In the name of God, Amen. I John B. Staples of Muhlenberg County Ky. calling to mind the uncertainty of life and desiring to dispose of the Small Estate with which I am blessed do make and ordain and publish this as my last Will and Testament.
1st I will that all my Just debts be paid.
2nd I will to my wife Nancy Staples during her natural life all my real personal & mixed estate and choses in action and at her death I will and devise it as follows.
I will my farm containing about 160 acres Jointly to my two Grand sons Marion J. Staples and Burris M. Staples.
I also will each of them a bed, bed stead and furniture and each of them a horse and all the remainder of my estate to be sold and the proceeds equally divided among all of my living children and the children of Such as may be dead, the part of my deceased child to go Jointly to his or her children.
But as I have given Marion J. and Burris M. Staples a liberal portion, they are not to have any more of my estate. But should Charles Staples the father of one of them or Amanda Staples the Mother of the other be dead at the date of my devise, then who would be otherwise coming to them shall be equally divided among their other children.
Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Joseph Ricketts Executor of this my last Will & Testament, and do declare the foregoing to be my true Last Will and Testament revoking all former wills.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my name this the 1st day of February 1869.
John B. Staples
L.R. Reno
E.W. Martin
State of Kentucky
Muhlenberg County Court Sct.
November Term 1869
The foregoing last will and testament of John B. Staples Decd. was produced to Court and proved to be the act and deed of the said John B. Staples Decd. by the oaths of L. R. Reno & E. W. Martin the two subscribing witnesses thereto and the same is ordered to be recorded.
Att. Thos. Bruce Clk.
Source: Muhlenberg County Kentucky Will Book 3, p. 243.
Contributed by Tamara Kincaide
Updated August 15, 2022