Wills: Bernard Bower, 1843: Baldwin Co., GA ************************************************************************ 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. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Laura Stotler Lstotler@aol.com Last Will and Testament of Bernard Bower, Baldwin County, GA Court of Ordinary, Will Book B, pages 110-112. Benard Bower's Will Georgia } Baldwin County}In the name of God, I Bernard Bower of said state and county knowing that I must shortly die desire it right and proper that I should make a disposition of the property which a kind providence has bestowed upon me. I therefore being of sound mind and a disposing memory do make declare and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking and annulling all others heretofore made by me. Item 1st. I desire and direct that my body is to be buried in a decent and christian-like manner. My soul I trust shall return to rest with God who gave it. Item 2nd. I desire and direct that all my just debts be paid as soon as practicable constant with the other provisions of this my last will. Item 3rd. I give and bequeath to my beloved sister Sindona Snow the sum of 12 hundred dollars to be paid to her by my Executor hereinafter named at as early a period as possible consistent with the other bequests and directions in this my will. Item 4th. I give and bequeath all the rest of my property both real and personal whatsoever and wheresoever the same may be to my beloved niece Elizabeth Laura Maria Antoinette Bower in trust for the use of my beloved brother Isaac Bower for and during the term of his natural life, not subject to any of the debts of him my said brother and at the ___ of him my said brother Isaac. It is my wish & desire and I so direct that my beloved Elizabeth Laura Maria Antoinette Bower, Mississippi Arkansas White Bower and Columbia America Bower, daughters of my said brother Isaac own and posssess the same equally between themselves from the debts liabilities contracts control or disposition of any future husbands they may marry. And I do hereby direct that previous to the intermarriage of any one and all of them that an instrument of writing be drawn by someone skilled in the law conveying the property hereby bequeathed to some worthy husband in trust for her or them not to be subject to the debts liabilities contracts control or disposition of the person or persons whom she or they may marry. For it is my express desire and I so direct that my beloved brother Isaac should have and enjoy in my property both real and personal an estate in trust as above specified not subject to any of his present existing debts for and during the term of his natural life and at the termination thereof that my beloved nieces Elizabeth Laura Maria Antoinette Bower, Mississippi Arkansas White Bower and Columbia America Bower should have and enjoy the same forever as heretofore directed complying with my directions previously given in case either or all of them should marry. Item 5th. I constitute and appoint my beloved brother Isaac Bower my sole Executor for executing and carrying out the provisions and purposes of this my last will and testament. Bernard Bower (Seal) Signed, Sealed, declared and published before Bernard Bower as his last will & testament in presence of us the subscribers who subscribed our names in the presence of said testataor and each other this 24th day of May 1843. Peter Fair Wm. B. Tinsley Wm C. Powell Georgia } Baldwin County} Court of Ordinary in Chambers May 29th 1843. Personally appeared before us William B. Tinsley, William C. Powell and Peter Fair the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and testament of Bernard Bower deceased who being duly sworn say that the said decd. was of sound & disposing mind and memory as far as they know or believed, that he executed the same without complusion and the said deponents further say that they saw each other sign the same as witnesses. Sworn & Subcribed before us} Wm. B. Tinsley, Wm. C. Powell, Peter Fair James H. R. Washington, John W. S. Daniel July Term 1843 Admitted to record and Isaac Bower qualified and rec. letters testamentary. Asa W. ____, CCO.