I keep my genealogy information on an external hard drive. Information is divided by folders including all Kentucky counties, the states of Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, families, etc. Every month I copy to another hard drive that is kept in a fire proof safe.

The county folders are then subdivided by folders for cemeteries and other divisions. Today I have been going through folders scans, old photos, etc., and separating them into family and not family files. Since I write about so many families that are not related to me, I have to have some semblance of order. Which is good, but not always perfect.

Many of you know I have Kindle books on Amazon and I sell and CDs of various cemeteries and other information that I sell from my home. And I also research for clients. 

Anything I make from these various enterprises goes directly back into Kentucky Kindred Genealogy to buy various books about genealogy – most generally history of individual counties of Kentucky, marriage records, wills, etc., also books on Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. 

In the last few years – since we have lived in Michigan, and cannot get to a historical society or library that would have the information I need – I have purchased about 500 books. My bookshelves were in terrible need of organization – that was the last several weeks project!

After all that, I wanted to share with you a copy of the will of Henry Lyons from Marion County. He wrote his will February 4, 1860, but didn’t pass away until the end of 1864 or January 1865 – the will was probated February 8, 1865. In the will Henry lists a stepson, John Johnson, and his wife Isabella. In addition he mentions his brothers and sisters, naming my 2nd great-grandmother, Ellen Lyons Smith, as a sister. He mentions that his brothers and sisters will draw twice as much as his half brothers and sisters. This is very interesting. Gustavus Augustine Lyons is the father of Henry and Ellen. Their mother was Sarah Ann Mattingly. Evidently she passed away some years before this will and Gustavus married a second time. Since the original records at the court house in Lebanon were burned by General John Hunt Morgan in July of 1863, it might be impossible to find information about that second marriage.

Will of Henry Lyons

Marion County Will Book 1, Pages 81-82

In the name of God, amen.  I, Henry Lyons of Marion County and Commonwealth of Kentucky, being of sound mind and disposing memory, but knowing the uncertainty of this life, do make and constitute this to be my last will and testament in manner and form as follows, to wit:

My soul I bequeath to God who gave it to me and my body I bequeath to the earth from whence it came, and after my burial expenses and all other just debts are paid I will and bequeath what worldly goods God has blessed me with in manner as follows.  To John Johnson, my wife’s son, I will and bequeath a horse saddle and bridle when he arrives at the age of twenty-one years.

To my beloved wife, Isabella, I will and bequeath the whole farm on which we are now living, to her and her heirs forever, and also bequeath to her all my stock, crops, farming utensils and household and kitchen furniture, together will all debts due me she being bound to pay any just debts.  I also bequeath to her, my said wife, a Negro child named Ann for her use and benefit forever, and my Negro woman Harriet, and her oldest child, William Patrick, I bequeath to my said wife during her natural life.  After the death of my said wife, it is my will that Harriet and her son, William Patrick

shall be sold to a good master here, so that she will not get into the hands of Negro traders that will take them down south, the proceeds of said sale to be divided amongst my brothers and sisters or their heirs, so that my own brothers and sisters and my sister Ellen Smith’s children shall draw twice as much as my half brothers and sisters or their heirs.  I constitute and appoint my wife, Isabella Lyons, to be my Executrix to this my last will and testament.  In witness whereof I have this day set my hand this the 4^th day of February 1860.

Henry Lyons

Attest.  John Lancaster, Amanda Clements

State of Kentucky, Marion County

At a county Court held in and for said county at the courthouse thereof, February 6^th 1865 a paper purporting to be the last will and testament of Henry Lyons was produced to court and proven according to law by the oath of john Lancaster, attesting witness thereto and the same was ordered to be recorded.  I have entered the same and this certificate this February 8, 1865