WILL: Lewis Vallandingham, 1844, Owen Co "Last Will & Testament of Lewis Vallandingham "In the name of God, Amen. I, Lewis Vallandingham, of Owen County, Kentucky, being old and infirm in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory do make and publish this my last and will and testament in manners and form following hereby revoking all former wills by me heretofore made. 1st, I desire and will that my body be interred according to the customs of the country and that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid. 2nd, I desire my beloved wife to have a Negro woman and Negro girl of her own choice among my slaves and to have more of them if she desires; that I leave to her own choice. She is also to have as many horses, hogs, cattle, and sheep as may be necessary for her use and also such of my household furniture and kitchen furniture as may be necessary for her use during her natural life, and and I also give to her the farm on which she now lives desiring my son Edward to remain on said farm with her and see that she has every thing that she desires and continue to work on said farm as he did with me. And at my death the said Edward be at liberty to keep three Negroes such as he may choose to work on the farm and keep it up and that all the farming utensils remain there for his use until the death of my said wife at which time all of my said property to wit Negroes, stock, farming utensils to be equally divided amongst all my children according to the proportions each may have received which will hereafter be named and at the death of myself and my wife I do hereby give and bequeath to my son Edward the farm on which I now live to be his and his heirs forever. I have heretofore given all my children tracts of land except my son Edward and do now suppose that as to that matter all are now equal except said Edward and to whom by this will I have given my home farm at my wife's and my death. And also except my two sons George and Henry Bruce and to them I have made advancements over and above the other children as follows: to my son George $220. and to my son Henry Bruce $200. Now I desire that all the rest of my children be made equal with my said two sons George and Henry Bruce and that afterwards the equal division heretofore in this will spoken of shall and is to be made between all my children at the time of mine and my wife's death - I do hereby appoint my two sons Edward and James executors of this my last will and testament desiring that they will painstakingly see that its provisions is fully carried out. In witness of all which I have hereto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of September 1844. Signed Sealed in the presence of William [Teal ?] Elisha Smith N. M. [Bacon ?] his Lewis Vallandingham mark Kentucky Owen County Court Set February Term 1845 An instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Lewis Vallandingham deceased was produced in court and proven by the oaths of N M [Bacon?] and William [Teal ?] two of the witnesses Said will to be the last will and testament of said Lewis Vallandingham, and James Vallandingham and Edward G Vallandingham being executors named in said will being in court and willing to take upon themselves the burden [?] of the execution of said will probate is granted them in due form and there upon said James and Edward G took the oaths required by law and entered into bond with John Vallandingham and Erastus Bainbridge their sureties in the penalty of $ 10,000 conditional according to the law and the same is truly recorded Given under my hand the date above." Submitted by: Dick Vallandingham Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997