Contributed: January 1, 2007
dated 5th day January A.D. 1859
Proved 1st day of March, 1859
The State of Mississippi
Itawamba County
In the name of God, Amen,
I, John ARMSTRONG of the county & State aforesaid being desirous to
dispose of what wordly property it has pleased almighty God to
bless me
with and being in feeble health but of disposing mind and memory do
make the following bequests to be my Last Will and Testament (to-wit)
1st
I will and bequeath that all my just debts be paid out of my Estate;
2nd
I will and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Sarah ARMSTRONG, one negro
woman named Mariah and one negro boy named Nelson, two mules, Jude &
Beck, two choice cows, one choice yoke of oxen, one wagon, two carey(?)
plows, two cultivators and what other farming tools she may make choice
of, one thousand five hundred pounds of pork now salted down, three
hundred bushels of corn, twenty five bushels of wheat, four stacks of
fodder, eight choice hogs & two choice sows with their pigs, all the
household and kitchen furniture, one hundred pounds coffee, one hundred
and fifty pounds of sugar, a half barrel of molasses, also one third
part of the whole of the tract of land wherein I now live or one third
part of the proceeds thereof when sold, she giving her consent to the
sale of said sale. The above devised property to belong to my said wife
Sarah as long as she lives and at her death to be equally divided among
my heirs.
3rd
I desire that the remainder of my negroes to wit; Patsy, Sally, Mary,
Sennah, Austin, Harey, Toney, Henry, Harriet & George be valued and
equally divided between my children, Drayton B. ARMSTRONG, the children
of James M. ARMSTRONG, Sarah E. PORTER, John B. ARMSTRONG, & Robert S.
ARMSTRONG, Mary C. MERRIT and the heirs of her body and William H. H.
ARMSTRONG.
4th
I will and bequeath to my son William H. H. ARMSTRONG, one iron grey
filly aged three next July.
5th
I will and bequeath that my executors sell at public sale on twelve
months credit all of my estate, not herein named and after the payment
of my debts be equally divided between my legatees as herein before
named and I do hereby appoint James M. ARMSTRONG, Hugh S. PORTER, &
John B. ARMSTRONG, my Executors, they giving bond with approved
security to this my last will and tesetament.
Given under my hand and seal this 5th day January A.D. 1859.
John ARMSTRONG
Testifiers
Randal D. SEALES
G. D. RUSSELL
John S. RATLIFF