Logan County Wills – Found in Guardian Book B 1834-1856

John May – pages 24-26

I, John May, of the County of Logan and state of Kentucky, being weak in body but of sound mind and memory, knowing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, do think properly to publish and declare this my last will and testament in writing.  I give my soul to God, the disposer and giver of all goods, and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my executor.  As touching my worldly goods I give and bestow in the following manner.

Item 1:  I give and bequeath to my three sisters – Martha, Elizabeth and Sally May – after my just debts first paid, thirty acres of land on the Whippoorwill, it being the same I purchased of Abner Farthing, together with all my stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils, to them and their heirs forever, to be held mutually between them or sold and divided equally among them at their discretion.

My will and desire is, and I do further give my said three sisters, Martha, Elizabeth and Sally, the land, the plantation whereon I now live for in and during their natural lives and single or unmarried state and in the event either should marry the two single shall have it and in the event of the two marry it shall pass and go to the one single and at their deaths the last mentioned land shall pass and go as herein after directed – my will and desire is and I do further give my said three sisters, Martha, Elizabeth and Sally, my Negro boy Jack until the said boy shall arrive to the years of age of twenty-five years, or until Adomanir (?) 1849, at which time my will and desire is my executors emancipate him and he go free.

Item:  My will and desire is and I do hereby give and bequeath after the death of my sisters Martha, Elizabeth and Sally, the land and plantation whereon I now live the same I purchased of H. H. Hunter, to my brother, Coleman May, to him and his heirs forever.  I do hereby nominate and appoint my two sisters, Elizabeth May and Sally May, executors and that no security be required of them by Logan County Court as executors to this my last will and testament.  I do hereby publish and declare this writing my last will, hereby revoking all others.  In witness of the same I have subscribed my name in the presence of David Daniel Mason and James W. Mobley, this 24^th day of April 1837.      John May

Acknowledged before us – David D. Mason and J. W. Mobley

May Term 1839 – At a county court held for Logan County at the court house in Russellville on the 27^th day of May 1839, the within last will and testament of John May, deceased, was produced in open court and proven by the oaths of David D. Mason and James W. Mobley, two subscribing witnesses thereto, to be the last will and testament of said John May.  Whereupon the same, together with certificate, hath been duly admitted to record in my office.  Given under my hand the date above.  M. B. Morton, Clerk of Logan County, Kentucky.