From: KyArchives [Archives@genrecords.org] Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 1:57 PM To: Ky-Footsteps Subject: Melton.Richard.1797.Nelson.WILL Richard Melton December 31, 1797 Nelson County KyArchives Will Source: Nelson Co., Will Book A, Pp 466, 467 Written: December 31, 1797 Recorded: May 11, 1801 In the name of God amen, this thirty first day of December one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven, I Richard Melton of the County of Nelson and State of Kentucky being of perfect mind and memory but weak in body and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that is appointed for all men once to die do _______ and ordain this my last will and testament. Principally and first of all I give and recommend by soul into the hands of God that gave all and for my body, I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting by of the general resurrection shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching worldly estate as wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I do give devise and dispose of the same in manner and form following viz. I do give to my beloved wife Petty during her natural life all my estate movable and immovable read and personal freely by her to be possessed and enjoyed. Item I give and bequeath to my two sons William Melton & John Melton five shillings apiece to be levied out of my estate to them and their heirs which is all I allow them of my estate. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Moses Melton a negro boy names Lewis to him and his heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my son Elijah Melton a negro boy named Daniel to him and his heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Davis a negro boy named Sam to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally Wilson a negro man named Frank to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Francis Davis one negro girl names Easter to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my son in law Rawleigh Chinn a feather bed and furniture when he shall demand it. Item I give and bequeath to my son in law James Davis after the death of my wife Peggy one third part of all the stock of horses cattle sheep and hogs also the tract of land whereon I live freely by him to be possessed and enjoyed forever. Item my desire is that all my daughters that shall be alive and my son Elijah Melton if alive shall equally divide the remaining part of my estate after the death of my wife Peggy to be divided by my executors without and administration thereon and lastly I do constitute and ordain my two sons Moses Melton and Elijah Melton my only and sole executors of this my last will and testament and I do utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other will legacy bequeath execution my me named willed or bequeathed _____ and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal the day and year first above written. Richard Signed sealed pronounced his X mark Also declared in presence of us Melton Bryant Young Wm Young For sundry good causes I do give and bequeath to my grandson James Moore one negro girl named Lucy freely by him to be possessed and enjoyed forever and my desire is that he let his mother Molly Moore have the use of said negro girl so long as she shall live and after her death if the said negro should have increase to be equally divided between his brothers and sisters then living. Given under my hand and seal as above. In the presence of us his Bryant Young Richard X Melton Wm Young mark In a County Court held for Nelson County on Monday the eleventh day of May 1801 the annexed last will and testament of Richard Melton dec’d was proved by the oaths of Bryant Young and William Young subscribing witnesses thereto and sworn to by Moses Mellon One of the executors therein named and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the said Moses Mellon Certificate is granted him for obtaining probat thereof in due form he having given bond with William Young and Bryant Young his Securities in the penalty of five thousand conditioned as the law directs. Teste Ben Grayson CC Submitted by: Patricia O'Connor p-oconnor@att.net This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/