Heard-Campbell County GaArchives Wills.....John D Hightower July 1 1892 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Gravelle http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00023.html#0005680 March 20, 2004, 11:16 am Source: Heard County Georgia Will Records Written: July 1 1892 Recorded: October 26 1899 Will of John D. Hightower State of Georgia, Heard County Signed: July 1892 Filed Oct 26, 1899 I, John D. Hightower, of said state and county, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, so make this my last will and testament. Item 1st. Having heretofore given to my wife Mary C. Hightower twenty four acres of land off of the North half of lot of land number two hundred and seventy nine in the north district of originally Carroll but now Heard County, GA as evidenced by a deed of gift which I made and delivered to her on the sixteenth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety two which deed was attested by W. F. Hill and W.S. Darrington, J.P. I now, in addition thereto bequeath and devise to her the said Mary C. Hightower the following property to wit: All of my livestock such as horses, cows, hogs, sheep or goats and all fowls which I may own or possess at my death and also all of my household and kitchen furniture and also all my wagons, buggies or vehicles of any kind and to be ?? explicit. I give and bequeath her all of my personal property of every kind or sort whatever and also all money that I may own at my death. Except that should I owe any just debts at my death she must pay one half of them out the the above property, then the remainder to be her property free from all charges or limitations whatever, to her own proper use, benefit and behalf during her natural life or widowhood. And at her death or the termination of widowhood any of the property that she may own which I leave to her, I direct to be sold and equally divided between the heirs of my sons I.F. Hightower and J.B.F. Hightower. Item 2nd. I give, bequeath and devise to my sons I. Hightower and J.B F. Hightower and their bodily heirs now born and to be born, each one half interest in sixty acres more of less of land of lot of land number two hundred and severty nine in the ninth district of originally Carroll but now Heard County, Georgia, bounded as follows on the ?? and north by the original lines of said lot and on the east and south by the lands of said lot now owned by Mary C. Hightower, J.H.S. Williams and Dewey Walls or his wife S. C. Walls said sixty acres, more or less of land to be divided by three disinterested and impartial men one of whom must be chosen by I. F. Hightower or is heirs, and one chosen by J.B.F. Hightower or his heirs, the ?? to be chosen by those two first chosen who shall proceed to divide said land as equally and fairly as possible, ???, I. F. Hightower and his heirs as aforesaid. I further direct that at my death or owing any just debts that I. F. Hightower must pay one fourth of the debt and that J.B.F. Hightower also pay one fourth of said debts after which the titles to the above described property shall be complete for I.F. Hightower and his heirs and J.B.F. Hightower and his heirs. Item 3rd. I hereby constitute and appoint my wife Mary C. Hightower executor of this my last will and testament this the fifth day of July 1892. John D. Hightower (X) Signed, declared and published by John D. Hightower as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers who subscribe our names hereto in the presence of said testator at is instance and request, and of each other by signing our presence and in signing in his presence. E.M. Holloway Sr. D.P. Darrington C.B. Crews W.S. Darrington, J.P. Filed in Office this Oct 20, 1899, Robt. G. Crain, Ordinary Georgia, Heard County Before me personally appeared W.S. Darrington, E.M. Holloway, and C.B. Crews, noted as witnesses to the within writing purporting to be the last will and testament of J.D. Hightower who being duly sworn deposes and says that they with D.P. Darrington did on the 5th day of July 1892 attest as witnesses the within wirting in the presence of J.D. Hightower who in their presence voluntarily signed and published the same as his last will and that J.D. Hightower was at the time of the attestation and signing of sound and disposing mind and memory. W.S. Darrington E.M.Holloway C.B. Crews Sworn to and subscribed before me this Nov 18, 1899. Robt. G. Crain, Ordinary Additional Comments: Notes: 1880 census Heard County, Georgia District 987, Heard County, Georgia 1880 Source: FHL Film 1254152 Natl Archives Film T9-0152 Page 93A John D. HIGHTOWER Self age 63 GA Occ: Farming Fa: GA Mo: GA Rosana HIGHTOWER Wife age 60 GA Occ: Keeping House Fa: NC Mo: NC Tempa HIGHTOWER Dau age 24 GA Occ: At Home Fa: GA Mo: GA William NINDING (?), Other age 21 GA Occ: Laborer Fa: NC Mo: GA Notes: John D. Hightower served in the Civil War as a PVT Co. I 41st GA Inf. CSA, Heard County Rangers; he enlisted March 4, 1862, was captured at Vicksburg, MS on July 4, 1863; paroled from there on July 6, 1863; was shown on muster rolls with his regiment as present on Dec 31, 1863. John D. Hightower applied for an Mexican Wars pension in 1887 (ref. index of Mexican war pension applications - - pension Number C7247 (2-16-1887) Buried at Caney Head Methodist Church Cemetery in Heard County, Georgia (ref: Heard County, GA Cemeteries book, listed as John D. Hightower) Note: Appears from his Will, filed in Heard County, Georgia, that John D. Hightower remarried after the death of his first wife Roseanna. As he was of advanced age (presumably), it is thought that he did not have any children with the second wife. Excerpt from an article in the book "Memoirs of Georgia", publ. 1895: " John Dickerson Hightower, farmer, Rockdale, Heard Co., GA, son of Henry R. and Tempie (Ray) Hightower, was born in what is now Campbell County, GA in 1825. His father was born in Pennyslvania and about the year 1800 migrated thence to Georgia and settled in Oglethorpe County. his conveyance was an old time ox cart with wooden wheels, the frame being put together with wooden pins and hickory withes. He cleared a farm and commenced farming, but after some years moved wo what is now Campbell County and engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1857. Mr. Hightower was raised on the farm, on which he worked and attended school at a little log school house until nearing maturity, since when many years of his life has been interestingly eventful. At the age of nineteen he ran away from the home to join an expedition against Mexico, and enlisted in Company C, Capt. W.T. Wofford, in Calhoun's Cavalry Battalion. He did scout duty during the entire war, and went as far south as the penisula of Yucatan, where he was wounded in the right thigh by a lance in the hands of a Mexican. In 1848 he returned to his home in Campbell County but did not stay long. The next year he joined a company of gold hunters, started for California and shipped from Mobile to go via Cape Horn. After a long and rough and tedious voyage he reached the alleged land of promise, only to meet with sad disappointment. After spending several months in fruitless search for the precious metal, he found himself impoverished, and decided to return home. A sympathizing friend loaned him money for the purpose and the early fifties found him at the plow handles on the old homestead. In 1852 he moved to Heard County where he continued farming with satisfactory success. When the civil war was precipated in 1861 he enlisted in Company K 41st GA Reg., participating in it's engagements. At Perryville, Kentucky, he received a wound which disabled him temporarily, and he was sent home. At the end of sox months he returned to his command, and at the battle of Baker's Creek was again wounded but continued in the field. After the surrender, he returned, penniless and homeless to Heard County. He went to work as a farm hand and worked and lived hard until he got a start, when he bought a piece of land and went to farming on his own account. Working hard, and early and late, and living frugally, he had placed himself in easy circumstances. He owns a good farm, has all that he craves in the matter of a good homne and plenty, and a comfortable bank account. No citizen of the county stands higher. Mr. Hightower was married soon after his return from California to Miss Rosiana, daughter of Joshua and Polly (Wallace) Teal, who has born him six children, only two of whom, Isom J. and Benjamin F., are still living. " (Written in 1895) Henry Hightower and wife Temperance Ray Hightower are shown in the 1850 census for old Campbell County, GA. Henry Hightower married Temperance Ray on Jan 13, 1820 in Clark County, GA 1850 census for old Campbell County, GA shows: Henry Hightower, age 59, farmer, born ?? Temperance Hightower, age 50, born GA Amanda Hightower, age 17, born GA Hilliance (or Hilliary?) Hightower, age 15, female, born GA Nancy D. Hightower, age 13, born GA Elsberry W. Hightower, age 7, male, born GA Campbell County, Georgia Land Deed Record Book "E" p. 47 - - Campbell County, GA Dec 26, 1849 - - Deed from John D. Hightower of Campbell County to Emanuel Teal of Campbell County; 50 acres lying in the NW corner of LL $5 Dist 9 Coweta, now Campbell Co., GA $55. Wits: Thomas Bullard, H.F. Moates, J.P. No recording date entered. Campbell County, GA Land Deed Record Book "D" p. 493 - - Campbell Co., GA Dec 25, 1848 - - Deed from Ryle McNeal of Campbell Co. to John D. Hightower of Campbell County 50 acres lying in LL #5 Dist. 9 Coweta, now Campbell Co., GA $50. Wits: Rylie Shirley, Eli R. Goodrich, J.P. 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