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This is my last will and testament of John P. Finley of Christian County Kentucky written July Sixteenth one thousand eight hundred and sixty. My will is that all my past debts shall be paid.Secondly that tract of land on which I now reside deeded to me by John T. Stevenson for one hundred and fifty three acres, and two tracts deeded to by William Hudguns(?) one of three lying on the road leading to Layfayette from my dwelling containing two hundred and Thirty two or three acres The other lying in Flat Lick deeded to me by said Hudguns for twenty more acres. And also two Hundred acres togeather one was deeded to me by Richard Cunningham for one hundred ??? And the other deeded to me by George Young lying side by side, for one hundred acres all to be sold at one third in hand and the balance to be paid in one and two years Thereafter and this I desire that my Executor to use his own discretionary judgement wether to sell publicly or privately or as the case may seem best and my live stock and loose property liable to waste to be sold at one years Credits(?) as early as practable after my decease. Thirdly, I will to the bible society one hundred dollars and fifty dollars to the tract Society, and fifty dollars to the Collanisation [colonization(?)] society to remove some of the Africans to Liberia. Fourthly, My will is that my servents shall be free and go to Liberia or as many of them as are willing to gou [go] after they are hired out for the space of five years to humane men and that my executor or administrator pay back to them one fourth part of there anually hire may be hired for anually and individually and to take their recepts for the same, this I do that they may enjoy some of the good things here on earth and to learn how to economise and use their money to some advantage if they should become free and when the five years hireing shall end I wish them all of them to have all of their money put together and equally divided amongs whole of them out of money arising out of there hireing, and when divided if it does not amount to five hundred dollars, I desire my executor to make each ones part to the sum of five hundred dollars out of my money enable them to gou to Liberia and in case they are any one of them refuse to gou to Liberia Then in that Case They must not be paid back [but?] three fourths of and be hired out until they become willing to go and if they still refuse to gou then in that Case they must louse there freedom and their money too and be slaves for life, and the money arising from their hire must be added to my estate except the fourth part of there hire that must be invariably paid them anually unless either refuse to gou and in Case there should have increase among any of the Females there Children must be free. Fifthly, I write(?) one scholarship in Cumberland College and my will is that my grand son John P.(?) Finley should have the benefit, and I have one Grand Son in Texas by the - of James D. Ware I wish him also to enjoy the benefit. In Case neither of them will accept this privelage I will the same to any young man who is Candidate for the ministry in the Cumberland College and Cumberland Presbyterian in Common circumstances I own one share in the Henderson & Nashville Railroad and if there is any dividend ever accruing from the same for my Grand Children for them to have the benefit equally divided among them or the Executor sell it or what ever will be best for the Children who are of the following names, To Wit, William ? Moore, now living in Missouri I have paid him off and his receipts is filed away in my will marked no. one, Hester M. Finley I have paid her off and her receipt filed away in my will marked No. two, And Margaret S.(?) Finley I have paid her off and her recept filed away in my will marked No three, And two notes my son ous [owes?] me and for his satisfaction ammounting to twelve hundred and eighty three dollars and 22 cents marked Number fore and five. But I do not charge his Children with interest in said notes for they were truly unfortunate in his lost. The next grand children is the name Sarah Jane Finley and George C. Finley and John P. Finley and Melissa(?) G.(?) Finley & AmandaB.(?) Finley those five last named are the Childen - Milton Finley and each of them are intitled one thousand(?) and Sixty Six dollars living in Morgan County, Missouri and the balance of my Grand Children are by the name of Ware living in Texas, To Wit, Hester C. Ware and James D. Ware those two children my will is that they shall have 12 hundred dollars each and my will is that none of my Grand Children shall have these Legacies until they arrive to the age of twenty two and if any of them, should die before they arrive at twenty two that these share is to be equally divided amongst the whole of my Legatees that may be living and I believe through the blessings of God and Care and achieving and mor???try that they will get through this world with honor and the balance of my Estate that remains in his hands my will is that my Executor to deposit in some safe Bank at the rate of six percent for one year or ninety days as the Case may be for benefit of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church to have the benefit of the interest arising therefrom anually to distribute the same for the benefit of the church to ??? mankind and to push on the Gospel cause and when the twenty years expire to deliver the principle into the hands of any manskind(?) that the General Assembly may appoint active agent to receive the same and to send(?) out to there ownforeign choise or will to Missionary purposes either home or fore??? [foreign] mishionary purposes as they may choice and where they may advance best the Saviors Cases Amen
The Negros Names are as follows old Ned & Bettie and Charles fourteen or fifteen years old Solemon George Young Neg, Urel(?) Athemia and Hessy and my will is she shall be free at my death, because I think she will get along that is Hessy - If the law will not allow of her being free now I want her to be hired out for the same space of time that the others are and to receive the same that is specified above. I have paid to John C. Ferguson one hundred dollars which is to be paid to her when she starts to Liberia with interest this she is to have above the others. I also appoint as my executors James M. Weaver John C. Furguson, and James W. Coleman or any two of them.
John P. Finley
Test
Ben S. Pickard
Jeramiah Weaver
J McKnight
Commonwealth of Kentucky
County of Christian SCT
I John S. Bryan Clerk of the County Court for said County do certify that the foregoing Will of John P. Finley deceased was this day produced in open court read & proven in the manner required by law to be the act & deed & last will of said John P. Finley deceased by the several oaths of Ben S. Pickard Jeramiah Weaver & J. McKnight the subscribing witnesses to said will. & there upon the same was admitted to probate & ordered to be recorded whereupon the same together with certificate hath been duly recorded in my office. Given under my hand this
21st day of January 1861.
AW John S. Bryan cccc
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aaa0342