Some Hempstead Co. AR wills. *Extracted by "Pattie Causey" Hempstead Co. will book 1 - page 24, Johnson, John "under our hands this eleventh day of December A D 1830. John Stevenson John Watson Caless Swindle Hempstead County Arkansas Territory" set? "This day came Jeremiah Pate administrator of the estate of John Johnson deceased, and on his motion it is ordered that Hardy Hunter be appointed to appraise all the personal property belonging to the estate of John Johnson deceased that may be shewn him by the administrator. given under my hand at my office this 11th day of December 1830. Allen M. Oakley clk cty court" "Hempstead County Arkansas Territory at the clerks office of the Hempstead county court In vacation of said court 18th December AD 1830 This day came John Vaughan in his own proper person into the office aforesaid, and applied to me for letters of administration upon the estate of Elisha Bennett deceased. And it appearing to my satisfaction that the said John Vaughan is the son in law of the said Elisha Bennett deceased, and one of the heirs entitled to distribution of the estate of the said Elisha Bennett deceased, I do hereby grant unto the said John Vaughan administration of all and Singular the goods and estate of the said Elisha Bennett deceased upon his entering into bond with two or more Securities in the ? of six hundred dollars, conditioned as the law directs, and making the affidavits and taking the oaths required by law, which he ? accordingly done. Witness my hand as clerk aforesaid Allen M. Oakley clk county court" = = = Hempstead Co. will book 1 - page 25, Bennett, Elisha "Which letters of administration is in the following words and figures. Arkansas Territory Hempstead county set? clerk's office of the Hempstead county court In vacation 18th December AD 1830 The United States of America To all to whom these presents shall come; greeting. Know ye that whereas Elisha Bennett as it is said lately died intestate having whilst living and at the time of his death, goods and an estate within this Territory whereby the ordering and granting administration of all and Singular the goods and estate and also the auditing and finally discharging the account thereof, doth appertain. Whereupon I Allen M. Oakley clerk of the county court aforesaid do hereby grant unto John Vaughan ample and complete power to administer all and Singular the goods chattels rights credits, and monies and effects and estate, which were of the said Elisha Bennett deceased at the time of his death and to settle his accounts of the administration thereof according to law, the said John Vaughan having filed in my office aforesaid with two Securities residents in the county aforesaid, which was approved by me, and he having taken the oaths as required by law. In testimony whereof I Allen M. Oakley clerk of the county court have hereunto set my hand as clerk and affixed the seal of my office at Washington this 18th day of December A.D. 1830, and of the Independence of the United States the 55th year Allen M. Oakley clk county court Recorded and examined 18th December 1830 Allen M. Oakley clk cty c." *[All of the letters of administration being about the same, I won't put the whole texts on after this, but I thought I would put one on with the complete wording. Pattie] = = = Will of Daniel M. Harrison, Hempstead Co., AR Daniel M. Harrison, Book C, page 152 "State of Arkansas Hempstead County January 18th 1862 In the name of God amen. I Daniel M. Harrison being in my right mind and desieres of settling my worldly matters, it is my will and last testament that my property both real and personal be disposed of as follows: After paying all my just debts and liabilities I do give and bequeath to my brother D.Q.?A. Harrisons three children John and William and Sarah Elizabeth one hundred dollars each, and the remainder, I do will and bequeath to my loving wife, Susannah Harrison. And also it is my wish that James M. Phillips shall execute this my last will and Testament as my Executor. Daniel M. (his mark) Harrison signed and sealed in the presents of the day and date above written R.T. Phillips David F. Taylor" (probate 20 Jan 1862) = = = Will of Joshua Yarborough Joshua Yarbrough, Book C, page 87 "In the name of God Amen, I Joshua Yarbrough of the County of Hempstead and State of Arkansas, of the age of about thirty years, and being of sound mind and memory, do make publish and declare this my last will and Testament in manner following that is to say: First I give and bequeath to my Brother Charles, all my personal property and herein give and bequeath to him all of the moneys due me from my Mothers Estate, now in Denton County Alabama and also my interest in two lots of land in Georgia - and give him full powers to recover the same by law or other wise as I would have if living. The reason of my giving and bequeathing to my Brother Charles Yarbrough all my personal effects, and my share of my Mothers Estate in Alabama after my just debts is paid - is that I leave five children for him to raise, and he will need it for that purpose. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this the 7th day of July 1857. Joshua (his mark) Yarbrough The above instrument consisting of one sheet was at the date thereof signed sealed published and declared by the said Joshua Yarbrough in and for his last will and Testament in presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto Daniel A. Reider? Joseph Nichols and? witnesses residing in the county of Hempstead and state of Arkansas - (probate 25 Aug 1857) = = = Will of Matthew Fontaine Matthew Fontaine, Book C, page 320 "Matthew Fontaine's Will In the name of God, Amen. Know all men by these presents that I Matthew Fontaine of the County of Hempstead and State of arkansas, being of Sound and Disposing mind and memory, do make publish and declare this to be my last Will and testament hereby revoking all other Wills heretofore made by me. I wish and direct that after my funeral expenses is paid out of the money I may leave, and all my indebtedness to my son William and his family for their care and attention to me is fully paid to his satisfaction, I give and bequeath to my said son William all the sums of money he now owes me for his care and expenses in taking care of me up to this time. I also give and bequeath to my daughter Lucy Caldwell, my bed and bedstead, my trunk and wearing apparel. After the above bequests and expences are paid as aforesaid I give and bequeath the balance of my Estate to my heirs at law, Share and Share alike, that is to say that each of my living children William, Joseph, Benjamin, Edward and Lucy have his share and each set or family of my Grand children, have the share that would be coming to their mothers if l! iving, to be divided equally between them. And I hereby make constitute and appoint my said son William Fontaine as my agent and Executor of this my last Will and testament, and he is hereby fully authorized to Collect all money due me and receipt for the same and do all things necessary to carry out this will according to the tenor thereof. And I do not require that he give Bond or surety for the performance of the trust inposed upon him. Signed in the presence of J.W. Ellis and Will Weaver subscribing Witnesses this 30th day of September 1878. Matthew Fontaine Signed in our presence and in the presence of the testator and we subscribe our names as Witnesses at his request the 30th Sept 1878. J.W. Ellis Will Weaver" (probate 17 Feb 1880) = = = Will of Hudson, Benjamin Benjamin Hudson, Book 1, wills, page 87 (Hempstead Co., AR) "In the name of god amen I Benjamin Hudson of the county of Hempstead and Territory of Arkansas being very sick and weak in body but in my perfect mind and memory thanks be to god caling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die I do ordain this my last will and testament that is to say first of of (repeated) I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty god that givest and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my beloved wife, and as touching such worldly estate it has pleased god to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form first I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Patsy all my estate to have and enjoy the profit as long as she may live or in During her widowhood, whom I constitute make and ordain the sole executrix of this my last will and testament and singular my lands and tenements my stock goods & chattels of ev! ery kind by her freely to be possessed and enjoyed so long as she may live or in during her widowhood at the end of which time I give and bequeath to my beloved son and daughter Mahala and David my land with every advantage thereunto belonging freely to possess and their heirs forever it being the half of the south east quarter of the twenty seventh section and lying in the province? known by the name of the berdark? province? to be divided by an east and west line two lots fifty acres in the north end and thirty in the south with the thirty in the south end I give to Mahala and the fifty in the north end I give to David the rest of my property to be divided among the rest of my children that may remain to the above stated time and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former testament wills legacies bequests and executors by me before mentioned willed and bequeathed or ratified and confirmed, this and no other to be my last will and testament,! in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this twenty first day of December one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven Benjamin (his mark) Hudson (seal) signed in presence of us John Crannover? Diter Crannover " (probate 5 July 1830) = = = Will of McCullough, William - Hempstead Co., AR (mentions Polly Vaughan alias Polly Fields) William McCullough, Book B, page 15 "State of Arkansas County of Hempstead Be it remembered that Richard S. Gasney of the County and State aforesaid a witness to the noncupative will of William McCullough ? late of the County and State aforesaid, this day personally appeared before me Andrew C. Roberts Deputy? for Allen M. Oakley Clerk of the circuit court, and the officio clerk of the County Court in and for said County and State aforesaid and being duly sworn states on oath that on or about the fifteenth day of March 1838 he visited the said William McCullough as a Physician and heard him make the following declaration: To wit, That he the said William McCullough wished Mrs. Polly Vaughan, alias Mrs. Polly Fields?, to pay all his Just Debts by him then owing, and after she ? so paid his debts, his will was that she should have the remainder of all his property, and the said Richard S. Gasney further States on oath that he believed the said William M. McCullough to be at the time of making such declarations of sound and disposing mind and memory. R.S. Gosney? Sworn and Subscribed to before me this 30th March A.D. 1838 A.C. Roberts D.C. For Allen M. Oakley Clerk" = = =