JOSEPH DENBO, SR. - WILL

I just transcribed my 4th Great Grandfather's Last Will and Testament and thought I'd share. He had many children and more property than most in the area. His son, Joseph Denbo, Jr. is my 3rd Great Grandfather. Without further ado:


JOSEPH DENBO, SR. - LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
Transcribed: October 28, 2008 by Carole V. Beringer

On the outside page is the following:I acknowledge the within to be my last will and testament Joseph Denbo

Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of:
John B.Tilman - seal
James Sloan - seal

Witness Statement:

The State of Indiana Crawford County that -
John B. Tilman (James Sloan's name is crossed out and J. Tilman's name written above) of the county and state aforesaid and of lawful age being duly sworn before the Clerk of the Probate Court of said County upon oath saith that the within instrument of writing was executed, signed, published and declared by Joseph Denbo the Testator therein named on the day of the date thereof as his last Will and Testament in his presence and in the presence of James G. Sloan the other subscribing witness to said will and said Joseph Denbo was at the time thereof of the age of Twenty One years, of sound disposing mind and memory and not under coercion or restraint as he verily believes. That he subscribed his name as witness thereto together with said Sloan in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of said James G. Sloan.
John John B. Tilman

In testimony whereof I, C. W. Kindle Clerk of said Court hereto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court at Leavenworth this 15th day of September 1851.
C.W. Kindle CKP cc

Clerks Statement:

The State of Indiana
Crawford County
I Cassimer W. Kindle, Clerk of the Probate Court of Crawford County hereby certify that the within last Will and Testament of Joseph Denbo was this day duly admitted to Probate before me. That the same was duly proven by the examination under oath of John B. Tilman one of the (page tear) xxx witnesses thereto and that a full and comxxx (page tear) record of said Will and proof by said Witness has been made in Record of Wills, No. 1, page 59,60,61.

Witness my hand and the seal of said Court at Leavenworth this 15th day of September - 1851
C.W. Kindle, ck

November 17th 1845

This last Will and Testament of Joseph Denbo, Sr. late of Crawford County Indiana saith in distribution to his children

1st to Rebeca Carroll to have fifty dollars in money and thirty dollars in property in addition to what she has all ready (already) had.

2nd to Robert Denbo to have thirty dollars in addition to what the has all ready had.

3rd Jacob Denbo to have thirty dollars in addition to what he already had.

4th Elizabeth Hall to have thirty dollars in addition to what she all ready had.

5th Harrison Denbo to have thirty dollars in addition to what he has all ready had.

6th Sintha Mcwilliams thirty dollars in addition to what she has all ready had.

7th to Joseph Denbo to have twenty five dollars in addition to what he has all ready had and his Book account beside.

8th William Denbo to have the eighty acres of land he xxxx and fifty dollars in money.

9th Harvey H. Denbo to have the landiss 63 acres and the forty inxxx by Levy Hall.

10th Woodfield Denbo to have the three billxxx (?) and a horse and saddle and bridle.

11th B. F. Denbo to have the eighty acres where the dwelling house is on and the eighty acres east of the meridian known by the Harison place, also one horse saddle and bridle.

12th F.M. Denbo to have the west half of the west quarter of Section 24 also eighty acres joining on the west in Section 23 also one horse saddle and bridle.

13th Jane Denbo to have the forty acres near Fromans Mill and fifty dollars in money he wishes Robert Denbo and William to sell the land and give Jane the proceeds thereof.

14th Jane Denbo his wife to have all the household and citchen (kitchen) furniture all the rents and profits of the place and farm, all the farming utensils, all monies on hand and owing and xxx all the property on hand to have and to hold as her own. To be no sale of property with out she thinks proper and at her death all the property and effects that is in her hands to be equally divided among her children that she had by Joseph Denbo.

MILLER FAMILY ~ Houston, Jr. and Martha

Here is a photo of the same couple from my previous post but taken many years later: Houston Ray (Jr.) and Martha Ann Miller. My cousin Bonnie posted this on our "My Family" site a few years back.
 

When I first saw the photo I was determined that it could not be Houston Jr. and his wife, that it must be Houston Sr. and his second wife Mathilda. Today I sat down and compared the two and now believe Bonnie is right, this is Houston Jr. and Martha. Amazing how a few decades can change a person!

No date on the photo, maybe someone out there can give an educated guess with these facts:  

1. Houston Ray Miller, Jr. born: October 1839 died: May 29, 1908

2. Martha Ann Gregory born: February 7, 1841 died: July 18, 1904

3. As mentioned in the previous post, they married November 3, 1861 (Houston 22 yr old, Martha 20 yr old)

I'm guessing this was taken while they were in their forties, perhaps the late 1880's? They both have dark hair, no visible greying except Houston's beard. Houston's beard really throws me, it is something men wore in the early to mid 19th Century.

My Brickwall ~ Miller's of Crawford County Indiana

Many years ago my Great Uncle Don Miller sent me a copy of this photograph along with brief family history. Over time he sent information and photos along with the "brick walls" he had hit trying to unearth our family genealogy. Thanks to Uncle Don I was hooked and have spent my spare time over the past two decades taking up the search as well as searching other family lines.

The couple in the photograph are my Great,Great Grandparents, Houston Ray Miller, Jr. and Martha Ann Gregory, this was a photograph taken on the day of their marriage at Crawford County, Indiana on November 3, 1861.

As you can imagine, Miller is not an easy family name to research. My research goes back to Houston Ray Miller, Sr. who was very active in politics in Indiana, however finding him before he came to Crawford County, Indiana has been the challenge.
Here are the clues I have regarding Houston Ray Miller, Sr. prior to his move to Indiana in the late 1830's:

• He was born in Overton County, Tennessee in 1809.
• The portion of Overton Co, Tennessee that Houston Miller, Sr. was born became Cumberland Co, Kentucky when when the two states settled the dispute regarding the Walker Line. Here is a link with an explanation of this dispute Echos from the Past by Judy Maupin, Boundary Disputes: http://www.westernkyhistory.org/trigg/maupin/boundary.html
• He married a Nancy or Cynthia (Sinthia) Cummins - she was Houston, Jr.'s mother. I have not found a marriage record in Tennessee or Kentucky. Her name was mentioned in a letter from one of Houston Sr.'s sons to Governer Wm. English.
• According to family history when he left Tennessee he traveled with several families, one with the surname DICUS
• Houston Sr. father's name may be either William, James or David and his spouse may have had the maiden name of Ray or Rae.

I'm hoping someone out there is related to a sibling of his who perhaps stayed in Tennessee, or has ANY clues - please contact me!
As I learn how to blog, I will continue to post photos and try to provide links for research.
Updated: June 2, 2012