Lauderdale County, Alabama

Contributed by Sandra J. Sharp, Dec 1998,
Lauderdale County, Alabama

In the name of God, Amen, the 5th day of August in the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and forty one. I, Lewis Ezell of the County of Lauderdale and State of Alabama, being very sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God therefor, calling into mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make this my last will and Testament. That is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in a decent Christian burial, at the direction of my Executor, nothing doubting but the general resurection I shall receive the same again by the might Power of God and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. First I give
and bequeath unto my son Isaac and my two daughters Mary and Sarah, eighty acres of my land including forty acres on which my dwelling house is, and forty acres more beginning at the south east corner of the other tract and running west forty poles, thence north to the north boundary line, all and singular the appurtenances to be by them freely possessed and enjoyed, and I further give to my daughters Mary and Sarah the full possession of all my dwelling house out houses, etc. to be by them peaceably possessed as long as they may think proper and to the exclusion of all other persons whatsoever and furthermore I give to my daughters Mary and Sarah nine feather beds, bedsteads and bed furniture, one chest and bureau and one table and one clock and all the other household and kitchen furniture, and one loom and veering, also 1 cotton wheel, further I give to my daughters Mary and Sarah one cow and calf each, all my stock of hogs, my yoke of oxen, one ox cart and I further give to daughter Winney Blankenship formerly Winney Knight one dollar and to my daughter Pricilla Boyd I give one dollar and to my son David I give one dollar and to my son William I give one dollar and to my daughter Martha Cotharine I give one dollar and to my son Noah I give one dollar.
And the remaining forty acres of land together with the balance of my effects. I do hereby set apart and ordain to be sold by my Executor and the same applyed to the payment of all my debts and if that be insufficient to satisfy said debts and all the necessary expensces, then and in that case there shall be a sufficient quantity of the personal property herein bequeathed, sold to fully pay off and satisfy all, and I do hereby constitute, make and ordain Thomas K.
Young to be my sole Executor of this my last will and Testament, I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannul all and every other former Testament, Wills, legacies and bequeaths and Executors by me in anyways before named willed and bequeathed retifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.

Signed, sealed and published, pronounced and declared by the said Lewis Ezell as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribed.

Signed: Lewis Ezell
Witnessed: Jno. Smith
John Perryman
Peter Morrison

The State of Alabama
Lauderdale County
November 2nd 1841

The subscribing witnesses to the foregoing will this day personally appeared before me and being sworn to the truth to speak, duly proved and established the foregoing will on paper as the last will and testament of Lewis Ezell, dec'd. It is therefore ordered that the same be ratified.

John T. Naraway, Judge
Lauderdale County Court Alabama
Recorded 8th day of Nov 1841