William McAninch's Will, Casey County, Kentucky, 1813 |
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Again, thanks to Charles Byron Bridgeforth's research, we have a copy of William |
McAninch's will, dated 15 Feb. 1813, as written in the records of Casey County, |
Kentucky. The entire document, both February and July portions, and the names of the |
witnesses, is written in the same hand, so it is reasonable to believe that it was written |
by the clerk of the court (i.e., copied from original "This writing purporting to be ..."). |
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His will: In the name of God Amen. |
I William McAninch of the County of Casey and State of Kentucky being weak in body |
but of perfect mind and memory make this my last Will and Testament. |
I.E. first & foremost I will and bequeath my soul to Almighty God that gave it[,] |
my body to the clay to be entered at the direction of my Executor. |
As for the worldly goods which it has pleased God to endow me with I will and |
bequeath in the following manner. |
First I will and bequeath to my legal and lawful wife Ladosha [sic] McAninch all |
my Estate houses[,] lands and all my moveable [sic] Estate with power to collect all |
Debts due to me and to pay all my legal Debts[,] the balance to have and to hold in |
peaceable possession[sp?] during Widowhood[.] in case of second marriage I will and |
bequeath her one third of my Estate. |
The rest of my Estate I will and bequeath to my lawful children to be equally divided |
between James, Jonathan, William, Samuel, and Jesse [sic, Jesse, not Isaac] McAninch |
on condition of their obedience and care of their Mother to have and to hold forever. |
I do hereby constitute my wife Ladisha [sic] McAninch sole Executor of this my last |
Will and Testament. I renounce all prior Wills or Deed of Gifts. |
Given under my hand and seal this 15th of February in the year 1813. |
Sealed Signed & acknowledged in the presence of William McAninch. |
James Noonel [Norrell, spelling?], Samuel McAninch, Thomas E. Jones |
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At a County Court held for Casey County on Monday the 26th day of July 1813. |
This writing purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of William McAninch Dec’d |
was produced in Court and being proved by the oaths of James Noonel [Norrell, sp?], |
Samuel McAninch and Thomas E. Jones subscribing witnesses thereto is ordered to be |
recorded. And on the motion of Ladieca [sic] McAninch the Exor [sic] therein named |
who made oath and executed bond with security as the Law directs a certificate is |
granted her for obtaining a Probate thereof as the law directs. |
Atteste Ralph Lancaster L.L.L.[?]" [is "L.L.L" a law degree?] |
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Back then, female children, if any, were often not named in a will, so it is possible that |
they had more children. Since he explicitly names these five sons, some other male |
children (if any) may have either pre-deceased him, or already been dis-inherited. |
A third possibility, an older son who already received his "inheritance" while William |
was alive, is unlikely in this case, as William renounces "all prior Wills or Deed of Gifts". |
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Of the three witnesses, nothing is known about James Noonel [Norrell, spelling?]. |
However, the "Samuel McAninch" is most likely not William's son Samuel, who was |
only 6-8 years old when his father William died. The following is the marriage record |
of my great-great-great-grand-father Samuel McAninch, of Casey County, married in |
adjacent Lincoln County, in the same year (1813): |
"Bond of Samuel McInch [sic] to marry Polly Skidmore, with Thomas E. Jones as |
surety, July 5, 1813. Consent of Joseph Skidmore for his daughter, same date, giving |
name of groom as Samuel McAninch. Witnessed Thomas E. Jones. Jones made oath |
that Polly was over 21 years of age." |
The same Samuel McAninch in both records? Is Samuel related to William? |
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McAninch Family History Newsletter, Vol. I, No. 3, August 1993 pg.4 page 1993-11 |
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[updated Sept. 2020, witness "Noonel" per Bert Austin transcription of William’s Will] |
[original contents (except as noted); change font for online presentation (May 2003)] |
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