In the name of God; Amen: I, Gibson Clarke, Sr., of Claiborne County, in the State of Mississippi, being of sound mind and memory, and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die...Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament....First, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried at the descretion of those that may have it in charge at my death.....And touching such wordly Estate as it has pleased God to bless me in life....I give and demise dispose of the same in the following manner and from after the payment of all my just debts out of the proceeds of my crops and or such other property as my Executors hereinafter named shall think best that may be left at their disposal....
First, I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Susannah Piety Gibson Clarke, the Southwest Quarter of Section of land numbered Twenty One, of Township #10, Range 4 East, as per Registers Certificate, dated 26th Aug. 1818; and Negroes Phil, Buck and Jacob, exclusive of her legacy hereinafter given.
I give and bequeath to my grandson Elijah Clarke one Quarter Section of land in Sec. #20, Township #10, Range 4 East, as per Registers Certificate, dated 1st Sept. 1818, in consequence of him being a cripple in one of his hands, exclusive of his legacy hereinafter given.
I give and bequeath to my grandson Gibson Clarke Hedrick one Quarter Section of land, it being the same land that his father John Hedrick lately lived upon, exclusive of his legacy hereinafter given.
I give and bequeath to my grandchildren that is or maybe the children of my son Elijah L. Clarke, in equal shares, Negroes Christmas, and Hannah, in addition to their legacy hereinafter given.
I give and bequeath to my grandchildren, Elizabeth, Susannah, Piety, and Sarah Stiller, children of my late daughter Mary Stiller, Negroes Chana, Esther, and one half of the value of Negro Jim, the other half belongs to my son Elijah; I also give my last said grandchildren, Negroes Daniel, Rachel and Affey, and one brown mare and colt as ajacent property in addition to their legacies hereinafter given; but the value of negro Daniel Rachel and Affy is to be deducted out of their legacies in the General Demise of my Estate hereinafter directed.
I give and bequeath to my grandchildren that is or maybe the issue or children of my Daughter Nancy Hedrick, Negroes Abby and her child, Charles and the issue of Abby to be equally divided amoung them in addition to their legacies hereinafter given.
I give and bequeath to my grandson Gibson Clarke one negro boy named Stephen, my trunk of clothes in addition to his legacy hereinafter given.
I give and bequeath to my grandchildren Elizabeth Minor and Susannah Gibson Clarke children of my late son John Clarke, each one Dollar in full of their or either of their legacies or interest in anywise in my estate, eather real or personal.
Whereas I have lately made sale of all my land in the Parish of Concordia, in the State of Louisiana, but some unforeseen event make take place that may prevent the completing the contract for said land, to provide against such event of contract made for them, I instruct my Executors hereinafter named or the survivor or surivors of them to sell and convey all my land in said Parish on such terms and credit otherwise as they may judge most to the interest of my legatees; I also instruct and require my Executors to sell the plantation and tract of land I now live upon near Grindstone Ford, and all my stock of cattle, horses and hogs, on such credit or credits and at such time or times as they think most to the interest of my legatees, and the proceeds of such are to apply to the completing the payment for the land hereinbefore given, instructing the completing the payment of a one quarter Section of land that my son William has interest in, and made the first payment of And the payment of my debts in General; that One Thousand Dollars is to be reserved out of the above sales and applied to building a Mill at the shoals, on land entered by my son Elijah L. Clarke, near my son Gibson Clarkes's present residence, under the superintendence of my Executors which shall be a joint property between my son Elijah L. Clarke and my granddaughter S.P.R.G. Clarke...If it hereinafter appear that I at anytime become security for the payment of money for any of my children and such debt or debts should be levied against my Estate, I particularly instruct that such payments shall be made out of such son or daughter's childrens Legacy, as the case may be.
All the residue of my Estate, not herein specially given, I instruct my Executors of the survivor of them to have laid out into four equal tolls or shares and one half lott or share I give to my granddaughter S.P.R.G. Clark; one lott I give to the children of my son Elijah L. Clarke in equal shares; one lott or toll I give to the children of my late daughter Mary Stiller, in equal shares; one lott or toll to the children that is, or may be born to my daughter Nancy Hedrick; and the half lott I give to my son William Clarke....And the negro girl Priscella that my granddaughter Elizabeth Minor has in her posession, I instruct my Executors to get and out her in the above division of property.
Believing that the division of my property among my grandchildren in the above manor to the exclusion of my own children is done from proper motives, I therefore make them the heirs of my estate as herein provided...Lastly I constitute and Appoint my well beloved sons Gibson Clarke, Elijah L. Clarke and John Hedrick the Executors of this my last Will and Testament...And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannull all and any other former Will, Testament, Legacies and executors by me anywise before named, willed and bequeathed.
Radifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Teatament....In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, signed, sealed and pronounced and declared, this 23rd February, A.D. 1820.
his
Gibson X Clarke
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Witnesses:
John Bettis
Rueben Spear
James Perry
Dan Burnett [File for record, January 12, 1822]