Jones County GaArchives Wills.....James Madison  Gray October 27 1874
************************************************
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:
Betty McLarry bjemcl@charter.net and Norma Heron nje47@charter.net September 10, 2003, 3:26 pm

Source:  Probate records, 1808-1949; index, 1820-1832  
Written: October 27 1874


                        LW&T - JAMES MADISON GRAY

State of Georgia}
County of Jones	}
		I, James M. Gray, of the County of Jones and State of Georgia, 
being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last 
Will & Testament in the manner following to-wit:
					
Item First	I give and bequeath unto my trusty servant, Jim Gray, 
absolutely and forever, my house and lot in the town of Clinton, County and 
State aforesaid, adjoining lot belonging to Robert H. Barron, Ada Holly, and 
also adjoining or being near the lot whereon is situated the Methodist Church 
used by white people:  I also give to my said servant Jim the sum of Eight 
Hundred dollars in money:  Said lot and money herein given him to be received 
by him, the said Jim Gray, in full satisfaction of all claims or demands of 
whatever nature, due to him by me.
				
Second	I give and bequeath, absolutely and forever, unto my faithful cook and 
servant, Queen Farler, the following property to-wit:  Two hundred and sixty 
acres of land, in said County of Jones, known as the Dent place, being the 
land I bought of Thomas O. Bowen.  Also one mule of her own choice and 
selection:  One cow and calf of her own choice and selection; also one 
half of all the crockery ware in my house, leaving out the knives and forks, 
of which she is to have none; also one bedstead, bed and mattress to be taken 
out of my house; and the sum of One Hundred and fifty dollars.
					
Third	The rest and residue of my property (to be held, controlled and 
disposed of by my Executor as hereinafter directed) of whatever description 
not herein otherwise bequeathed and disposed of, I give and bequeath unto the 
President and Trustees of Mercer University, a college in the city of Macon, 
county of Bibb, and state of Georgia, and the Successors in office 
of said President and Trustees, upon and subject to the following conditions, 
that is to say, I desire and direct that the annual income or interest of said 
property given to the said President and Trustees as aforesaid, be used and 
appropriated by them in defraying the expenses, including tuition, purchase of 
books and board, while in actual attendance upon said College, of 
such meritorious young white men from the County of Jones and State of 
Georgia, who may be pecuniarily unable to defray the expenses as aforesaid at 
said college; and if there should be no applicant from said County of Jones, 
then of such other meritorious young white men indiscriminately from the State 
of Georgia, who may be in like condition of inability to educate themselves at 
said College; the beneficiaries of this fund to be selected from among said 
applicants by the Faculty of said Mercer University, under such terms and in 
such way and manner as they the said Faculty may think best; in all cases, 
giving preferences to and selecting from the applicants for the benefit of 
said fund, from these from the said County of Jones.   It being my intention, 
that applicants for the benefit of said fund, shall be selected from other 
than said County of Jones, only when there shall be no suitable or proper 
person from said County of Jones, applying therefore.

	I also desire and direct that in no event, shall the principal of the 
property herein given to said President and Trustees as aforesaid, be 
diminished, but the annual income or interest only, be appropriated and 
expended for the purpose contemplated by me in this will.

	In order and for the purpose fo avoiding a sacrifice of my property, 
by exposing the same to sale immediately upon and after my death, I hereby 
authorize and empower my Executor hereinafter named, to keep together my 
estate herein bequeathed to said President and Trustees as aforesaid, so long 
and for such time as in the judgment of my said Executor, it may seem 
advisable and best, and to work or rent the same, paying over annually to said 
President and Trustees as aforesaid the income, interest and profits arising 
from said property, said income, interest and profits to be used by said 
President and Trustees for the purpose hereinbefore indicated and directed.  
Whenever in the sound judgment of my Executor a sale of the property herein 
given and bequeathed to the said President and Trustees as aforesaid shall be 
deemed advisable and best, I desire and direct said property to be sold by my 
Executor as aforesaid at public outcry and after such notice as is usual for 
sales by administrators and Executors; my personal property t be sold for 
cash, and the money arising from the sale of said personal property to be by 
my Executor paid over to said President and Trustees as aforesaid to be by 
said president and Trustees invested in such way and manner and in such 
securities as they shall deem best, the interest of which is to be used by 
them the said President and Trustees for the purposes hereinbefore indicated 
and directed.  My real estate I direct sold upon credit, the time of such 
credit to be in the sound discretion of my said Executor, he taking the notes 
of purchasers therefore leave the interest from the date of sale at the rate 
of ten per centum per annum, and Executing bond for titles so said purchasers 
conditioned to make titles thereto upon the payment of the purchase money 
thereof.  The interest of which said money shall be collected 

annually by my said Executor and by them paid over to the said President and 
Trustees as aforesaid, for the uses and purposes hereinbefore indicated and 
directed.

	I further desire and direct my said Executors, as fast as the purchase 
money of said real estate shall be collected, to be by him paid over to the 
said President and Trustees as aforesaid who shall invest the same in such way 
and manner and on such securities as they may deem best, the interest of which 
shall be used by said President and Trustees for the uses and purposes as 
hereinbefore indicated and directed.

					
Fourth	I hereby nominate and appoint my worthy friend, Roland T. Ross, sole 
Executor to carry into effect this my Last Will and Testament.

	The words "for the use and purposes" in the third item of this Will 
interlined before signing.

	In Witness Whereof:  I, James M. Gray, do hereto attach my hand and 
seal this the 27th day of October 1874.
						JAMES M. GRAY    (Seal)

	Signed, sealed, published and declared by James M. Gray to be his Last 
Will and Testament in our presence and we at his instance and request in his 
presence and in the presence of each other have each hereunto signed the same 
as witnesses, this Oct 27, 1874.

	A. Kingman, O. P. Finney, Thomas O. Bowen, William Slocumb, Thomas J. 
Woolfolk.
Probate records, 1808-1949; index, 1820-1832  
 Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Jones County) 
v. AA, 1868-1876  FHL-#454250  			

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/

File size: 7.4 Kb