The Skaggs-Files

Birth & death dates verified by Mt. Gilead/trickem Cem. Benton, Lowndes Co., AL. records

Named in the last will & Testament of his father
John Browning. That will being dated 1803, in Greene Co., GA., WB D, dated Oct. 7, and recorded Jan. 29, 1804.

Will of William Browning
Will Book B, pages 18 & 19
Lowndes County, AL

This record contributed by Carolyn Golowka, <cgolowka@prodigy.net>

The State of Alabama
Lowndes County

I, William Browning of the State and County aforementioned being of sound mind and memory but weak and feeble in body and health, do make publish and disclose this my last Will and Testament as follows, that is to say:

First: I direct that all my debts and personal expenses be paid as soon after my decease as possible and of the first money that shall come into the hands of my Executors herein after appointed. It is my will and desire and I direct these, my Negro men slaves named Jess, Aaron, and Henry, shall remain in the possession of my wife, Elizabeth, until my youngest daughter, Emily, shall have arrived at the age of sixteen years. The proceeds of the labor of said Negro Men Slaves, Jess, Aaron, and Henry, to be applied under the direction of my wife, Elizabeth and sons Albert & John to the support and education of my sons James, and Egbert, and my daughters Henrietta and Emily until they respectively become of age or marry. And at the time of the youngest becoming if age or marries, then it is my wish and will that said Negroes shall be equally divided or distributed between my wife Elizabeth and my children: Albert, Eliza, Julia, John, James, Egbert, Henrietta, and Emily, and I further direct that the residue o my estate both real and personal be valued and appraised by five judicious and discrete citizens for that purpose for that purpose. To ______ appoint and by them to be equally distributed and divided between my wife Elizabeth and my children: Albert, Eliza, Julia, John, James, Egbert, Henrietta, and Emily subject to the following directions, that is to say:

First that my land lying on B___ and Panther Creeks known by the name of the Randal Tra___ and also my land lying on Ash Creek be apportioned or allotted to my sons Albert, John, James, and Egbert at their ____ ________. And secondly I devise and direct that my Negro girl Hannah shall be allotted to my daughter, Julia at _______. And thirdly I direct and desire that in making said distribution that the sum of Fifteen hundred dollars be deducted from the portion going to my son-in-law George Walker in right of his wife Eliza, he having already received that amount of her legacy from me as appears from his receipt of date with this my last Will and Testament. It is furthermore my desire and direction that the division or distribution be made as a ____ with the ___________, that is to say that my wife, Elizabeth, shall receive _____ part of the personal estate as above states and also her dower __ life Estate to one third of the lands ______ to the law of the state.

It is my further wish and desire and I do direct that the tract o land on which I now reside and also the quarter section of Big Swamp known as the Spratt place shall be and remain in the possession o my wife Elizabeth for her use and benefit and for the use and benefit o the land so long as my wife shall life, and at her death to be distributed equally among my children then living. Further, my wish and will that if my executors herein after appointed should obtain from Jessee Boone a ___ for Joe Simple for the N.W. ¼ of Section No. thirty-two township N. Fifteen and Range N. Fourteen, then I desire it to be distributed in the same manner as the Randal Tract to my sons: Albert, John, James, and Egbert at its ____ ________. But, should my Executors only obtain compensation for said quarter section of land in money, it is my wish that the sum be equally distributed amongst my wife and children.

Also it is my wish and desire and I enjoin it on my Executors that whenever a patent from the general land office is issued or as soon thereafter as possible, they shall make and execute to William Hudson of Lowndes County a deed of conveyance in Joe Simple for the East half o the South West quarter of Section N. Fifteen, Township N. Fourteen in Range Thirteen at being the land on which the said William Hudson laid a float that he obtained from my Testator. And I do hereby appoint my wife Elizabeth and my sons Albert and John my Executrix and Executors to this my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I, William Browning, the Testator, have to this my Will set my hand and seal this the twelfth day of May in the year our Lord one thousand eighteen and thirty one.

William Browning (seal)

This instrument was signed, sealed, published, and declared on the day and date herein mentioned by the within named William Browning as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who have here unto subscribed our names _____ those to in the presence of the said Testator and in the presence of each other.

Isaac Smith

John T. Bickley

D. A. Steele

John Browning

State of Alabama

Lowndes County

Personally appeared in open Court, John T. Bickley, who having been duly sworn upon the Holy Gospels of God, desposith and saidth that he was present and saw William Browning, dec'd, in his lifetime sign seal and publish the within Instrument of writing as his last Will and Testament and that he the dep____ with Isaac Smith, D. A. Steele and John Browning did in the presence of each other and of the said William Browning sign and subscribe the same as witnesses thereto and that the said William Browning was at the time o his signing the same of sound disposing mind and memory.

John T. Bickley

Sworn to and Subscribed in

Court this 14th February, 1832
John Varner, Clerk, CCLC