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The Last Will & Testament
of
Henry
Johnson
October 12, 1864
Transcribed by
DeeDee DiBenedetto
Jennifer
Dyer
Martin
Gauthier
Page
1
I, Henry Johnson, of the Parish Point Coupee, State of Louisiana being of
sound mind and ordinary health but considering the uncertainty of life make
my last will and testament in manner and form as follows:
First. It is my wish and I hereby direct that the money legally made by my
beloved wife, Elizabeth R. Johnson in her lifetime amounting in all to the
sum of twenty four thousand one hundred dollars, viz: To Mrs. Rebecca Tyson
$:4000: To Mrs. Emily Hoffman $:2000, Mrs. Anna R. Thompson $:2000, To Miss
Anna & to Miss Mary A. Nevins each $:1000 of sum. To Mrs. Anna Gruss, relict
of the late John Gruss $:1000: To Maria Key, relict of the late P. B. Key
$:2000: To Mrs. Rebecca Welford of the District of Columbia $:400: To Mrs.
Elizabeth [?] daughter of Mrs. Gruss $:200: To Mrs. Anna Thompson $:1000: To
Henry J. Key son of the late P. B. Key $:200: To Henry Johnson, son of Dr.
P. R. Johnson $:200: To the Domestic and Missionary Society of the
Protestant Episcopal church of the Confederate States $:1,000: to the
African Colonization Society $:1,000: To the Right Rev? Bishop Leonidas
Polk, to be appraised by him to the use and benefit of the Children's Home
of the Episcopal Church of New Orleans, or to such his poor children
attached to Trinity Church in New Orleans as he may think proper $:1,000:,
Be paid by my executor, herein after named, as soon as practical, out of the
first moneys collected on amounts of my estate, or will as the sums due by
me at this time to; Mr. Frank B. Haynes of $:5,916, who holds notes against
me, one for $:5,000 and the other for $:450 dated April 1st 1862, payable at
Washington City one year after date with note [ . ] $:5000 to April 1863.
Mr. Haynes address Mr. Bordelon 85 North Cusby Street, Baltimore. But the
whole of the interest due on the said note of $5,000, is the 1st April, 1864
may have been paid as I forwarded to Mr. Haynes a draft about three months
ago, for $:1350 for the purpose, though I have not heard of its payment or
acceptance.
To my friend, William C. C. Claiborne of New Orleans I give and bequest
seven thousand dollars, portion of a certain note, when collected drawn by
J. V. Duralds and H. A. Capell in my favor for the sum of nineteen thousand
three hundred and thirty three dollars thirty three cents
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(19333.33) dated
on the 24th June, 1857, payable on the ? April, 1864 at the Bank of
Louisiana in New Orleans, two thousand dollars of which sum, when received,
is to be applied by him to the use and benefit of his son George W.
Claiborne, my God-son.
To my nephew Henry J. Key, son of the late P. B. Key, and to my nephew Henry
J. Hoffman, son of Dr. P. R. Hoffman, I give and bequeath to each five
thousand dollars portion of a certain promissory note, when collected, drawn
by J. V. Duralde & H. A. Capel in my favor for the sum of nineteen thousand
three hundred and thirty three dollars thirty three cents ($:19333.33),
dated on the 24th June 1857, payable at the Bank of Louisiana in New
Orleans, on the 3rd April, 1864. It is recommended that the foregoing
bequeath to Henry J. Key & to Henry J. Hoffman is to be each five thousand
dollars, as above stated.
To my nephew Joseph Johnson of the state of Mississippi, I give five
thousand dollar portion of a certain promissory note, when collected, drawn
by J. V. Duralds & H. A. Capel, in my favor for the sum of eighteen thousand
dollars, dated on the 24th June, 1857, payable at the Bank of Louisiana in
New Orleans, on 3rd April 1865 for the use and benefit of his second son
called Henry Johnson, to be applied as
may be necessary, to his education
(wishing him to receive a complete clerical education,
)
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To my nephew, S. Henry Stockett, of Mississippi, I give and bequeath nine
thousand dollars, portion of a certain promissory note, drawn by Mrs. Mary
S. Maynard, by permission of her husband J. N. Maynard, in my favor for the
sum of thirteen thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars, ($:13760) bearing
date March 18th, 1860, payable four years after date, when collected and the
residue of said note four thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars, when
collected, I give to
said S. H. Stockett,
.: Two thousand dollars for
the use of Betty Stockett, daughter of Isaac J. Stockett, and the
sum of
two thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars of which sum, for the use and
benefit of Henry J. Stockett, infant son of the late John Stockett and Henry
J. Stockett, infant son of Isaac J. Stockett, to be equally divided between
them; to be paid by my Executor herein after named, to said S. H. Stockett,
who is authorized to retain the same as long as he may think proper, by
paying to them annually interest
at the rate of six per cent per annum as
interest being accountable there for in any
to Isaac J. Stockett. It is my
wish, however, and I hereby grant an indulgence of nine years to Mrs. Mary
S. Maynard(?) for the payment of the principal of said note of $:13700, from
the time it becomes due, on the 1st March 1864, on condition that the
interest
at the rate of six per cent per annum be paid annually in
advance, to the said S. H. Stockett: And to my said nephew S. H. Stockett I
also give all my right, claim, and interest in and to a certain trust of
land of six hundred and forty acres, situate and fronting on the west side
of the River Amite, about 12 or 15 miles from its mouth, purchased by me
from John Tuley(?), in whose name it may confirmed by the Commission for the
Eastern District of Louisiana at New Orleans, to be held in trust by him for
the use and benefit of Henry J. Stockett, infant son of the late John
Stockett, and Henry J. Stockett, infant son of Isaac J. Stockett, to be
divided equally between them.
To my niece Mrs. Mary E. Johnson, daughter of my late brother William
Johnson I give and desire my negro woman Louisey about twenty eight years of
age, and her daughter Ann about three or four years of age, recommending
them to her kind attention as Louisey has been an honest faithful servant,
always obedient to her late mistress, in her life time; the furniture,
paintings, and pictures, which may be in my dwelling house, except the
Rosewood furniture in three pieces in my Bed Chambers, designed by my late
beloved wife, to her sister, Mrs. Anne K. Thompson, and except such of the
paintings, not herein otherwise disposed of; and I give to my said niece,
Mary S.(?) Johnson, six thousand dollars, a portion of certain notes, when
collected, drawn by J. V. Duralds & H. A. Capel, and by William M. Pinckard
in my favor; and I give her also my silver forks and silver spoons.
To my nephew Joseph Johnson of Mississippi, I give all my horses of every
description, and the writing desk in the drawers in which they are kept,
wishing them to be preserved, particularly
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all conveyances,
papers and letters
. and intimate friends, the most of
which are in said desk, and I give to
., my
.mass books and my gold watch
and to my nephew Joseph Johnson, and his sisters, Mary, Sara Jane, Ann &
Juliet, I give and bequest the tract of land on which I now reside,
including two lots of about two hundred and seven arpents, situate above and
adjoining the lands of Dr. Turner, making in all about eleven hundred and
twenty
.arpents, more or less, with the buildings and improvements thereon,
with all the
., not herein otherwise disposed of, being about forty four,
the mules, stock, utensils,
, to be divided between them equally: And I
also give and bequeath to my said nephew Joseph Johnson, and his four
sisters, Mary, Sara Jane, Ann & Juliet, all the property of every
description, real and personal rights and claims of
others, to which I may
be entitled, as
..in
, not herein otherwise disposed of, to be divided
between them in equal proportions, on condition that they cause all my
debts, which are very inconsiderable;
. of my deceased wife herein referred
to, as well as my own
., to be punctually paid; and on the further
condition that they shall within six years after my death, cause to be
erected a substantive Tomb of Stone to be obtained for the purpose of
suitable dimensions, on the lot of land which shall be obtained and agreed
on, for the erection of an Episcopal Church, near my residence, or rather on
the lot I may give for the purpose; and it is my wish, and I hereby direct,
that my body, after my death, be deposited in the Tomb
to be Constructed,
and that the body of my late deceased wife Elizabeth R. Johnson be removed
from the Tomb in my gardens, where it now reposes, and be deposited, also,
in the said Contemplative Tomb, by the side of mine, there to remain: And
for the erection of such a Church above referred to, I give to my nephew,
Joseph Johnson, a lot of land of one arpent in front, with the depth of five
arpents, situate on the upper boundary of my plantation, adjoining to the
lands belonging to Jackson & Hilliard (?), on which Dr. Turner has erected a
small housel; and to aid in the construction of such a church, I give to my
said nephew, Joseph Johnson, a certain tract of land
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of six hundred and forty acres, situated in the Parish of St. Landry, about
twenty five miles from the court house in Opelousas, on the west side of the
road leading from
to Alexandria, in Prairie Manor confirmed in the name of
John Chauvin but the certificate of confirmation is issued at Opelousas in
my name, on the 3d May 1811, which tract of land is situated near the
contemplated River Road from Opelousas on to Alexandria and may be worth, in
ordinary times, six dollars per acre, and on the completion of the River
Road, much more; and I give also, to Mrs. and Joseph Johnson, two thousand
dollars, portions of certain notes due me by J. V. Duralds.. & H. A. Capell
& W. M. Pinckard, when collected, to aid in the construction of such
contemplative Church which he is requested to apply accordingly.
I think it proper now to say, that I have educated and hosted Mrs. Anna K.
Lee, wife of the Rev? Henry T. Lee, from her youth up to this time of her
marriage, and that I have since contributed liberally, in money, negroes,
horses, of and to the utmost support of her and her husband; and in a Will
made some time ago, I gave her and her husband a considerable portion of my
property, and an annuity of eight hundred dollars for
.; but in consequence
of ingratitudes, and certain other reasons, not necessary to be named, a
change of my mind in this subject, and make this new Will: Still, I give to
my nephew, Joseph Johnson, eight thousand dollars, portions of certain
notes, where collected, due me by J. V. Duralds & H. A. Capell & W. M.
Pinckard, for the use and benefit of my said nice Mrs. Anna K. Lee, as
required for the husband, in his opinion, by giving small sums at a time, to
her, and not to her husband.
To my nieces, Mrs. Polly Smith and Miss Mary Brown, I give each the sums of
five hundred dollars, a portion of-a-certain note drawn by J. V. Duralds &
H. A. Capell in my favor, on the 30 June, 1857, for the sum of eighteen
thousand dollars, payable on the 30 April 1865.
To my nephew, Henry J. Key, I give the following books, viz: Human History
of England in 8 Vols: Universal History in 18 Vols: Swifty Works in 24 Vols:
Middle Ages in 4 Vols: Life & Speeches of Henry Craig in 2 Vol: Constitution
by Hiskey in 1 Vol: The Writings by Fremont in many vols: Josephus in 6
Vols: Nature & Art in 8 Vols:
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Madisons papers in 3 Vols: and Administrations of Washington & Adams by .i..y
in 2 Vols:
To my nieces, Mary E. Johnson, I give my Ecclesiastical books; and to my
nephew Joseph Johnson, I give my book cases; and other books not herein
otherwise disposed of, in trust for his son Henry Johnson.
To my nieces, Mary & Nannie Tyson, daughters of the late Dr. A. Tyson of
Baltimore, and to Louisy(?) Thompson, daughter of William E. Thompson, I
give to each, as a small token of affection, two hundred dollars; and Mrs.
Anna Key, wife of my nephew P. B. Key, I give two hundred dollars for the
of some tokens which may remind her of a sincere friend.
Lastly, I constitute and appoint my nephew Joseph Johnson of Mississippi,
Executor of this my last will and testament and direct that immediately
after my death, he shall take
.of the whole of my estate, and be
of the
same, and that he act as such as long as may be necessary.
Parish Pointe Coupee, March 26th, 1864.
H. Johnson
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