ALEXANDER COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Probate Record, Elisha Kerley, 21 Mar 1864 ==================================================================== 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. Researched and found by Marylou Emerson - Duke194@aol.com Transcribed by Elizabeth Cearley-Moore - Monte.moore@conwaycorp.net Submitted by Linda Johnson Revis Lindajrevis@gmail.com ==================================================================== Elisha Kerley/Cerley Probate North Carolina Alexander County This day personally appeared before me CSC of Alexander County Harriet A. Kerley and being dully sworn says that Elisha Kerley whose signature appears at the end of the forgoing paper writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of Elisha Kerley Dec'd was her former husband and that he enlisted in Confederate service sometime in the year 1862 to the best of her knowledge and died about 64 March some time while he was in the army he wrote me a letter asking me if I was willing for Finley Davidson to have his property both personal and Real after my death If so to get Wesley Laws or Ale McIntosh to fix up a will and send to him to sign I went to Ale McIntosh and requested him to write a will and wrote the forgoing Instument of writing which is now shown her in my presence and handed same to me and I sent the same to Elisha Kerley in the Army and some afterwords recieved it back signed as It now shows by Elisha Kerley and by J. W. Austin and J.A. Deal as witnesses thereto and that the foregoing paper writing is the identical paper writing written by Ale McIntosh and delivered by him to me and sent by me to Elisha Kerley in the army and recieved back by me and that the said paper writing has been in my posession ever since until Nov 26th 1890 Harriet A Kerley further swears that she is acquaintedthe hand writing of J.W. Austin one of the subscribing witnesses to the said paper writinf and to the best of her knowledge and belief that the signature of J.W. Austin is his genuine signature also that J.W. Austin is dead Sworn Subscribed before me this Nov 27th 1890 Harriet A. Cerley J.T. McIntosh ------------------------------------------------------------------------ North Carolina Alexander County This day personally appeared before me C S C of Alexander county Roxanna Walker and being by me duly sworn says that J.W. Austin one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Elisha Kerley Dec'd is dead and that he was her former husband and that she is aquanted with his handwriting and that to her best knowledge and believe that the signature of J.W. Austin to the paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Elisha Kerley Dec'd bearing date March 21st 1864 which is now Shown here - is the true and genuine signature of J. W. Austin to best of her knowledge and belief sworn and subscribed before me Nov 27th 1890 Roxaner Walker J. T. McIntosh CSC ------------------------------------------------------------------------ North Carolina Superior Court Alexander County Before J. T. McIntosh C.S.C The annexed paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Elisha Kerley Dec'd is this day offered for Probate by S. J. Sumsden Agent for Finley Kerlee (or Davidson) in open court and the execution thereof by the said Elisha Kerley is duly proven by the oath and examinations of Roxanna Walker Harriet Kerley and Daniel Deal dispose and says that they are acquanted with the hand writing of the witneses who sighned said paper writing Roxana Walker says that J. W. Austin was her husband and that is his genuine signature- Daniel Deal says that D. A. Deal was his son and that that N his genuine signiture Therefore let the this certificate be Registered No 27 1890 J. T. McIntosh C S C ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Will of Elisha Kerlee 1864 In the name of God Amen I Elisha Kerlee of Alexander in N C Do hereby make and ordain this as my last will and testament To urt I will that all my just debts be first paid and that all of my property personal and real go to my beloved wife Harriet Kerlee during her life and at her death to go to Finley Kerlee son of Cynthia Davidson I do hereby publish and declare this as my last will and testament and in testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this 21 day of March 1864 his Elisha Kerley mark witness J. W. Austin J. A. Deal