Amanuensis Monday~Will of Nancy W. Vandigriff Brock

Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.


Today’s posting is the Will of Nancy W. Vandergriff¹who married Valentine Brock on 21 July 1836 in Henry County, Georgia. 

Valentine died² on 25 April 1850. His death left Nancy with 2 young daughters to raise on her own. Having family in the area made a big difference in her life and she never re-married after the loss of her husband.

Nancy died on 25 March 1907** leaving one surviving sister³. Her oldest daughter Margaret P. Brock died in 1892. I have not found a death date for Mary Ann Brock but since she is not named in her Mother’s will it indicates that she too may have not survived.
 

 


Georgia Henry County
I, Mrs. N. W. Brock being of sound and disposing mind and memory do make this my last will and testament.
Item 1^st I give and bequeath and devise to my sister M. A. Kimbrell all my lands and house hold and kitchen furniture. To wit Forty-five (45 1/2} and 1/2 acres of land more or less known as my home place during my lifetime and Bounded on the North by lands of J.V. Goss, on the east by lands of Mrs. Dora Bostwick, on the West by lands of C.V. Williams and on the South by lands of A.D. Tingle.

Item 2^nd I have given to my nephew Jim Vandigriff to him five ($5.00) Dollars being all I expect for him to have of my estate.
Item 3^rd I hereby give this to my sister M. A. Kimbell to have & to use as ….without any process of law. This October 19, 1904
N. W. Brock
 
Signed sealed and delivered in presence this being my last will and testament in presence of us the subscribers who subscribed our names hereto in the presence of said testator and of each other, she signing in our presence and we signing in her presence.
W. W. Duffy
A. F. Moss
J. W. Middlebrooks, N. P.

Georgia Henry County
The petitioner Mrs. M. A. Kimbell shows that Mrs. N. W. Brock late of said County departed this life on the 26th day of May 1907** after having made her last will and testament wherein your petitioner is the beneficiary. Your petitioner produced said will in Court and prays that the same may be admitted to record upon the proof thereof in common form, and that letters testamentary issue to in terms of law. And your petitioner will ever pray &c. June 25, 1907 M. A. Kimbell

Henry County Ordinary July Term 1907
The foregoing petition of Ms. M. A. Kimbell beneficiary of the last will of Ms. N. W. Brock deceased having duly files said alleged Will & the same having been supported by proper proof W. W. Duffy a subscribing witness to said Will of Ms. N. W. Brock deceased as shown in affidavit of Probate attached to said will, It is ordered by the court that Will with aforesaid affidavit be admitted to record as having been satisfactorily proven in common form.
G. G. Weems, Ordny

Before me in person came W. W. Duffy as a witness to within writing purporting to be the last will of Ms. N. W. Brock who been duly ….deposes and says that he with J. W. Middlebrooks and A. F. Moss did on the 19^th day of October 1904 attest as witnesses the within writing in the presence of Ms. N. W. Brock who in their presence voluntarily signed and published the same answer last will and testament and that the said Ms. N. W. Brock at the time the signing of same was of sound and disposing mine & memory.
Sworn to & subscribed before me W. W Duffy
July 1, 1907
G. G. Weems, Ordny

Will Book “C”, page 179-180



 
_____________________________
[1] "Georgia, Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-30354-8859-66?cc=1999178&wc=M946-1Z9:n1773628724 : accessed 17 Nov 2013), Henry > Wills 1834-1917 vol A-C > image 496 of 609.
[2] 1850 U. S. Census Mortality Schedule, Henry County, Georgia, mortality schedule, Militia District 42, Henry, Georgia, Page 304, Line 1, Valentice Brock [Valentine Brock]; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2 January 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T655.
[3] Find A Grave Memorial# 31618151
**Note: Death Conflict. FindAGrave lists her death date as 25 May 1907; her sister states in the above document that Nancy died 26 May 1907.