WILL: Thomas Wells, 1837, Bullitt Co., KY

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Transcribed by: Anne  Livingston - Livings1@netscape.net
Date:  7 Aug 2000
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Bullitt Co. Will Book B p. 468
I THOMAS WELLS of the County of Bullitt and State of Kentucky make this my last Will and 
testament in the manner following that is to say

1st I give to my wife MARY WELLS all my estate real and personal during her life or 
widowhood with the exceptions hereafter named but should she marry again she will be 
entitled only to her thirds.

2nd I give to my son JAMES WELLS a farm lying on the road leading from Louisville to 
Shepherdsville being the same I purchased of Mr. SAUNDERS.

3rd I give to my son William WELLS the farm on which I now live reserving a room in the 
dwelling house fo rthe use of my two youngest daughters viz  MARGARET ELLEN and MARTHA ANN 
so long as they remain unmarried, but my son JAMES and WILLIAM are not to have possession of 
the farms herein devised to them during the life of my wife without her consent and neither 
of my sons aforesaid shall have the right of selling the farms herein devised to them 
while under the age of twenty five years.

4th I give to my daughter ELIZA BRENTLINGER (and to descend to her children) a negro woman 
(in parenthesis it has a name here and I am not certain what it is Merith?  the g above from 
BRENTLINGER makes it difficult to make out) now in her possession and a negro woman named 
CAROLINE but she is not to have possession of the last named negro until after the decease 
of my wife.

5th I give to my daughter Camilla BRENTLINGER a negro man named ANDY to descend to her 
children and five hundred dollars in Cash the said negro to remain in the possession of my 
wife during her life, the five hundred dollars to be paid to her as soon as convenient after 
my decease.

6th I give to my daughter REBECCA BATES a negro woman named ROSE and Five hundred dollars in 
Cash the negro to remain in the possession of my wife during her life and the five hundred 
Dollars to be paid over to her as soon as convenient after my decease.

7th I give to my daughter MARTHA ANN a negro man named PATRICK and a negro child named Jack 
but not to come into her possession until  after the  decease of my wife the aforesaid 
negroes to descend to her bodily heirs.  

8th I give to my daughter MARGARET  ELLEN a negro man named JOHN and a negro child named 
RACHAEL to descend to her bodily heirs but not to come into her possession as long as my 
wife lives.

9th Should any of the negroes above devised die before they come into the possession of the 
several devisees such negro or negroes so dying shall be valued by two disinterested persons 
to be chosen by my wife and the value of such negro or negroes dying at the time of their 
decease, shall be paid out of my estate to the person or persons to whom they were devised, 
each of my children paying equal proportion to be paid after the death of my wife.

10th I give to my grandson JOHN THOMAS NEWKIRK a negro boy named LEWIS to remain in the 
possession of my wife while the said THOMAS NEWKIRK shall arrive at the age of Twenty one 
years, but should my wife die before the said Thomas shall be twenty one years old the 
aforesaid negro boy to come into the possession of CAMILLA BRENTLINGER and remain with her 
during the minority of my aforesaid grandson and should the said Thomas die without bodily 
heirs the negro herein devised to him shall be the property of the said CAMILLA 
BRENTLINGER and her children.

11th  My will is that what debts I may owe be paid by the Sale of much stock as may be 
sufficient to pay them, and the residue of stock and all my household and kitchen furniture, 
farming utensils (a symbol follows this that looks a bit like etc.) and to remain in the 
possession of my wife during her life and after her decease to be equally divided among my 
children.  I appoint my wife MARY WELLS Executrix and my son JAMES WELLS Executor of this 
my will.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of April 
1837.

(signed)
Thomas WELLS

In the Presence of ROBERT GALBRAITH, A GORE    (when the clerk notes that he recorded it 17 
Jul 1837 he refers to A. GORE as Abner GORE)  “and provided by the oaths of ROBERT GALBRAITH 
and ABNER GORE subscribing witnesses ordered to be recorded...).