Person:Nathaniel Woodruff (7)

Will Transcript

Will of Nathaniel Woodruff

State of Alabama, Bibb County

In the name of God, Amen.

I, Nathaniel Woodruff of the State and County aforesaid, being in perfect mind and memory and in good health and strength of body and intending to travel and not knowing whether I may live to return and for other good causes, do make this my last will and testament and do make and ordain it to be my will and none other heretofore written.

Item 1st:

As tutchin/(touching) the property that I have been blessed with in this life, all to be valued agreeably to law, and after all my debts is discharged and expenses paid.

I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Anny, my negro man named Juley for her use and benefit during her natural life, and then for her to have the right of disposing of him as she may think proper.

And I further give her my negro woman Winney for her use and benefit during her life and at her death the remain the property of my children, the lawful heirs of my body, to be divided equal among them, as every other fact of my property that will be hearafter mentioned.

It is also my will that my wife Anny shall have one fourth part of all my stock such as cattle, horses, hogs and household furniture, and one fourth of the property of the cleared land, together with the mantion house and building, for her use and benefit.

I now give and bequeath unto my three children; Newton, Henry and Martha Ann, all the remainder of my negroes, that is Ephraim, Cuft and Caroline, together with all the balance of my estate of whatsoever it may consist to be and remain in the possession of my beloved wife Anny for the use and benefit of my above named children as long as she may think proper to be their guardian and for her and them to have the benefit of the whole jointly as one family, and when she wishes to resign this charge or any part of the same, I wish Thomas Crawford, whether then officiating as Judge or not, to act for the children's benefit in keeping their estate in service and usery; this is to hire the negroes and keep all in service jointly for their benefit until the oldest child may come of age to act for himself and then to divide by lot equally as the law directs, but I do not wish the Negroes to be sold, but to remain in the possession of my children that may then be living as the law may divide them.

But lastly and finally, if my three negroes within mentioned, that is Epriam, Cuff and Caroline, is alive when my within named children is of age to receive their dower my Will is for Newton to have Epriam and Henry, Cuff and Mary Ann, Caroline and the balance if any to be equally divided as the law may direct.

I do hereby ordain and appoint my beloved wife Anny to be the sole executriz of this my last will and testament made this 11th day of January 1830 signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of:

(Signed) Nathaniel Woodruff

Attest:

D. B. Boyd

N. L. McGuire

Probated 8 Jan. 1835

Recorded in Bibb Co., Ala.

Admr. Rec. Book D, Page 89 [1]

1.   Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14889147/person/179728518

2.   .

   2. Nathaniel Woodruff was born May 3, 1779 in North Carolina11 and died October 5, 1832 in Bibb County , AL12. He married 1st Mary McDaniel June 19, 181413. She was born September 26, 177814 and died September 6, 1827 in Centreville, Bibb County, AL15. He married 2nd Anny Crawford May 24, 1828 in Bibb County, AL16.
   
   Other events in the marriage of Nathaniel Woodruff and Anny Crawford
   Marriage : May 24, 1828 in Bibb County, AL 17
   _DSTP :
   
   Children of Nathaniel Woodruff and Mary McDaniel:
   i. 4. Newton McDaniel Woodruff was born December 2, 1816 in Spartanburg Co., S. C. and died Before 1850 in Shelby
   County, AL.
   ii. Washington H. Woodruff was born May 4, 1819 in Spartanburg Co., S. C.18 and died May 16, 1841.
   iii. 5. Martha Ann Woodruff was born March 19, 1821 in Spartanburg District, SC and died December 26, 1862 in Shelby
   County, Alabama.
   
   Notes on Nathaniel Woodruff
   After the death of Mary McDaniel, Nathaniel married Anna Crawford, a recently widowed friend of the family. They had known each other since the days of the trek from S.C. Left without a family, Anna needed the security of the marriage and Nathaniel needed a wife and stepmother for his children. They married on 5/5/1828, eight months after the death of Mary. Hannah Woodruff had assumed the role of Mother after the death of Mary, and the two boys were apparently disappointed when they had to accept Anna as their step-mother. On October 5, 1832, Nathaniel passed away after a short illness. Newton, age sixteen, and Washington, age 13, went to live with Samuel and Hannah. Martha Ann, age 11, stayed with Anna in the big house. Samuel took over the livelihood for both families. [From information provided by William S. Perry]
   
   Notes on Nathaniel Woodruff and Anny Crawford
   Marriage Information from Alabama Marriages 1800-1920 OSPage 23 Performed by Justice of the Peace Surety/Perf. Name D.R. Boyd
   
   http://www.algw.org/bibb/firstfamilies/woodruffthos.htm