on the road leading from Berrys ferry to Salem and about two miles east of Goiconda, said portion to contain twenty five acres and to be taken on the south side of said road at that point known as the Cain House and to contain and include said House. Also a tract of land containing about two Hundred and twenty acres, situated in the county of Chicot and state of Arkansas, about two miles west of the town of Bernard and known as Otterbayou. Fifth, I give, devise and bequeath to my son Jonathan, his heirs and assigns forever, all the residue and remainder of said tract of land last above mentioned, the same containing, after deducting the portion bequeathed to my son George, about four hundred and sixty five acres. Sixth, I give, devise and bequeath to my son Moses, for and during his natural life and from and after his decease unto his daughter Mary, my plantations and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging, the same being situated in planters township, county of Chicot, and state of Arkansas, about six miles west of Bernard and containing about four hundred and ninety acres. I further give, devise and bequeath unto my son Moses for and during his natural life and from and after his death unto his daughter Mary, All the rest, residue and remainder of all my real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever not heretofore otherwise disposed of. Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my wife Rebecca Ann to be sole executrix of this my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and Seal and in the presence of the witnesses below named declare this to be my last will and testament, signed this twentieth day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy seven. Joseph Graham Witnesses: James R. Burnite Wilbur H. Burnite Submitted to probate, September 4 1878