Will of Samuel Johnston
Desoto County, MS, Will Book #2, p. 280-281
Transcribed by Nancy Denty Breidenthal



Samuel Johnston's last Will which is intended to supercede all former ones. I will that my son Samuel U. Johnston shall be my Executor, and that he shall do the same without giving any security. I further desire he shall have my will recorded sixty days after my death.

Now as he has agreed to take care of me and my wife Minerva D. Johnston until we each die, which taking care of us well in sickness and in health, and bury each one of us decently at our family. And also pay the following debts, one to W.H. Dean for about Ninety five dollars, one note to Mrs. Emma Johnston for Eighty dollars, and an amount to Powell and Buchanan, and any other debt I may make for the benefit of his family or my wife and myself made in the year of 1887 or any future year for the same parties. He is to have as a consideration for the same my two mules, Jack and Tobe, now under a lien for the debts named, our large young spotted cow, now under a lien to secure W.H. Dean debt, also two heifers two years old, and our old spot cow and her calf, and our red and white pided cow and her calf, and as a further consideration for taking care of us our present lot of Pork hogs, in number six being a sow and five shoats, and our corn, wagon and farm tools, and our household and kitchen furniture not given in this will and named in it to Mrs. Laura E. Denty our daughter. And we further agree that after the death of my wife Minerva D. Johnston and myself is to have, hold and keep forever, if he has rendered the foregoing consideration, my tract of land on which I now reside and the improvements and appurtenances there to belonging which lies in Desoto County Mississippi and known in the Survey of the Chickasaw Cession as Eighty acres, off of the North and of the middle third of Section Thirty four, Township Two, Range Seven, west of the basis Meridian, said section being divided in thirds by North and South lines. I also give to my daughter Laura E. Denty two beds and and [sic] one tall and one low posted bed steads on which the beds named are now resting. These beds and bedding and bedstead are expected to remain in possession of our wife her lifetime and me my lifetime if I out live her for our use all the time. Now should my wife before named out live me I desire she should continue to live with my son before named at his expense but if he prefers and she does also, he shall pay Eighty dollars each year in quarterly payments to pay clothing and board any place she wishes to go any where else.

Now in testimony of what is before written I sign my name and seal this 31st of January 1887.

Samuel Johnston    Seal

The will of Samuel Johnston having been offered for probate before me on this 7 day of March 1887, personally appeared before me R.R. West, Clerk of the Chancery Court of Desoto County, Miss, Stephen D. Johnston, William J. Johnston, who being duly sworn state on oath that they were well acquainted with Samuel Johnston the testator in his lifetime, lived in the same neighborhood with him and they know his handwriting from seeing him write and seeing his handwriting. That they and each of them have examined the paper purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said Samuel Johnston including the signature to the same, and they state that the entire will including the signature is in the handwriting of the said Samuel Johnston, that the said Samuel Johnston was over twenty one years of age and of sound and disposing memory at the date of said Will. The said Samuel Johnston had long been a citizen and resident of said County of Desoto, State of Mississippi when he died on the 4th day of March 1887. Sworn to & Subscribed before me this 7 of March 1887.

R.R. West, Clk

Filed Mch 7, 1887

Stephen D. Johnston

Wm J. Johnston


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