LAST WILL OF STEPHEN CRAIN - PONTOTOC CO., MS LAST WILL OF STEPHEN CRAIN, DECEASED Pontotoc County, MS Probate Record, Vol. 12, pgs. 215--216 The State of Mississippi I, Stephen Crain of the State and Pontotoc County County afforesaid being now far advanced in years and feeble in Body but Sound and of Disposing mind do hereby make and publish the following my Last Will and Testament hereby Revoking all former wills by me made (To Wit) 1. I give and bequeath my Soul to God who gave it. 2. I direct and will that all of my Just Debts be paid. 3rd I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Crain the following personal property to wit One Negro Slave woman by the Name of Caroline and her female Infant child about three days old all of my household and kitchen furniture besides her Dower in the half section of Land on which I reside which the Laws of the State allows her the said half section being Known by survey as the West half of section thirteen Township Seven of Range one East of the Basis Meredian in the Chickasaw. I make this bequeath to my said wife only during her lifetime or Widowhood. 4th I give and bequeath to my beloved Son Jeremiah S. Crain one Negro boy Slave by the name of Jasper of Dark complexion aged about ten years. 5th I give and bequeath to my beloved Son Martin P. Crain one Negro Girl Slave Mary of Dark Complexion aged about Eight years. 6th I give and bequeath to my beloved Son Abijah Crain one Negro woman Slave Margaret of Dark complexion about sixteen years of age. 7th I give and bequeath to my beloved Son John D. Crain one Negro Slave of dark complexion by the name of Wyatt aged about Eighteen years. 8th I give and bequeath to my Beloved Son Jesse R. Crain one Negro boy slave of copper color by the name of Lawrence aged about six years. 9th I give and bequeath to my beloved Son Crockett Crain one Negro boy child Slave aged about three years of age of copper color by the name of John Green. 10th I give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Martha Sherman one Negro female Slave child of dark complexion by the name of Angeline aged four years. 11th I give and bequeath to my beloved Son Joshua A. Crain one Negro boy child Slave aged about thirteen months of Dark complexion by the name of Banister. 12th I will and direct that the balance of my property and affect consisting of as follows be sold at public sale to the highest bidders by giving thirty days notice at Three public places in Pontotoc County one of which shall be at the court house door of said County to wit Two thirds of the before mentioned half section of Land, one waggon and three oxen, two mules, my stock of hogs and Sheep, one cow and a calf, all of my farming utensils, one set of Blacksmith Tools, and the proceeds of said sale together with any money as Evidence of Debt or other property I may accumulate I may die seized and possessed of after paying my just debts to be equally divided between the heirs of my four deceased sons, Dickson Crain, Bethel Crain, William Crain, and Stephen Crain. I mean by the term heirs of my said deceased sons their Lawful children until the sum of five hundred dollars be made up to be distributed amongst each of my said Sons families of children if however the amount is not Sufficient to pay the above amount of five hundred Dollars to Each of said sons Estates after paying my just debts and expenses attending the execution of this my will I then order and direct that at the death or marriage of my wife Mary Crain that all of the property of every description hereby given and bequeathed to her sold as herein before directed for the sale of my other property and after paying Expenses that the Estates of my before mentioned deceased sons be each made up to the sum of five hundred dollars to be equally divided between their lawful children. Should the said Negro woman Caroline bring an increase said Increase...to stand in the same condition of the property Bequeathed to my wife - and I do hereby ordain and constitute and appoint my beloved son Abijah Crain my Executor to carry out and Execute this my Last Will and Testament. I further by way of Explanation Direct that after all Expenses my Just debts and the five hundred dollars is paid to each of my four deceased sons Estates if there should be any remaining money on hand that it be Equally divided between all of my Lawful heirs in Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this the 17th day of April, 1859. Stephen Crain (Seal) Test Wm. Wright J. L. Warrington John Sherman The State of Mississippi In the Probate Court Pontotoc County Of Said County at The January Term A. D. 1860. ------- ----- ----- Stephen Crain, a North Carolina native died in September, 1859, at the age of 83 in Pontotoc County, MS. Cause of death was rheumatism. (1860 Mississippi Mortality Schedule) Sent in by Elreeta Crain Weathers ====================================================================      USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing          free information on the Internet, data may be used by          non-commercial entities, as long as this message          remains on all copied material. These electronic          pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit          or for presentation by other persons or organizations.          Persons or organizations desiring to use this material          for purposes other than stated above must obtain the          written consent of the file contributor.          This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb          Archives by: Elreeta Crain Weathers ====================================================================