HARRIS, WILLIAM HICKMAN (sent in by Keith Hays)

Will of William Hickman HARRIS, Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, 2801 Filed September 18th 1861, John H. Sutter,Judge of Probate Recorded: Vol 3., Page 303, Transcribed 5/6/2002 from a photocopy of the original by Keith Hays.

In the name of God Amen I William H. HARRIS of the County of Clark & State of Ohio being of full age & of sound & disposing mind & memory do hereby make & publish this my last will & testament as follows viz

Item 1st It is my will that my funeral expenses & all my just debts be fully paid by my executor's hereinafter mentioned

Item 2nd I give devise & bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth HARRIS in lieu of dower the lots with all the improvements appurtenances etc. which myself & family now occupy to wit: the lots purchased by me from Benjamin EDWARDS, A.J. PAGE, Jacob [WINGER] Edward SNOWDEN & STJOHN comprising altogether about twenty acres of land also eighty acres partof the old farm & all the timber land in Moorfield Township also our bond of one thousand dollars on S. G. SHINER due 6 years from March 6, 1861 the interest to be paid to her annually - also our thousand dollars of Bank Stock if it can be obtained if not then she to have another one thousand dollar bond or note on S. G. SHINER due in 5 years from 5th March 1861 with interest payable annually to her also all of my stock of horses cattle hogs farming implements & all household utensils & kitchen furniture which we may own at my death. Also I give to my said wife all the property herein mentioned and described to be enjoyed by her exclusively & for her full benefit during her natural life - & at the death of my wife I direct the said money used by my said wife for her livelihood so left at interest as above described together with the aforesaid eight acres of land & wood land in Moorfield Township to be sold & to be divided between my children as follows viz - B F HARRIS, Charles W HARRIS heirs, Lucretia MOODY, William H HARRIS, George W. HARRIS & Rachael J. R. SMITH share and share alike the Heirs of Charles W taking their fathers share

Item 3rd I give unto my grand daughter Mary Elizabeth HARRIS daughter of my deceased son John W. HARRIS the sum of Nine hundred dollars to be paid to her by my executors when she arrives at the age of twenty one years.

Item 4th I will & direct that all of my real & personal estate not herein specifically disposed of shall be sold by my executors at public or private sale they shall thing best at any time after the death of my said wife & the proceeds divided equally among my six children now living & the heirs of my deceased son Charles W. HARRIS who shall take the share their father would have taken if he had been alive the legatees intended to be enhanced by this provision are Henry P. HARRIS, Benjamin Franklin, Lucretia Elisabeth MOODY (formerly HARRIS) William H., George W., & the heirs of my deceased son Charles W. HARRIS who shall take their fathers share - the meaning of this is that Henry P. HARRIS is to have a share in the real estate lying near Springfield but to have no share in the land bought of CHERRY & WARDEN having had his share of the last  mentioned land divided of to him the division of the foregoing bequest shall be made as follows viz each one of my saod legatees shall be required to account for what I have them severally charged with in a small account book which being added to the proceeds of sale aforesaid the aggregate amount shall be divided among my six children & the heirs of my son Charles W. share & share alike the heirs of Charles W. taking one share & I do hereby authorize empower my executors to make execute & deliver good and lawful deed or deeds to purchasers or such other instruments of conveyance & security & acquittances as may be necessary to make effectual the disposition of my real estate herein directed to be sold - & after defraying all expenses & paying my just debts the ballance if any to be equally divided as before directed.

Item 4th* Whereas my executors are directed in this my last will to make sale of certain real estate they are hereby authorized &  empowered to make execute & deliver a deed or deeds in fee with covenant of general warrantee in case of declination resignation or death of any one of my executors the survivor or survivors are fully authorized to discharge any or all of the duties devolved upon my executors by this my last will.

Item 5th. I do hereby appoint my son Benjamin F HARRIS trustee for the children of my deceased son Charles W. HARRIS who is hereby empowered to receive from my said executors all & any share of the children of my said deceased son Charles W. HARRIS who may be in their minority at the time of my decease & hold the same till they severally become of age & the said trustee is empowered to release or acquit said executors for the same.

Item 6th I hereby appoint my wife Elizabeth HARRIS & my sons Henry P. HARRIS, Wm H HARRIS & George W. HARRIS executrix & executors of this my last will & testament hereby revoking all other wills by me made - in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 15th day of March one thousand eight hundred & sixty one

                               Signed & Acknowledged by}
                                  the said William H Harris }
Wm H HARRIS to be his last will & Testament}
                       & Signed by us as Witnesses in}
                            his presence & at his request}

J. D. SHARON
Stephen CARPENTER.