Greenbrier County, West Virginia - Will of James H. Bowen, 1851 *********************************************************************** USGENWEB 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. *********************************************************************** Will of James H. Bowen I, James H. Bowen, of Greenbrier County, do make & ordain, this, my last will and testament, revoking all others heretofore made by me I first, commit my soul to God, and then request that my body be decently inturned by my executors. It is my will that my executors pay all my just debts & collect all moneys due to me and make sale of such property as may hereafter be dinoted. Second, I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Nancy Bowen, a portion of the land on which I live during her life & then to the children of my son Allen & bounded as follows, to commence at the land owned by John Waters & running with the land to the spring & down sd. spring branch to the meadow, thense down the meadow fence to the lower crop fence, thense with sd. fence to the lower bank embracing all the land on the south east side of sd. land, but it is fairly understood that sd. Allen Bowen, after the decease of Mrs. Nancy Bowen, is to have the benefit and free use in all every way of sd. land during his life. I also give to my wife Nancy, the following slaves to wit, Charles, Hannah, John and Julia, also choice of a of cows of four horses, Dragon & Dany, a yoak of red steers, ten sheep and all the hogs & a years provision out of the present crop, three beds, of her own choice, and clothing for same also four horse waggons & two sets of harnesses & sufficient amount of farming implements for farming to be selected by the appraisers, also a safe, a press, and bureau, all the carpeting, also all the dishes etc. & all the cooking vessels & one dozen chairs of her own selection, also the clock, three tables, one rocking chair & settee. My wife is to have four rooms off the south end of my house, for her own use, my son Allen, to have the balance of the house provided they can live in harmony, if not, my wife is to have all the house to herself. Thirdly I give to my daughter Jane Polloc's children the land on which she lives, containing one hundred acres, more or less, also the Clark Brown survey containing one thousand acres, also one negro boy named Lewis, with the understanding that my daughter Jane, is to have the use & benefit of sd. land & negro during her life in all & every way. Fourthly, I give to my son Allen Bowen's children, the surveys of land on which I live, the Burr farm, & all the lands down on the east side of the river, with the conditions above named & with the understanding that he support & protect my two daughters, Polly & Eliza during their lives; I also give my son Allen's children, two negroes, Jessee & William, with the understanding that Allen Bowen is to have the full use & control of all of sd. property during his life. I also give to my daughters Polly & Eliza, two negro boys, Henry & Alexander. Fifthly, I give to my daughter Nancy Osborn's children, one third of the proceeds of the sale of the S plantation, also five hundred dollars, with the understanding that their share be laid out in land for them by the executors with the understanding that the mother have the use of it during her life. Sixthly, I give to my daughter Peggy Bright's children, sixteen acres of land, with the woolen factory & all the appertenances,also sixty acres of land bought of Archibald C also four slaves, Albice & his son Washington, Peyton & Simon, with the understanding that my daughter Peggy Bright is to have the full use & benefit of all of sd. property during her life. Seventhly, I give to my daughter Sally Johnstons children, the house I let in the town of Lewisburgh & also one thousand acres of land out of the .... & Mary, with the understanding that my daughter Sally Johnston, is to have the use & benefit of all of sd. property during her life. , Eighthly, I give to my daughter Susan Brown's children, one-third of the proceeds of the sale of the S land, also three negroes, Aleesia, Jane & Franklin, with the understanding that my daughter Susan Brown, is to have the full use & benefit of all of sd. property during her life. Ninthly, I give to my daughter, Miriam Wallace, one third of the proceeds of the sale of the S farm, also one thousand acres of the choice of the also, three negroest Bedilla, Minty & Nathan, with the understanding that my daughter Miriam Wallace is to have the full use & benefit of all of sd. property during her life. I also give my daughter Nancy's children Ha & Magoss survey, on the foregoing condition. I give to my grandson John Bowen, four hundred acres of the Ludington survey, adjoining the Brown home. I also give my grandson James K. Bright one sorrell two year old colt. I also will that my Frankford colts, & all other lands not disposed of & personal property be sold, its proceeds & all bonds & accounts to be equally divided among my children. Lastly, I appoint my son Allen Bowen & Abraham Bright my executors. Given under my hand & seal this 26th day of August 1851. Witnesses: Joseph Beard Thos. M McClintic A W. Davis [Transcribed and submitted by Marilyn Merritt , November, 1998] *********************************************************************************