The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-04-18
SINCLAIR WILLS.
Some Specimens From West Virginia
Clerks once.

> plerk'e once.
} Weston w. Val Correspondence Commercial
Gazette.l
1 happened yesterday to stroll into the
Office of the Clerk Of the County Court OF
this (Lewis) County, and among other things
/ examined the record of wills kept there
/ found two or three ''testaments' which, ii
seems to me, will be read with interest and
append true copies of them.
THE CONTINENTAL CASHIER.
Il The first in the book is the will of Robert
Morris, of Philadelphia, one of the great
financial props of the Revolution. The ex-
/ PLANTATION of its being recorded here is that
Mr.. Morris owned or claimed large bodies of
land In the then wilds of Western Virginia,
and his heirs expected to get their title
thereto under the will. IL reads as follows:
'In the name OF God, amenl
II, Robert Morris, OF the city OF Philadelphia
formerly a merchant. etc. do now make and de-
clare the present writing To contain aud to be nv
last Will aud testament, hereby reyokilg all wills
by me made aud declared of precedent dale
Robert. 1t was my fathers and left to me at his
death; and hath been carefully kept and valued
by me ever since.
"Item-I give my gold headed cane to my son
Thomas. The head was given 10 me by the late
John Hancock, Esq, when President f Congress,
ana the cane was the gift OF James Wilson, Esq,
| whilst member of Congress.
"Item-I 1--WE to my son HeDer, my copying
press and paper which were sent to me a present
| '1tem--I give to my dsugh liter Hetty (aow Mrs
Marshall) my silver vase, or punch cup. which l
imported from London many years ago, and have
Item give to my daughter Maris now Mrs
| Nixonl my silver boiler, which also imported
from London many years Ego, and have since
purchased again.
"item-I give to my friend GOuverneur Morris
esqr, my telescope espying glass, being the same
| that bought of a French refugee from before
| Francois, the n at Trenton, aud which since
purchased again of MI. Hall. officer OF the Bank
| rupt Office.
''Item-I give and beQueath all the other prop
| erty which now possess or may hereafter acquire
whether real OF personal, or all that shail msy
belong TO me at the time OF my de7th, to my
dearly beloved vile. Mary Morris, fof ntr use alld
comfort during her life, and To be disposed of
| she pleases. ~ or before her decease. xhei. no
DOUBT, she will make such distributions Cf the
same amongst our children ss she may thea think
most proper.
| Here have express ed my regret at having
lost a very large fortuue acquired by honest in-
dustry, which had long hoped snd expected TO
ENJOY with my family duriHg my own life. aud
then ~ di-tribute it amongst those Of them that
should out live me. x has determined other
| vie, and we must submit to The Decree which 1
have done With patience and iortitude.
Lastly, do HEREBY nominate ana appoint T. g
fatd dearly beloved wife, May Morris, the stlv
| eXecutrix of this. my last will Gad testament.
made and , declared as sueh Ola this 18th dey q:
Declared and acknowledged by Rloert M.s,:s
as his last will and testament to and III our be
enee, this 10th day OF June, A. ID loO4
III KENYoS.
"GARRETr CoT1RINGFE.'
The will was admitted 10 p,obCte b.
Jacob Wampole, Deputy Register OF tie CITY
of Philadelphia, May 81, 1906, and eighI
days afCer~ard Mrs. Morris qualified as ex-
ecutrix. The "VirgiDIa lands were a
myth, and the estate never realized from
them the costs of recording the will. IL
seems to me that there never was a more
Notable Instance of the ingratitude of Re
publics than this. Posthumous history has
given Robert Morris certificate of good
character, ana windy orators praise his pat
riOtism and benevolence, but we have never
yet repaid to him or his estate any part OF
the vast sums of money which he cheer
fully placed in the Continental Treasury,
and which, together with his aid ana ad-
vice, so materially upheld Washington and
. his Armies.
THE LovELIEsT OF WOMEN"
Another paper was shown me by the Clerk
} here which is of unusual breviiy, but full
of sincere love and devotion. 1t is the will
, of Cabell Tavenner who in his day was one
of the most brilliant members tf the Vir
ginia Bar. On the 9th of November, 1912
he went into the Clerks office, took down
the will book and therein recorded in his
own hand writing his desires ss TO the dis
position of his estate. Ii was folly proven
and admitted 10 probate 1t the Janu-
airy term QS50) If the County Cour!
, of Lewis County. Ii reads thus:
Il CabelI Tavenner, make this for rny last will
ana testament:
Il. charge my real estate with all my debts.
AZ. desire and will that my wife (Lbe lovelieet
of wOmec) shall keep her household furniture
and servant Mary absolutely in fee simple az
such term shall apply o personal property, and
upon curing Der Latursl lie; remainder to nv
emilio or chidre3. ] have 40 wish that sbe shall
not marry tgain If l due tetoIe she becomes old
executIix
~. direct that my books Claw books In par
ticular) shall be sold
so much of my lands may be nece ssry 10 carry
out the requests of this. my will, sBd to give 10
my caild or children as liberal an education as
she thinks they should have.
"Thls is my will and desire. in my own hand
writing, which few can counterfeit and none need
dispute. Done in huny, but not without rehec-
Given under my hand and SEAL this 9th day
OF November, 1872,
i tsEALl sc. TAvENNER."
Upon a beautiful hillside, overlooking
the town of Weston. lie the remains Of
Cabell Tavenner. 1 visited the spot and
found a magnificent marble slab upon which
the wife, for whom he expressed 50 much
devotion. had in cribed lin Latin) the viz
tees and hopes of the departed
"sToSEwALL" JAcKsoN's HOME.
1t will be remembered that "Stonewall''
Jackson passed his youth here, and was ct
Que time Con table OK Lewis County. His
residence was at "Jeckson's Mills" few
miles from Weston. The property is still
in use. 1t vas then owned by Cummings
jackson, "Stonewalrs' uncle who almost
worshiped the embryo warrior. Cum
mings went to California in 1919 and died
there while "Stonewslr' carved his way TO
fame in his native Virginia SINE years
, ago John White, wealthy citizen here (whO
mar led an aunt OF "Stonewalfs") called
upon Hon. W. Z Arnold "a C usin Of the
Generally to write his will, and in it | find
the following reference to iEe 6afly home Of
the great Confederate:
Il also give to my said vile, Catherine White
the mills known the Jackson Mills formerly
owned by her father. Colonel Edward Jackson,
and FIVE acres Of land belonging and attached
thsleto in fee simple"
SAVE THE RNICK-KEkCKs FOR THE LAST"
| could give you columns of interesting
matter from this old will book and may
send you more hereafter, but L will con
clude now by giving You copy verbatim
of the will of Samuel Brown, who was a
large Shareholder and landed proprietor in
this County. The old gentleman could
hardly write. and spelling was one Of the
lost arts to him The will was probafed. hut
it seems TO me, a. think IL will u The lead
er, that /. ought not to have been. The will
!, only mentions frach Jn of his estste. This
is the way II reais:
. al leave the Burnugh aud the fowl leaf table