Will Of James E Bowles

Submitted by Annette Bowen

I, James E. Bowles of the County of LaFayette, and State of Mississippi, being of sound and disposing mind, do make and constitute this my last will and testament.
I desire that all my just debts shall be paid out of the first money that shall come into the hands of my executor, to be herein after appointed.
I desire that all my property shall be (blacked out) then, and my farm kept up, as it now is until the 25th day of December eighteen hundred and forty one, and to be managed and superintended by my son Oscar P. Bowles, for which I wish him to receive five hundred dollars, as a salary. It is my desire that my property, real and personal, and all other effects on the said 25th day of December eighteen hundred and forty one, shall be divided among my family to whom I bequeath it as follows: To wit, I give and bequeath to my wife Nancy Bowles for her life time, the following negroes John & Lucy and her children George, Phoebe, Jane, Elvia and Frank, Yellow Maria, and her two children Jessie and Alfred, Alfred Maria's husband, Sally, Spencer and Lucy. I also give to my wife for her life time one half of my stock and plantation utensils and all of my land lying in said County of LaFayette, except such as is hereinafter given to my two sons Oscar and Etheldred, and at her death to go to, gand(?) I hereby bequeath it to my son Bolivar Bowles with the increase forever, whom I desire to live with his mother, and enjoy with her the products of the farm and property above bequeathed to her for her life time. And I also give him, my son Bolivar, the pony generally known as his, and my OKelly colt.
I give and bequeath to my son Oscar P. Bowles the following negroes Moses, Yellow Lucy, and her children Mary, Jefferson, and a child not yet named, a boy, and Emeline, with their increase, forever, and I also give him that part of my land which is described as follows, to wit: to be bounded by a line running from my draw bars, due west, to the west line of a section of land now undivided between William Jones and myself, thence North on said line to the half mile stake, thence East to the corner post of Section 6, thence East on the North line of section 6, sufficiently far to take in all the level land on section 6, through which Mubby's trail runs, thence south to the corner of my new and old ground fence, to a post to be erected at the corner of the fence thence west through my cotton patch to the root of a tree blown up on the road, thence south to the beginning, to him and his heirs forever.
I give to my son Etheldred Bowles, the following negroes and their increase forever, towit, Tom, black Maria and her increase, Cherry (Chany?) and her children Martha and Wyatt, and one fourth of all my stock and plantation utensils, and the following piece of land forever, towit, all that front of section 6, lying East of a line running from the corner post at the corner of my new and old ground fence to the South West corner of the first claims(?) made by me on this place, at an offset.
I give to my son in law John S. Hurt Billy, Tom, black Elvia, Richard and boy Starling, and their increase forever.
I give my son in law Jackson Polk Bob, Ann, Claiborne, a boy named Stephen, and Susan, with their increase forever.
I give to my son Green G. Bowles Nancy & Isaac, Charlotte & Jim, and Fanny and Patience, with their increase forever.
I give to John, William and Susan Miller, my grandchildren, one thousand dollars each, to be paid when they shall marry or become of age, with legal interest from the 25th December 1841.
I give to my son James Bowles, Joshua, Henry, Dely, Reuben, Sam and Jack, with their increase forever, and one thousand dollars for his services in executing this my last will, hereby appointing him my executor, and request that the court shall require no security of him for his faithful execution of this will. I also desire that he, my said executor shall out of the proceeds of the crop now on hand, and other monies that may be collected, build in the yard where I now live, a comfortable & genteel dwelling house, well finished, for the use of his mother and Bolivar.
In testimony whereof, I hereby set my hand and seal this 7th day of August eighteen hundred and forty.

                                             James E. Bowles

Nov Term 1840
The last will and Testament of James E. Bowles was this day presented in open court and proved by the oaths of Paul B. Barringer and J. E. Talioferro subscribing witnesses thereto. Whereupon it is ordered that said will be recorded.

Executors Bond -- Will Annexed

Know all men by these presents -- That we, Green B. Bowls & Oscar P Bowls, Catherine Hurt & Etheldred Bowls of the county of LaFayette and state of Mississippi, are held and firmly bound unto Patrick H McCutchen Judge of the Probate Court of Lafayette county and his successors in office in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, for which payment will and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly, severally, and firmly by these presents. Witness our hands and seals, this 9th day of November one thousand eight hundred and forty.
The condition of the above obligation is such, That if the said Green B. Bowls & Oscar P Bowls administrators with the will annexed, of all the goods, chattels and credits of James E. Bowles deceased, do make a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased, which have or shall come to the hands, possession or knowledge of the said Green B. Bowls and Oscar P. Bowls or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him and the same so make do exhibit to the Probate Court of LaFayette county at such time as they shall be thereto required by the said court; and the same goods, chattels and credits, do well and truly administer according to law, and make a just and true account of their actings and doings therein when thereunto required by said court; and further do well and truly pay and deliver all the legacies contained and specified in the said will, as far as the said goods, chattels and credits will extend, according to the value thereof, and as the law shall charge them then the above obligation to be void; otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.