South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-21
When Wagons" and Bed
steads and Chairs Were
Among the Most Priced
InheritanceS of a
Pioneer Folk.

Jonathan Carvvood was a God-fearing and whom
Il came time for him. ne believed, TO meet his
Maker he took the usual precautions TO leave the sur
wing members OF his family in position 10 carry on
the battles Of the frontier life Of his day
For Jonathan GaI7good one Of those sturdy plo-
neers who hewed IN the wilderness TO make home In
which his family and when It happened that
called to another land where they say there is
TO toll worry garnering of material wealth. the
entire population little village Of ST. Joseph gath
erec TO honor 10 his memory.
The sturdy pioneer tOled well during his sojourn In
the new from which the white man pushed away
Indian and converted the hunting grounds of the
Indian into fertile farms
There were no goth century farm implements in
those days and what the earth made to produce
for OF the early settlers was accom-
piished without the aid Of machinery Horses pulled
the plows that furrowed the land and the seed was
CAPITAL AT ST JOSEPH.
Jonathan Garwood lived 90 years ago. and at that
time South the county seat OF ST Joseph
county Instead the county capital was at St Joseph
but S. Joseph like Jonathan Garwood has long since
passed into memory. Perhaps the titled by iona
than Garwood is now part of the land now occupied
by Riverview cemetery. of the first
capital Of Joseph county is the last resting
place for many of the countys citizens.
There dusty, musty record books over
the county court house. Their pages, yellow with
nze give of the early life OF the first settlers
OF ST. Joseph county 80 years ago
These record books seldom disturbed in their
resting place in large vault in tho Office of County
Clerk Wilbur NJ. Warner. Yet the yellow pages Of
these books might prove fertile fields OF re-
search early history of the county and its in
habtants az that time.
LEAVES \ GoODLY ESTATE
Jonathan Garwood a hard working man, and
when he his earthly labors left to his
wife and children his acres. household goods,
his stock and his savings There plenty to
round, enough for requests 10 his grandchildren
we'll
In those days there were no record copying type
writer's and probably for that reason penmanshp was
lost art. So when Jonathan Garwood realized
that the time for him TO leave his loved
preaching. he made his last will and testament and
that will the sturdy pioneer is legi-
ble today It 60 years ago and easy TO read
would be had been placed upon the Of the
aged record book with typewriter.
the 18th day OF July 1880. when Jonathan
decided the disposal of his personal and
real property 10 be made after his death The capital
OF the county then St Joseph
Josephs prominent citizens OF that Gay called to
the last will and testament of iona
than GarwOod. These two prominent citizens were
John and Paul Egbert relatives of Judge Egbert,
OF another in St Joseph county that for
time rivaed the present capital OF the county The
viii also witnessed by Zachariah Grant and Louis
Edwards
FIRST WILL, FILED HERE
The Garwood will Is the first one filed for probate
In Ct Joseph county and It occupies the first and
ond pages Of the aged record book 1t filed the
same year in which the county organized. and
apparently the first OF the county circuit
court In those days there were no superior county
courts institutions being authorized by the gen
eral assembly of tho state many years later.
In transcribing the Garwood will the book
the only OF punctuation by transcriber
were paragraphs periods and capital letters
ence for the Diety shown in the heading to the
documents.
TEXT OF THE WILL.
The heading contains these words: In the Name
cd The will reads:
L Jonathan 9arwood OF the County OF ST.
Joseph State OF Indiana considering the uncer-
tainty OF his mental life and being Of sound and
perfect mind and memory make and publish this
my last viii and testament in and form
following towit
First 7 give and bequeath unto by beloved Wife
Preciili6h GarwoOd two beds two Cows and all the
chairs and third OF the money arising from the
saIe Of my real estate togather with what money
nd an to ha at hard fSnOca
also give and bequeath TO William Gar
wood the OF five dollars I do also give and
bequeath unto my daughter Ann Duckett the
@ FIVE dollars. ] do also give and bequeath my
son Joseph Garwood the big four horse Wagon.
also give and bequeath TO Samuel Car
wood the of hundred dollars and the dark
Bay year old colt j DO also give and beQueath