Will of Co. Henry Clark
Transcription of the will of Col. Henry CLARK (b. 8 Oct 1732, Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NJ; d. 23 May 1823, Christian Co., KY) made directly from a photocopy of the original handwritten pages (516-517) of "Will Book C," Christian County, KY. Spelling and punctuation are as faithful to the original as I could manage, though I suspect much of the punctuation simply wasn't visible in the pale copy at my disposal; it was often difficult to distinguish between the writer's upper and lower case. (Diana Gale Matthiesen, 5 Jul 1998)
------------------------------------------------------ In the Name of God AmenI, Henry Clark of the County of Christian and State of Kentucky taking into Consideration that all men [man?] was Born once to die and knowing the uncertainty of this Mortal Life But being in my sound sense and memory and Blessed be God for the same --
1st of all I will my Soul to God that gave it to me and my Body to the dust of the Earth from whence it came to be Buryed in a Christian like manner by Executor
2ndly It is my Will that all my Just Debts if any be paid
3rdly I Will my Beloved wife Sarah Clark a negro woman Nan and at the Death of my wife to be at the disposal of my Executor I also will to my said wife a Negro Man named Ned during her Life and at her Death to belong to John P. Finley I also will to my said wife a negro Girl named Manerva during her life and at her Death to belong to my son Isaac Clark I further Will to my said wife all my household & Kitchen Furniture and Stock & perishable property of every Description and at her Death to belong to my Son Henry Clark --
4thly I will unto Hester Finley formerly Hester Clark and Daughter to my Eldest Son Benj. Clark Deceasd. One negro woman named Athy & her present increase & all her Increase forever --
5thly I Will unto John P. Finley Husband to the above named Hester Finley a Negro Boy named Ned after the Death of my wife --
6thly I Will unto my Daughter Susannah Wheeler a negro woman named Bett her Present Increase and all her Increase forever --
7thly I Will unto my Daughter Mary Ann Whiteside a Negro Woman named Lot her present Increase and all her Increase forever --
8thly I will unto my Daughter Sarah Davis a negro woman named Fame with her present Increase and her Increase forever --
9thly I Will unto my Son Isaac Clark a negro man named David and a negro woman named Agg & her present Increase and all her Increase forever but he is not to have Manerva Agg's Daughter in Possession untill after the Death of my Wife --
10thly I Will to my Daughter Mary French a negro woman named Fan with her present Increase and all her Increase forever --
11thly I will unto my Son John Clark a Negro Girl named Nance with her present Increase and all her Increase forever
12thly I Will unto my Son Henry Clark a negro man named Jerry a negro Girl named Cloe a negro Boy named Jess a Negro Girl named Nance a Negro Boy named Stewart and the present Increase of Cloe & Nance and all their Increase forever
13thly I Will to my Grand Daughter Jane Clark one Feather Bead and furniture at the Death of my Wife --
14thly And Lastly of all I do appoint my Son John Clark my whole and Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby Revoke all other Will or Wills by me heretofore made & I do declare this to be my last Will and Testament
In Testimony of which I have here unto set my hand & seal this 9th day of March 1823
and In presence of
Soloman Summers Henry Clark Seal Samuel Edgar Pinkney French Christian County Court 5th May 1823The foregoing last Will and Testament of Henry Clark Deceased was this day produced to the Court [unreadable] and proven by the several Oaths of Soloman Summers and Samuel Edgar Subscribing witnesses thereto to be the act & deed hand & Seal of the said Henry Clark Deceasd. for the purposses therein and the same was ordered to be Recorded Thereupon the same together with this Certificate are truly Recorded in sd. Office
/s/ JnoClark
Submitted By Diana Matthiesen