Will of John Hardin
Washington County Will Book A, Pages 4-8
In the name of God, amen. I, John Hardin, of Nelson County and State of Virginia, being in perfect state of health and memory, blessed be God for the same.
Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, revoking all others. As for my worldly goods I bequeath in the manner following, that is to say, I devise to my beloved wife Jane three hundred acres of land, to be taken out of my preemption, including the plantation whereon I now live, binding on the northwest line and not to extend further up Pleasant Run that where the Spring Branch empties. Also, I give to my beloved wife one Negro man named Peter and one Negro woman named Camen, but not her future increase, one feather bed and furniture and her choice of all the horses I possess.
I devise to my son Martin four hundred acres of land binding on the south line and west line of my preemption, to include the salt licks and mill seat on Pleasant Run.
I devise to my son Mark five hundred acres of land to be taken out of a fifteen hundred acre survey adjoining my preemption, to be laid off at east end.
I devise to my son David five hundred acres of land adjoining my son Mark on the west, it being one third of the fifteen hundred acre survey.
I devise to my daughter Sarah three hundred acres of land to be laid off of my preemption.
I devise to my daughter
Mary two hundred and fifty acres of land, part of a five hundred acre tract joining my preemption on the east, to include all the Beach Fork that lies in that survey note.
I give to John two hundred and fifty acres of land. In consideration for the Negro George, to be laid off on the south of the above mentioned five hundred acre tract.
As my beloved wife is likely to have another son or daughter I devise to it five hundred acres of land, part of my fifteen hundred acre survey, adjoining my son David, devised land on the west.
And all other lands that I may be hereafter possessed with, I devise to the above mentioned children to be equally divided amongst them. Also, Negroes George, Bob and Bet, and the future increase of Camen to be equally divided among them in like manner, and all my horses, cattle, household furniture and other estate to be equally divided between my beloved wife above mentioned and children. Children deceased before such part of their estate herein mentioned is given into the possession it shall be divided equally among the living brothers and sisters.
Lastly I do constitute and appoint my beloved wife, Jane, Executrix, and my brothers Mark Hardin and Martin Hardin, my Executors, to this my last will and devise they will collect all debts due and pay all my lawful demands.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-second day of July anno domini, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.
John Hardin
Signed and sealed in the presence of Samuel Robertson, John Hardin, Mary Robertson
Note. The words hundred in the twenty-fourth line underlined on the other side and words – and other estate on, mentioned in third line on this side was underlined before signed.
Samuel Robertson, John Hardin, Mary Robertson
At a County Court held for Washington County the 4th day of April 1793
This will was proved by the oaths of Samuel Robertson, John Hardin and Mary Robertson, witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Jane Hardin, Mark Hardin and Martin Hardin, the Executrix and Executors mentioned, who made oath and
Acknowledged bond as the law directs, a certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Colonel John Hardin’s wife was Jane Daviess before marriage.
A shortened version of the article on John Hardin by Orval W. Baylor.
In the spring of 1792, before Kentucky became a state, Colonel John Hardin was sent by General Wilkinson to the Miami Indians in Ohio. The Indians proposed him encamping with them, with the promise of aid on the next day. While he slept that night the Indians murdered him and made off with his horse and baggage.
Some old letters preserved by the Hardin family, some of which the writer saw a few years ago, show that he reached Fort Washington (Cincinnati) April 27, 1792. On May 19th he was still at the fort and on that day ,he wrote to his family saying that he proposed to ‘set out on the ensuing Monday for the Sandusky towns, and Maj. Truman for the Miami towns, and try to form a junction at the mouth of the Miami River, where we expect to form a treaty with all the Indians we can collect at that place.’ The Colonel stated in his letter that he ‘hoped to return in two or three months, but it might be longer,’ as he would have ‘to wait the pleasure of the Indians.’ That he probably realized the danger of losing his life is evident from his letter when he says he ‘reproaches myself for having left my family, throwing myself into the hands of a cruel, savage enemy.’
So, Colonel John Hardin never got back to his home and to the new county of Washington. Word of his death reached his family off Pleasant Run several weeks afterward and his widow and six children, three sons and three daughters were greatly bereaved, the more so because his body was not to be returned to them but was to rest in strange soil many miles away.
John Hardin, 1500 acres in Jefferson County, on the waters of Pleasant Run and Cartwright Creek, adjoining his preemption. June 12, 1781.
John Hardin, 1000 acres in Jefferson County, on Pleasant Run. June 12, 1781.
John Hardin, 500 acres in Jefferson County, on Beech Fork and Pleasant Run, adjoining his preemption. William Stewart’s land. June 14, 1781.
John Hardin, 400 acres in Jefferson County, branch of the south fork of Hardin’s Creek. December 2, 1782.
John Hardin, 400 acres in Jefferson County, near Juel’s Creek, a branch of Rough Creek of Green River, adjoining William Hardin’s 1100 acre survey on the west.
John Hardin, 400 acres in Nelson County, on Lost Run and Rough Creek, 6 miles eastwardly from Hardin’s Settlement
Categories: Old Wills
