The 12 of November 1803.  Sir, Please to grant Cornelius C. Vanarsdall license to marry my daughter, Catherine, as I have no objection from me.  Peter Huff.  To Thomas Allin Clerk of Mercer County.  Abraham Huff, Francis Waldrin.

Cornelius C. Vanarsdall is the son of Cornelius A. Vanarsdall and Janet Baird.  He married Catherine Huff, daughter of Peter Huff and Mary Brokaw, November 12, 1803, in Mercer County.  Both families were originally from New Jersey.  Both fathers were in the Revolutionary War.

Will Book 12, Page 171-172, Mercer County

I, Cornelius C. Vanarsdall, of the County of Mercer and State of Kentucky, being at this time weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, calling to mind the mortality of all living do ordain and establish this instrument of writing as my last will and testament.

1^st.  I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it, trusting alone in my Redeemer for Salvation, and my body to be decently buried by my executors to be hereafter named.

2^nd.  It is my will that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall be paid out of debts due or sale of stock.

3^rd.  It is my will that my wife remains in the use and occupancy of my farm and house during her natural life for the purpose of raising and educating my four youngest children and also retain all my household and kitchen furniture and as much of my farming utensils as she may need to keep in cultivation my farm and as my four youngest sons come of age severally they shall each receive three hundred dollars to be paid by my executors out of the proceeds of my farm If so much

if not out of my estate.

4^th.  It is my further will that my executor shall sell all my stock of horses, cattle, hogs, sheep and other stock and personal property which may not be necessary to cultivate the farm and be necessary for food and milk for my family, to be selected at the discretion of my wife and the appraisers of my estate and out of the proceeds to pay my son, Thomas, one thousand dollars when he comes of age.

5^th.  My blacks are to remain with my wife to help cultivate my farm or she may hire out any she chooses to help raise money to pay the above legacies.

6^th.  In case any of my children should marry during the life of my wife she shall give each a bed and furniture, bureau, two cows and calves and sheep such as my other children who are married have received.

7^th.  My three oldest sons, Abraham, Peter and Simon, have each received one thousand dollars which they aided in making which together with the three hundred dollars willed to my four youngest sons has allowed them over and above the equal division provided for in the next clause of this writing.

8^th.  After the above legacies are provided for and after the decease of my wife, all my estate both real and personal, including blacks, are to be sold and equally divided between all my children, including grandchildren who are to take per stirpes their parents’ shares.  The land may be sold by my executors or the survivor or survivors of them in one or more tracts or such reasonable credit as they may choose and they or either of them are hereby authorized to convey the same in fee simple to the purchaser or purchasers as soon as paid for.

9^th.  It is my wish and intention that my unmarried children shall live on my farm in my house with their mother as they have heretofore done and the household furniture, kitchen furniture and farming utensils, horses, cattle, hogs and sheep which may be necessary to cultivate the farm and furnish food for the family to be set apart by my wife and the appraisers, shall be in her hands to provide for my young unmarried children and aid in her support and help pay the legacies to my four youngest boys.

10^th.  It is my wish that out of the proceeds of my farm, my wife and executors shall send my granddaughter, Kiturah, to school and clothe her until she is well educated, and I hereby desire that my son Abraham

shall attend to this business as her guardian.

11^th.  I hereby appoint my sons Abraham and Peter my executors of this my last will and testament.  Witness my hand and seal this 7^th day of September 1844.

Cornelius C. Vanarsdall

Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of John A. Tomlinson, Thomas Clelland, Robert B. McAfee

Mercer County, October County Court 1844

The last will and testament of C. C. Vanarsdall, deceased, was this day produced into court and proved by the oaths of Thomas Clelland and Robert B. McAfee, two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.

Attest.  Thomas Allin, C.C.