Person:Abraham Kerns (5)

Will Extract

Page 65: Will of Abraham KERNS

Written: 09-Feb-1820

My wife: Elizabeth

My son: Silas

My daughters: Huldah HILL, wife of James; Elizabeth, Christina, Mariah, and Lidda

Tal KERNS and my wife Executors

Witnesses: Joseph ? McMILLAN, Thomas BROCKMAN, and John CARTER

Probated: 01-May-1820

[Source: Adair County, Kentucky Will Book A]

Information on Abraham Karnes

F. Landis Weaver writes:

Abraham KERNS was born about 1768 in Bedford County, VA. (bought land on 23 Jul 1792 (Deed Book 9-pg.67). He died in Apr 1820 in Adair County, Kentucky. (Will Book C p.65). He was buried in (possibly) Kearnes Cemetery, West Russell County, Kentucky.

ABRAHAM KERNS bought land in Bedford County on 23 Jul 1792 (Bk9-pg.67). S ince he had to be 21 years old to own land, he must have been born befo re 23 Jul 1771. Abraham's 262-1/2 acre tract of land in Bedford County was located next to his father's, and along the southwest side of what is now Peaks Hwy. 43, from about 1 mile north of Kelso Mill up to Rt.641 ( now called Karnes Road). Abraham also bought another 90 acres from his father in 1795 (Book 10-pg.20), and then owned the land on both sides of Hwy. 43, from Rt.642 up to Rt.641.

Abraham sold his Bedford County land to his brother, John on 22 Sep 1806 (Book 12-pg.132), and evidently moved to Adair County, Kentucky. It was on 28 Dec 1806 that Michael Karnes Senior signed a Power-of-Attorney (Adair Book A-pg.459) to have Thomas Kerns divide his 645-acre tract in Adair County into three parts for his sons Abraham, Moses, and Reuben. It appears that Abraham had decided to work out some kind of "swap" with his brother John for the 1/3rd part of the land he was supposed to inherit in Kentucky. Since Abraham's name was in the Power-of-Attorney, the swap evidently had the blessing of Michael Senior. But Michael Senior didn't change his will, so John was the legal heir to 1/3rd of the 645 acres in Kentucky. It was several years later before Abraham and John worked out their land ownership problems.

Abraham married Elizabeth "Betsey" Frederick (daughter of Michael Frederick) on 3 Aug 1798. Later documents show that Elizabeth could not sign her name, but it's possible that Abraham could read and write. Abraham left a will before he died in 1820 in Adair County (Book C-pg.65). The will named their living children. They had a son named Silas, who later became a minister and started a Baptist Church in eastern Buchanan County, Missouri. They also had six daughters: Huldah Hill, Hannah Tuggle, Elizabeth Barrow, Christina Jasper, Mariah Barrow, and Lidda. When Abraham died, Silas was about 20 years old, and he was soon of legal age. Elizabeth continued to raise her younger daughters until they were married. Lidda was the youngest daughter, and her marriage record has not yet been found.