Will Book F Page 223 in Adair County, Kentucky

WILL OF THOMAS B. JOHNSTON

In the name of God Amen I Thomas B. Johnston of the County of Adair and State of Kentucky being of sound mind and memory but in feeble and bad health and viewing the uncertainty of human life and not knowing at what time it may please the Almighty God to call me from time to eternity
Do hereby Ordain this to be my last will and Testament hereby revoking all other wills by me made and I do hereby dispose of what worldly goods it has pleased God to bestow upon me in manner and form hereinafter mentioned Towit
1st I bequeath my body to its Mother earth from whence it came and my Soul to God who gave it with a firm hope and reliance that he will take it in his holy keeping.
2nd After my funeral expenses are paid it is my will and desire that all of my just debts shall be paid if I should have any at the time my death but if I owe any at this time I have no recollection of them.
3rd I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Johnston all of the property she owned at the time of my marriage with her (viz) A negro-woman named Meowining and her two children Mahala & Lucretia & horse and Saddle one bed stead and furniture and all of the money she was entitled to receive as her own at the time of our marriage to be entirely
at her disposal.
4th I also will and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Johnston Five hundred dollars in Cash and bureau that I have purchased for her since our marriage.
5th I give to my Son James Lawrence Johnston the land whereon I now reside Containing four hundred and twelve acres more or less with all of it appurtenances thereunto belonging which land I purchased of Green Casey I likewise give unto him the grey horse he calls Peter Simple or his proceeds the land and horse or proceeds of the horse I give over and above the rest of his brothers & sister provided he will live with me during my natural life and take care of me if he shall fail or refuse to do so this bequest shall be null and void.
6th I also give my son James Lawrence Johnston One Negro Boy named Israel (or Pompey and it is my will and request that he have said Negro boy at four hundred dollars My children, John Waller Johnston, Agnes Carr Chapman, Elizabeth Jane Waller, William Henry Johsnton, Thomas Brainbridge Johnston, Stephen Decater Johnston, James Lawrence Johnston, Sarah Ann Waller and Dorothy Minor Johnston, I have given from time to time money & property which maybe seen in the back part of my note book the different sums and property and the valuation I have affixed to it under their respective names (Towit)
John Waller $1366.00, Agnes Carr $1183.00, Elizabeth Jane $1180.00, William Henry $1180.00, Thomas Brainbridge $1635.00, Stephen Decater $1180.00, James Lawrence $500.00, Sarah Anne $1150.00, and Dorothy Minor $100.00. It is my will and desire that after my children shall be made equal with what they have heretofore received in money and property that
all the residue of my property of every description not hereinafter mentioned be sold on such terms as a majority of them may agree upon & the proceeds of the sale together with what money and Cash notes I may have at the time of my death after first making all equal shall be equally divided amongst my surviving children or their lawful living Children should they leave any Provided that if any of my Children should die without leaving lawful Children their respective proportions to be equally divided amongst their surviving Brothers and Sister or their lawful Children should they leave any it is my will that my old Negro men Will & Daniel shall be well taken care of and provided for with food & clothing and a house to live in.
7th I give and bequeath to my Daughter Dorothy Minor Johnston a negro girl named Isabel and a negro boy named Thomas at the value of nine hundred dollars for the two.
8th I give to my son Thomas Brainbridge my watch and to my son William Henry my gold sleeve buttons & Bamboo cane to Decater my Silver table Spoons and the Sace set of Tea Spoons and shot gun to James I give my rifle gun and my silver soup ladle and the largest set of Tea spoons to John Waller I give my silver rimed spectacles as I have heretofore given him a rifle gun these last bequests I give as keepsakes Furthermore
it is my will and desire that my widowed daughter Agnes Carr Chapman shall continue to reside at her present place of abode as long as it may suit her convenience and to be treated with due respect and kindness. It is my request for my youngest daughter Dorothy Minor Johnston as long as it may suit her convenience.
Lastly I nominate and appoint my Sons Stephen D. Johnston, William H. Johnston, and James L. Johnston my testamentary Executors which I pray them to see this my last will and Testament faithfully executed without going to law or having any hard thoughts or disturbances amongst any them
as Breathen ought to so as I have tried to make all equal as near as I could expect James and he being an invalid as you all know and perhaps I have laid the greatest burden on him that I have laid on any of you that of taking care of me in my old age and I further will that my executors give no Security nor receive any compensation than their reasonable
expenses and I further will that my Executors make all settlements and reports themselves and not my Commissioners as required by law and that my property be only inventories and not appraised.
In Testimony of this being my last will & testament I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 10th day of May in the year of our Lord 1844 and 70th year of my own age.
Tho's B. Johnston

Acknowledged in presence of

Witness:
John D. Winston
Robert T. Coffey
Thomas Stotts

State of KENTUCKY
SCT.
Adair County

At a County Court began & held for the County of Adair at the Courthouse in Columbia on Monday the 6th day of June 1853.
An instrument of writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Thomas B. Johnston deceased was this day produced in open court and proven by the oath of Robert T. Coffey a subscribed witness to be the last will and testament of said Thomas B. Johnston who also proved that John D. Winston one of the subscribing witness to said will subscribed the same in his presence and that they each signed said will in the presence and it was proven by the oath of Hiram P. Turk that the signatures purporting to be Thomas Stotts as a Subscribing witness to said Will was in the handwriting of said Stotts and said will is ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Stephen D. Johnston & James L.
Johnston the Executors names in said Will upon his entering into Bond and taking the oath required by Law said S. D. & James L. Johnston having taken the oath required by Law & Executed bond conditioned as the law directs without security as directed by the Testator.

Test Sinclair Wheat C.A.C.C.

State of KENTUCKY
County of ADAIR

I, H. B. Taylor, clerk of the county court for the country and state aforesaid, do certify that the foregoing Will is a true and correct copy as will be found of record in Will Book "F" at Page No. 223 records of my office.

Witness my hand, this 5th of Oct., 1854
H. B. Taylor, Clerk
By_____________________DC

He was the son of Henry Goodloe Johnston and Agnes Carr Waller of Spotsylvania Co, Virginia.