Last Will and Testament of Granville Brown


I, Granville Brown, of the County of Monongalia and State of West Virginia, being of 
sound and disposing mind and memory, and realizing the uncertainty of human life, do 
hereby make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any and 
all former wills.

First, I hereby give, devise and bequeath to my daughter, Laura Bell, in addition to her 
proportionate share of my estate, as hereinafter provided, a special bequest of the sum 
of Six Hundred ($600.00) dollars, in appreciation of her long and faithful services 
rendered to me and my wife, her mother.

Second, I herey give, devise and bequeath to my son, George Melvin, in addition to 
his proportionate share of estate as hereinafter provided, a special bequest of the 
sum of Four Hundred ($400.00) Dollars.
I have heretofore made certain advancements and rendered financial assistance to 
certain of my other children, and said special bequests herein made are made for the 
purpose of effecting a just and equitable distribution of my estate, as nearly as may be.

Third, All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal and mixed, 
with certain exceptions hereinafter noted, I give, devise and bequeath, share and 
share alike, in equal proportions, to my children, to-wit: Samuel B. Brown, of 
Morgantown, West Virginia; James Edgar Brown of the City of Chicago, State of 
Illinois; Laura Bell Brown, who resides with me, Lycurgus J. Brown, of Tonopah, 
Nevada; George Melvin Brown, of Oakland, Maryland; Virgil Brown, of Catawba, Marion 
County, West Virginia; Elery C. Brown, who resides with me on the home farm; Thomas 
Granville Brown, of Saratoga, Wyoming; and to the heirs of Mary Louvenia Bent, my 
daughter, now deceased, the proportionate she would have received, if living, it being 
my intention hereby to give to Ila Hanna and Esther Bent, heirs and daughters of said 
Mary Louvenia Bent aforesaid, now deceased, the share their mother would have received 
if living; and in the event of the death of any of my said children, beneficiaries 
herein named, before said child shall receive his or her share of said estate, then the 
heirs of the body of said child shall receive that portion that my child, said 
beneficiary, would have received if living, otherwise said share is to be distributed 
pro rata among the survivors of my said children, it being my intention that said 
estate shall be distributed and that the beneficiaries herein named shall take per 
stirpes and not per capita.


Fourth: It is my will and desire that there shall be included among the estate provided 
for and distributed in the Third Paragraph of this my will the following: the home 
farm where I reside consisting of one hundred and sixty (160) acres, more or less, 
and any other real estate I may possess at the time of my decease, all live stock 
owned by me at the time of my decease I desire converted into cash and distributed 
in like manner as said real estate or the proceeds thereof as provided in said Third 
Paragraph of this my will, also one share in the Athens Building and Load Association, 
also one Liberty Bond of the denomination of One Hundred ($100.00), also all monies in 
Bank of which I die seized, except the two bequests provided for in the First and 
Second Paragraphs of this my Will., I also desire included in paragraph Three, and 
distributed in accordance with the provisions therein contained. 

Fifth: It is my will and desire that all farming and agricultural implements and 
machinery, including mowing machines, rakes, reapers, harrows, plows and articles of 
utility used in cultivating the land, also all household and kitchen furniture, 
cooking utensils, beds, and bedding, be retained and kept on the farm and in the 
house for the benefit of such heir or heirs as shall reside on and cultivated  said 
farm, otherwise said personality described in said Fifth paragraph is to be sold and 
the proceeds distributed in like manner as said live stock. 

Sixth: It is my will and desire that my beloved wife, Elizabeth Brown, be given a 
home and comfortably provided for on said farm during the term of her natural life.

Seventh: My Executors, hereinafter named are herey granted power to dispose of any and 
all real estate owned by me at the time of my decease, should they deem such sale 
advisable or necessary.

Eighth: I hereby appoint as Executors of this my Will, my two sons, Samuel B. Brown and 
Elery C. Brown and hereby direct that no bond be required of them. It is my will and 
desire that my son, James Edgar Brown, assist y said Executors with the necessary legal 
advice in the administration of my said estate and the carrying outof the provisions 
herein contained.

Granville Brown	

The foregoing will, consisting of five pages and eight numbered paragraphs was signed 
by the testator, Granville Brown, in our presence and by us as witnesses, at his 
request, in his presence and in the presence of each other, this first day of February 
in the year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-four (1924).

Witnesses:

Elijah McRa, Uffington, West Virginia
Samantha E. Kerns, Uffington, West Virginia
James Edgar Brown, 1253 Conway Bldg.,	
Chicago,  Illinois

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The foregoing Will and Testament of Granville Brown was extracted from Page 368-371, 
Genealogy of the Brown Family of Prince William County, VA, pub. 1930 by his son, 
James Edgar Brown, Attorney, Chicago, IL, and here provided by grandson Lawrence G. 
Brown, Col., USA, Retired