James Lett's will 1863
James Lett's will
Posted by: James E. Lett Date: April 12, 1999

The State of Ohio :: Muskingum County
Probate Court within and for said County
APRIL 23, 1863

This day the last will and testament of James Lett, deceased late of Muskingum County Ohio was produced in writing in open court and duly proved by the oaths of William McIntire and William Sims, the two attesting and subscribing witnesses to said will, whose testimony in this behalf was reduced to writing and duly filed, and thereupon it appearing to the court from the said testimony that said will was duly executed and attested and that said testator James Lett, was, at the time of executing and signing the same of full age and sound mind and memory, and free from any restraint. It is therefore that the Court ordered that said last will and testament be, and the same is hereby admitted to probate and that the same together with the said testimony and this entry be duly recorded.

Will
In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I James Lett of Meigs Township Muskingum County, Ohio, do make and publish this my last will and testament.

Item first)
I give and devise to my beloved wife in lieu of her dower the use of the farm on which I now reside situated in Meigs Township Muskingum County Ohio, containing two hundred and ninety acres more or less until my youngest child becomes of age, then the farm to be sold and divided among my children, John Lett, Samuel Lett, Mary Linn Lett, Judson Lett, Lenora Lett, Leander Lett, and Alfred Elmer Lett, also one bay mare, one bay horse and one brown mare also six head of milch cows also all of my sheep also all of my hogs also one carriage and all of the wagons and all of the farming utensils also all of the household and kitchen furniture of every description, for the raising, educating and maintaining my said children until they become of age, and then the land and all of my personal property to be sold and distributed as aforesaid and my wife to have her thirds in money, and after the proceeds of the sale if there should be any more than one thousand dollars to each of my children now named in this will then what should be over to be equally divided between those named in the will and George Washington Lett is to have an equal share of the balance as I have gave him a farm in Michigan valued at one thousand dollars which is his share, and then my personal property which is on hand to be all sold, my funeral expenses and just debts be all fully paid from the proceeds of said property.

Item second)
I do hereby nominate and appoint John James executor of this my last will and testament, hereby authorizing and empowering him to compromise adjust release and discharge in such a manner as he may deem proper the debts due me, I do also authorize and empower him to sell the personal property not mentioned in this will and pay as aforesaid stated with the proceeds the aforesaid debts.

In testimony hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of March in the year of our Lord 1863.

Signed and acknowledged by said James Lett in our presence and signed by us in his presence.
William Sims
William McIntire

His
James X Lett (seal)
Mark