Person:Andrew Cowan (14)

Will of Andrew Cowan

Will of Andrew Cowan

In the name of God, I Andrew Cowan of the State of Kentucky and County of Pulaski being very weak of body but of sound mind and understanding and calling to mind that is appointed for all men once to die have thought good to make this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former will or wills whatever made by me, hereby ratifying and confirming this only to be my last will and Testimony and first of all I recomend by soul to God who gave it and my body to the ground to be buried decently in some Christian burying ground at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but God will raise it up at the day of the general Resurection.

I appoint my son James Cowan, Samuel Hays and Charles Hays the Executors of this my will and as Touching the worldly goods herewith it has pleased God to bless me, I bequeath in the following maner, to wit.,

Item, I give and bequeath to my dear wife Anna Cowan a decent and comfortable living during her continuance here to injoy it and a good horse and saddle to be always kept for her to use.

Item, I further bequest the tract of land I now live on to my two sons, Isaac and Samuel Cowan to be divided equally in quantity and quality, and I allow all my just debts to be paid out of my personal Estate.

Item, I bequeath to my Daughter Polly Cowan a negroe girl by the name of Suse and one by the name of Nicey.

Item, I bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Cowan a negroe girl called Mary and one called Patz that is now in the posesion of John Cowan.

Item, I bequeath to my son Matthew Cowan a negroe boy called Ceasar, one called Yellow Jim and Hardin another boy and then to be made equal in value to what I give my other sons out of my property.

Item, I give to my daughter Elizabeth Cowan a grey mare that I can only ride called Bluebird.

Item, I give the colt of Bluebird and Twilight a young horse to my Daughter Polly Cowan, then if my property holds out I want the above named property to my two Daughters to be equal in value to what I give my sons.

Item I further request my Executors to make a good right and title to my son James Cowan to a tract of Land he now lives on, and also make a good and lawful title to my son Robert Cowan to the tract of land I give him known by the name of Gilmore Cowan’s old place and then the balance of my Estate to be equally divided amongst all my children, both married and unmarried.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal to be affixed at my own house March 14, 1814, In the presence of John Chesney, John Jasper & Charles Jasper.

(signed) Andrew Cowan

At a County Court held for Pulaski County at the Courthouse there of in Somerset on Monday the 23rd day of May 1814 this Will was proven to be the Last Will and Testament of Andrew Cowan, Deceased by oath of John Chesney, John Jasper and Charles Jasper the subscribing witnesses thereto and order to be recorded which is done accordingly.

Teste: Will Fox.

[Pulaski Will Book 1, Page 135].

Notes

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CUMBERLAND-RIVER/1997-10/0875986136

From: Patrick Meehan <meehan@@localaccess.com> Subject: Andrew Cowan (1755-1814) Will Date: Sat, 04 Oct 1997 17:28:56 +0000

I have a transcribed copy of the Will of ANDREW COWAN who died in Pulaski County, KY in 1814. It is possible that Andrew is the father of my 3g grandfather, JOHN W. COWAN (1783 in VA to 1860 in Pulaski Co., VA), but this remains unproved. Some researchers have made this connection, however I have, as yet, seen no evidence that they are father and son. Although the fact that John Cowan is not mentioned as a son does not prove that such a relationship does not exist (they could have been estranged, settlement could already have been made, etc.), it does indicate that some other relationship is possible -- uncle/nephew, cousins, step brothers, etc. In an effort (so far unhelpful) to clarify any relationship, I have endeavored to identify each person mentioned in this will. I offer it here in the hope that my effort will help anyone interested in COWANS or others in the Pulaski County, Kentucky area. As this is a work in progress, I hope that any errors of omissions will be reported to me.

Surnames Listed in Will or Notes: Alexander, Beattie, Buster Chesney, Cowan, Dysart, Fox, Gibson, Hays, Hobbs, Jasper, Modrel, Patterson & Prather.

Slaves’ Names: Ceasar, Hardin, Mary, Nicey, Patz, Suse & Yellow Jim.

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Endnotes 1 Andrew Cowan (1755 - 1814). He married 1st Mary Last-Name-Unknown (possibly Alexander). Andrew and Mary Cowan had seven or eight children (see note #10 below) before her death on 23 Aug 1803 in Lincoln (now Pulaski) County, Kentucky. Some of the children were apparently born in what is presently Russell County, Virginia. There is also some indication that Andrew and Mary Cowan lived for a time in what was then the “State of Franklin” and is now southwest Virginia or eastern Tennessee. Andrew Cowan and family moved to the area of Somerset, Kentucky around 1800. 2 James Cowan was born 15 Mar 1780 in Virginia. He married Elizabeth A. Hays, daughter of Charles & Martha Hays. 3Samuel Hays is currently unidentified. It is possible that Samuel Hays is the brother of the Elizabeth A. Hays who married Andrew Cowan’s son, James Cowan. 4 Charles Hays is the father of Elizabeth A. Hays, daughter-in-law of Andrew Cowan. 5Andrew Cowan’s 2nd wife, Anna (Moore) Cowan, widow of Robert Moore. Andrew married Anna Moore on 29 Dec 1807 in Lincoln (now Pulaski) County, Kentucky. 6Isaac Cowan, son of Andrew Cowan, married Elizabeth Modrel. 7Samuel Cowan, son of Andrew Cowan, married Jane Buster on 21 May 1816 in Kentucky. 8Polly “Mary Ann” Cowan (1798 - 1856), daughter of Andrew Cowan. She married Johnston Dysart (1787 - 1826), son of Col. James Dysart (1744 - 1818) and Nancy Agnes Beattie (1754 - 1833) on 13 Feb 1817 in Kentucky. At the time of Andrew Cowan’s death, the Dysarts lived in what is presently Rockcastle, Kentucky. 9Unidentified. 10Unidentified. 11Elizabeth Cowan (1795 - 1855), daughter of Andrew Cowan. She married Thomas Gibson (1788 - 1877) on 16 Feb 1815 in Pulaski County, Kentucky. Thomas Gibson was the son of John Gibson (1762 - 1829) and Phebe Hobbs (1760 - ?). 12 Unidentified. 13Unidentified. 14John Cowan is not identified by relationship, however some family researchers believe that this is John W. Cowan, and that he is the son of Andrew Cowan. Although there is circumstantial evidence that John W. Cowan is the son of Andrew Cowan, I have seen no convincing citations or documentary evidence of this relationship. It is not improbable they may be related in another fashion -- cousins, uncle/nephew, half-brother, etc. The question is: if John W. Cowan is the son of Andrew Cowan, why isn’t he mentioned in Andrew Cowan’s will by relationship as are all Andrew’s other children? John W. Cowan (1783 - 1860) married 1st Frances “Fanny” Dysart (1785 - 1831) daughter of Col. James Dysart and Nancy Agnes Beattie [see note #7 above] on 5 Dec 1808 in Lincoln (now Pulaski) County, Kentucky. John W. Cowan married second Jane Patterson (1802 -?) on19 Dec 1831 in Pulaski County, Kentucky. A different John Cowan, married to Patsy Kisee, also lived in Pulaski County during the same time period. 15Unidentified. 16 Unidentified. 17 Unidentified. 18See note #10 above. 19See note #7 above. 20See note #1 above. 21Robert Campbell Cowan (1788 - 1843) married Elinor “Nelly” Prather (1793 - 1857). 22Relationship unknown. 23The Jaspers & Chesneys were certainly friends and neighbors, but may also have been connected tot the Cowans by an as yet undetermined relationship. 24See note #24 above. 25Unidentified.