Rockingham County, NC - Will of Thomas Kennon, 1872 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Laura Kennon roothuntr@triad.rr.com ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Thomas Kennon Will 1872 From the North Carolina State Archives: Will of Thomas Kennon decsd. Recorded in Will Book Page 40 Sept. 1st, 1872 Thos. Ragland Probate Judge I Thomas Kennon of the County of Rockingham and the State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory but concidering the uncertainty of my earthly exsistence do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say... First that my executor herein after named shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends and pay all funeral expences together with my just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate. I give and devise to my children as follows to my son James one dollar to Sarah Ware one dollar to Jimmy Simpson one dollar to Richard one dollar to Asariah one dollar to Jackson one dollar to Jane Atkins one dollar to Becky one dollar. Now I give and devise to my beloved Wife Mary Kennon all of my estate both real and personal (not already disposed) to have and to hold to her the said Mary Kennon for and during the term of her natural life then to be equally divided amongst all of my children not above mentioned provided Cary and Eliza shall stay with my wife and help to raise the children until they are twenty one years of age otherwise I will and bequeath to them one dollar each. And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friend Daniel E. Gurrant my lawful executor to all intents and purposes to (?) unto this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause then of mine by making and declaring uterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore void In witness where of I the said do here unto set my hand and seal the 5th day of september 1854. Signed sealed published and declared by the said Thomas Kennon to be his last will and testament in the presence of who at his request and in his presence do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto Test Rufus J. French John Jones Thos. Kennon dec'd Probate of Will ordered to be recorded in Will Book Page 40 Sept. 6th, 1872 Thos A. Ragland Probate Judge Probate of State of North Carolina Rockingham County, In the Probate Court A paper purporting to be the last will and testament of T. Kennon Deceased, is exhibited before me the undersigned Judge of Probate for said county by Daniel E. Gurrant the Executor there in named with the names or signatures of the Testator himself and Rufus J. French and John Jones as subscribing witnesses thereto one of which witness John Jones is reported as being dead the other Rufus J. French is said to be living in the state of Kansas. Daniel E. Gurrant the Executor named in the said will declares to qualify as such and being sworn doth say that he was acquainted with Rufus J. French before he left the county and also well acquainted with his handwriting having seen him write frequently, and seen much of his writing and has no hesitancy in saying that the signature of Rufus J. French placed at the end of said paper writing as a subscribing witness thereto is the genuine signature of the said R. J. French and placed there by himself and that he has no doubts on the subject further this defendant saith not. John C. London being next sworn doth say that he was well acquainted with the handwriting of Thos. Kennon, the Testator of said will or paper writing in his lifetime having seen him write frequently and having frequently seen his writing and that he does not entertain a doubt about the signature placed at the end of said will as Testator thereof being the genuine signature of Thos. Kennon dec'd and that it was placed there by himslef and he further states that he was in like manner acquainted with Rufus J. French and his handwriting having seen him write frequently and much of his writing and that he is perfectly satisfied that the signature placed at the end of said will or paper writing perpetuating to be the signature of Rufus J. French is genuine and was placed tehre by himself and further that the defendant saith not. J. G. Watkins being lastly sworn doth say that he was well acquainted with Rufus J. French whose signature is placed after or at the end of the paper writing perpetuating to be the last will and testament of Thos. Kennon Deceased as a subscribing witness thereto and his handwriting having seen him write often times and has no doubt about the said signature being the genuine signature of Rufus J. French and further the defendant saith not. Sworn to and subscribed before me by the several defendants on this the 2nd day of Sept. A.D. 1872 Thos. A. Ragland Probate Judge