Today I share the will of Abraham Cassell, Jr., of Jessamine County – but not the Abraham Cassell of yesterday!  Honestly, when I found this will I thought it was he!  But after reading the name of his wife – Sarah – I realized this was another Abraham Cassell.  One of the witnesses for this will was Thomas Jefferson Cassell – son of the first Abraham.

With a little research I believe this may be the older Abraham Cassell’s nephew or cousin.  We know from yesterday’s post that the Abraham of the Revolutionary War did not have a son named for him.  One of the witnesses for this will was Thomas Jefferson Cassell – son of the first Abraham.

From old Bible records (Samuel H. Lewis who married Margaret Cassell, Abraham and Sarah’s daughter) I found the listing of Abraham and Sarah’s children, and births for all:

1. Abraham Cassell and Sarah Rice married December 24, 1801.
2. Abraham Cassell born September 10, 1778.
3. Sarah Rice Cassell born July 4, 1784.
4. Mary Cassell born June 6, 1803.
5. Joseph Cassell born April 16, 1805.
6. Rachel Cassell born August 11, 1807.
7. Leonard Cassell born March 17, 1810.
8. David Cassell born August 4, 1812.
9. Jacob Cassell born September 29, 1814.
10. Margaret Cassell born September 11, 1815.
11. Nathaniel Cassell born November 29, 1818.
12. Sarah Cassell born January 14, 1820.
13. Abraham Cassell born September 3, 1822.
14. Hulda Cassell born July 31, 1825.
15. Elizabeth Cassell born October 26, 1828.

Rachel, Jacob, Nathaniel and Elizabeth are not mentioned in the will, and must have died before their father.  Two granddaughters, Amanda Weagley (could this be Higbee?) and Emily Higtive (not sure about this surname – again, could it be Higbee?) are given bequests by their grandfather.  Perhaps these were Rachel’s daughters – by different fathers?  Her first husband may have passed away and she remarried.  Born in 1807, Rachel would have been 33 when her father died – old enough to have had two husbands in a time when death was ever present.

Joseph is mentioned only by ‘his three children.’ He predeceased his father as well.

Will of Abraham Cassell

Jessamine County Will Book F Pages 248-250

In the name of God, Amen.  I, Abraham Cassell, Jr., of the County of Jessamine and State of Kentucky, being sound in mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in form following and hereby revoking all others.  And after all my just debts are paid, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Cassell, the whole of the tract of land I now live on until my son Abraham Cassell becomes of age, and then he is to have fifty acres of land to him at the most westerly side of my lands.  And at the decease of my wife I give him the whole of the tract of land I now live on, provided he will pay thirty-two hundred dollars in the following manner of eight annual payments of four hundred dollars each:  the first payment to be made one year after the decease of my wife to Leonard Cassell, the second David Cassell, the third to Margaret Lewis, the fourth to Sarah Hurst, the fifth to Hulda Cassell, the sixth to my granddaughter Amanda Weagley, the seventh to my granddaughter Emily Higtive, the eighth to my son Joseph’s three children.  In addition to the above-named land I give unto my wife during her life all my stock of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep, all my household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils, wagon and buggy, together with every species of property on the place including all my slaves

provided she will give to my son Abraham Cassell, Hulda Cassell and Amanda Weagley, one horse and saddle each when they become of age or marry.  Also give to my daughter Hulda one cow and as much household furniture as I gave to my daughter Sarah Hurst when she was married.  I give and bequeath to my son David Cassell the whole of the tract of land he now lives on.  I will that my executors hereafter named shall after my decease take charge of all my cash and cash notes and keep the same at interest, and on the first day of November next pay Sarah Hurst seven hundred dollars, and pay to Amanda Weagley eight hundred dollars when she marries or becomes of age.  Also pay to my daughter Hulda Cassell thirteen hundred fifty dollars when she marries or comes of age, and if there should be a balance I will that it shall be equally divided between my three daughters, Sarah Hurst, Margaret Lewis and Hulda Cassell.  And at the decease of my wife I will that my slaves shall be equally divided in the following manner.  My boy Henry to Leonard Cassell.  Will is to David Cassell, my girl Jenny to Sarah Hurst, Nancy to Hulda Cassell, Charles to Abraham Cassell, John to Margaret Lewis.  I will that the above slaves shall be valued and made equal out of the money arising out of the sale of the balance of the property on hand which my executors shall sell to the highest bidder and after the above slaves are made equal, if there should be a balance it shall remain in my executors’ hands at interest for the support of my black woman Mariah, if so be she shall not be able to maintain herself.  I will that she shall, after the decease of my wife, she shall live about amongst my children as she pleases and they keep her in good clothes and give her a reasonable compensation for her labor and after her decease, if there should be a balance in the hands of my executors it shall be equally divided amongst all my children.  As to my late sons-in-law James Higbee and Marriah Pain, I have given them all I intend to give them.  It is my will that there should be no appraisement or sale bill after the decease of my wife.  I will that my books shall be divided amongst all my children, and my Turnpike Stock sold with the rest of the property on hand.  And lastly, I appoint my sons and son-in-law Leonard Cassell, David Cassel and Samuel H. Lewis, with my wife Sarah Cassell,

as my executors of this my last will and testament.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25^th day of March 1839.

Abraham Cassell

Test.  Thomas J. Cassell, Joseph C. Maxwell

Commonwealth of Kentucky

Jessamine County March Court 1840

I, Daniel B. Price, clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, do certify that the foregoing writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Abraham Cassell, Jr., deceased, was this day produced in open court and proven by the oaths of Thomas J. Cassell and Joseph L. Maxwell, the subscribing witnesses thereto, according to law and ordered to be recorded which is accordingly done.

Test.  Daniel B. Price, Clerk