LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF MAJ. WILLIAM KERLEY
DATED AUGUST 28, 1827 Madison Co. KY
“In the name of God, Amen, I, William Kerley, of Madison County and State of Kentucky, being in bad health and being aware of the certainty of death do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and annulling all former Wills by me made.
In the first place I will and bequeath unto my daughter, Hannah Kerley, my Negro girl Lucy, bed and bedding well clothed, one cow and calf and my gray horse which she is now in the habit of riding and her saddle and bridle which is all to be considered extra of her equal portion of my estate which I shall hereafter will to her.
I will and bequeath unto my son, Sydney Kerley, choice of my Negro men, choice of my horses and bed and bedding well clothed, which is all to be considered extra of his equal share of my estate, which I shall hereafter will to him.
I will and bequeath unto my wife, Nancy Kerley, during her natural life the plantation with the appurtenances thereto attached on which I now reside except what is called the Pacely field which I direct shall be rented out every year by my Executors, hereafter to be named, for the benefit of my estate. I also will unto for during her life choice of my Negro men and women, one of each (after my son, Sydney, has made his choice), and all my household and kitchen furniture. It is further my will that my executors, hereafter to be named, at my death allot to my wife such a quantity of my stock of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and farming utensils as they may think she will need to carry on the farm, together with a sufficiency of provender of every kind to support her and her family until she can raise a crop.
It is my will that my son, Sydney, reside on the plantation with his mother and assist in taking care and supporting her upon such terms as they may agree upon.
It is also my will that my daughter, Hannah Kerley, reside with her mother free of expense so long as she wishes.
It is further my will and desire that at my death all my estate both real and personal, except what is heretofore bequeathed, be sold in such manner as my executors, hereafter named, may think best and the proceeds of said sale be divided among my children into nine equal shares, to wit:
To my daughter, Polly Woods, and her children one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my daughter, Fanny White, one share being one ninth part of my estate (after deducting a debt and interest of $500 and upwards due by her deceased husband, James White, to me for one half of the Martin Place on Station Camp in Estill County as will appear by the papers in the Madison Circuit Court Clerk’s office whereto my answer (?) to the Bill of said James White heirs is filed, for the correctness (?) of which I have appealed to my God.
To my son, William Kerley, one share being a ninth part of my estate.
To my daughter, Betsy Faulconer, one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my daughter, Matilda Turner, one share being a ninth part of my estate.
To my son, Sydney Kerley, one share being a ninth part of my estate.
To my daughter, Hannah Kerley, one share being a ninth part of my estate.
To my grand children, William and Nancy Kerley, children of my son, John Kerley, one share being a ninth of my estate.
To Rebecca Miller, one share being a ninth part of my estate.
It is further my will and desire that on the death of my wife, Nancy Kerley, my house, plantation and Negroes and their increase, if any, and other property that I have herein willed to her during her life and whatever she may die possessed be sold in such manner as my executors, hereafter to be appointed, may think best, and the proceeds of said sale be equally divided amongst my children and their children (into nine equal shares) as follows, to wit:
To my daughter, Polly Woods, and her children one share being a ninth part of my estate.
To my daughter, Fanny White, one share being a ninth part of my estate, deducting the balance of the debt heretofore mentioned, and due to me her deceased husband to me, if any.
To my son, William Kerley, one share being one ninth of my estate,
To my daughter, Betsy Faulconer, one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my daughter, Rebecca Miller, one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my daughter, Matilda Turner, one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my son, Sydney Kerley, one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my daughter, Hannah Kerley, one share being one ninth of my estate.
To my grand children, William and Nancy Kerley, children of my son John Kerley, one share being a ninth part of my estate.
To my grand children, William and Nancy Kerley, children of my deceased son Joseph Kerley I give one dollar to each having heretofore advanced to their father his portion of my estate.
To my son, Green Kerley, having advanced having advanced to him as much as I intend giving him for reason known to me, I will unto him one Dollar only.
It is my will and desire that my son John Kerley’s two children William {future father of Richard M. Kerley, the St. Louis Kerley patriarch} and Nancy reside with and be supported by my wife on the plantation without any expense to him so long as she feels herself able and willing to keep them or until their father can place them in a better situation, and I request that Joseph Turner be appointed and act as their Guardian to receive their portion of my estate and loan it out at interest, and out of the interest educate them and, when they arrive at twenty-one years of age or marry, pay for their portions over to them.
To my son, John Kerley, I give one dollar having willed to his two children a full portion of my estate.
I hereby ordain, constitute and appoint my friends, Thompson Burman and Joseph Turner, Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby giving and delegating to them full and complete powers to made deeds of Conveyances to any land or parcel of land that they may ordain(?) hereby directed to sell belonging to my estate as my Executors. I wish it understood that the reason I have in this will given to my son, Sydney Kerley, one Negro man, one horse and a bed and bedding, extra of one equal portion of my estate is for services he has and I expect will render me since he arrived at the age of twenty one years.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed by deal this 28th day of August in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven. (Signed) William Kerley”