Wills of Stoddard Co. MO - Cooper, Jeptha - Book C pg. 192-**************************************************************** File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Compiled and submitted by ©1999,2000, Connie Perkins ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Record Book of Wills in the County of Stoddard, Missouri Book C pg. 192-197 State of Missouri County of Stoddard In the Name of God Amen. I Jeptha Cooper, of the County and State aforesaid being of sound mind and disposing memory, do make, publish and declare, this my Last will and testament, in manner following, that is to say: First - I desire that my body be decently buried and That all of my just debts be paid out of the effects of my Estate. Second - I desire that my wife, Margaret Cooper, should she survive me, shall have the dower in my Real Estate, and all personal property as my widow, which she may be entitled to under the laws of this State, after all just debts and funeral Expenses are paid. Third - I give and bequeath to my daughter Susan Graham, five dollars - Fourth - I give and devise to my sons, Poindexter Cooper, James Cooper, Milton Cooper, Charles Cooper and Abner Cooper or such of them that may be living at my death, all the rest and residue of my Estate of pg. 193 every name and nature whatsoever - real, personal and mixed, their heirs and assigns, in equal parts, together with all the hereditaments and appurtenance thereto belonging or in any wise appertaining to have and hold the same as to themselves and their heirs and assigns forever. Subject to this Condition - 1st If either the said Poindexter Cooper, or the said James Cooper, or the said Milton Cooper, or the said Charles Cooper, or the said Abner Cooper should die without heirs of the body, or if any number of them less than all of them should so die, it is my will that the remaining number of said five sons living shall inherit in equal parts, the property Real, personal and mixed of the deceased sons, which may come to such deceased sons under and by virtue of the provisions of this will or which may grow out of or proceed from such property. 2nd It is my desire that neither my said wife, Margaret Cooper nor either of my said daughters Susan Graham or Mary E. Capps, shall inherit any property from either of my said five sons in any contingency mentioned in pg. 194 Subdivision one, of article five, of this will nor in any other contingency whatsoever Sixth - It is my will and wish that should my said wife, Margaret Cooper, survive me and after my death marry again, That in That event, all property of all kinds whatsoever which she may have under and by virtue of the provisions of This Will, that is pass to and vest in my said five sons or their legal representatives as herein before limited and defined in equal parts, and if my said wife, Margaret Cooper, should die as my widow, I desire that her property should pass in equal parts to my said five sons, under the conditions specified for its decent in case she marries after my death. Witness my hand and seal, Jepthey Cooper State of Missouri County of Stoddard This August 26" 1899 We, J.G. Lewis and Lawson Proffer do hereby certify that Jeptha Cooper who is personally known to us to be the same pg. 195 person whose name is signed to the foregoing instrument, signed the same in our presence and declared the same consisting of one sheet, to be his last will and testament, and at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other we have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto, and the said Jeptha Cooper at the same time acknowledged to us, and each of us, that he signed and sealed the same as his last will and testament. Lawson Proffer J.G. Lewis Recorded This 2/7/1902 W.L. Tucker Clerk of Probate Proof of Will State of Missouri, County of Stoddard In the Probate Court Be it Remembered that on this the 6" day of February A.D. 1902 before me Thomas Connelly, Judge of Probate Court, held in and for the county and State aforesaid, personally appeared Lawson Proffer and J.G. Lewis, who are the subscribing witnesses to the annexed will of Jeptha Cooper, deceased, and being by me first duly pg. 196 sworn, depose and say That the said Jeptha Cooper - the Testator, subscribed the same in their presence, and published and declared said will or Instrument of writing to be his last will and testament and that at the time of signing the same he, the said testator was of sound and disposing mind, and more than twenty-one years of age, and that said deponents attested said will as witnesses thereto, by subscribing their names to the same in the presence of the Testator, and of each other and at the request of the said testator. Lawson Proffer J.G. Lewis Sworn to and Subscribed before me this 6" day of February A.D. 1902. Thomas Connelly Judge of Probate Certificate of Probate State of Missouri, County of Stoddard In the Stoddard County Probate Court in vacation Feb 6" - 1902 I Thomas Connelly , Judge of the Probate Court of Stoddard County, pg. 197 Missouri, having Examined the foregoing Instrument of date August 26" - 1899, purporting to be the Last Will and testament of Jephtha Cooper, deceased, and signed by said Jephtha Cooper, deceased, late of Stoddard County and having heard the testimony of Lawson Proffer and J.G. Lewis, subscribing witnesses thereto, in Relation of the Execution of the same, do declare and adjudge said Instrument of date August 26" - 1899 to be the Last Will and testament of said Jeptha Cooper deceased, and the same is therefore admitted to Probate. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at office this 6"day of February, 1902. Thomas Connelly Probate Judge For Letters and Bond see Book 2 for recording Administrator Letters & Bonds at page 181. Recorded this 2/7 - 1902 W.L. Tucker Clerk of Probate