Augusta County Court Will Book #37 page 255
Mary G. Calhoon
May the 18th My last will and testament
I leave and bequeath my boy James Richard to my nephew James W. and [?] C.C. all my neice (children of my sister Margaret S. Calhoon) for there unceasing kind feelings and respects to me from infancy. I wish the rest of my property to managed as follows. I wish my woman Margaret and her son Douglas Poterfield Tylus Emerline and all her increase and there increase to be kept hired out as long as they live and will bring any thing unless they should choose to be sold. The first three years hier I wish to be kept as a fund by adding the interest to the principle to be used as I shall name. If any of the negroes belonging to the fund be sick or usless, they are to be attended to and the expences taken out of this fund and if super [?] ated there board to be paid should it proove[sic] not enough then let it come out of the following funds. I wish Margaret and all her increase and decendantsto be hiered out and the proceeds to be divided as follows My Brother Wm. B. Calhoon's children to draw the three sevenths to be equally divided between them Two sevenths to my sister Margaret S. Calhoon as she has always helped me to clothe myself and negroes one seventh to my sister Eliza Edmondson and one seventh to my brother James W. Calhoon. This I wish don yearly so long as the generation of the negroes last unless they wish to be sold in that case let the value received for them be divided in like proportion as above as to my beds and beding and other little things let my sisters decide that between them selves. Should my Dear Parents survive me, I wish them to have the benefit of all I have as long as they live and after there death let my will have full force. This is my sinsere[sic] desire. Should any grumble or be dissatisfied let there portion be devided among the rest.
Mary G. Calhoon (signed)
I desire this as a draft for will to be drawn by for the spelling is so bad that it would be a shame to go to court for record and some friends must be gotten to draw it off and be qualified to the correctness of the coppy.
M. G. C. (signed)
In Augusta County Court October the 24th 1859
This writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Mary G. Calhoon dec'd was presented in Court and there being no subscribing witnesses thereto Henry Eidson Peter H. Eidson and David Baylore were sworn and severally deposed that they are well acquainted with the testators hand writing and verily believed the said writing and name thereto subscribed to be wholly written by the testator own hand--whereupon it is the said writing is ordered to be recorded as the true last will and testament of the said Mary G. Calhoon dec'd. And on the motion of L. Waddell for who made oath thereto according to Law--and together with Nathaniel Massie and Robert G. Bickle his securities (who testified as to their sufficencey) entered into a bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars payable and with condition prescribed by law which bond was acknowledged in open court by the several obligors thereto and ordered to be recorded certificate is granted to L. Waddell Jr. for obtaining letters of administration with the will a[?] of the said Mary G. Calhoon de''d in due form.
J. D. Imboden Clerk