An Armstrong and Mary Beattie listed in the "Founding Families of the University of Missouri". They donated $100.00 to the successful bid to have the University located at Columbia, Missouri. There were 869 donors all together in 1839.

Buchanan Co., Missouri Will Bk D:1056
Will of Armstrong Beattie
Dated 30 Aug. 1875; presented to court 29 Jul 1878
FHL mf 988974
Abstracted by D. Powell from microfilm

Will of Armstrong Beattie
The last will and testament of Armstrong Beattie of the City of St. Joseph in the State of Missouri.
I, Armstrong Beattie of sound and disposing mind do make and ordain this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills heretofore made.
1st I desire and request my executor to pay all my just debts.
2nd I give bequeath and devise to my wife Eliza J. Beattie my household and kitchen furniture, and one half of all my estate personal real and mixed, absolutely, of which I may die possessed and seized.
3rd In the event that my said wife shall depart this life before I do, I give bequeath and devise to the brother, nephews and nieces and sister of my said wife to wit: John W. Snoddy, Nancy Y. Browning, James M. Wilson, William M. Snoddy, Margaret McDonald, Sallie J. Kelly and Mary E. Snoddy one undivided third part of my estate real personal and mixed each to have an equal share, in their own right absolutely, with the exception of said John W. Snoddy who is to have a life estate in his said share, which is to be held and controlled during his lifetime by his said son William M. Snoddy, above named of Los Angeles County, Southern California, for his the said John W. Snoddy's use and benefit during his said lifetime, and which said share and interest of the said John W. Snoddy, to wit, the twenty first part of my said estate, after his death, is hereby bequeathed and devised to his children by his second wife, to wit: Josephine, Ida and Robert W. Snoddy, to be held and owned in equal shares by them.
4th I give, bequeath and devise the residue and balance of my estate of all kinds and descriptions whatever in the following manner: I give bequeath and devise to Julius A. and Francis M. Gaines the one twelfth part of said residue of my said estate to be held in trust for the sole use and benefit of their said sister Sarah A. Gaines

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during her lifetime, and the said Julius A. and Francis M. Gaines are hereby directed to invest the proceeds of said share of the said Sarah, in productive real estate, the rent of the same to be applied to the support and maintenance of the said Sarah during her lifetime, free from and exclusive of all control of the husband of the said Sarah, if she should marry, and in the event that the said Sarah A. Gaines should have issue of her body then at her death the said share and interest of the said Sarah shall go to her said issue, if alive and surviving her, but in the event that she shall die without heirs of her body, then the said interest of the said Sarah in my said estate shall be vested in and is hereby bequeathed and devised to the said Julius A and Francis M. Gaines and to their heirs forever (I hereby meaning by heirs, their direct descendants, child and children)
5th I give and bequeath to my nephew Thomas B. Weakley, the sum of ten dollars
6th I give and bequeath and devise the residue and balance of my estate subject to the preceding bequests and devises as follows: to Melinda A. Weakley my sister, to Margaret J. Smith, also a sister, to my nieces, Melinda H. Hughes, wife of Alvin Hughes, absolutely and in her own right, free from the control of her said husband, Polly F. Lawson, Elizabeth Smith, Eliza Turney, and Margaret Sawyer, to my nephews, James M. Smith, William Smith, Armstrong B. Smith, David M. Smith, Jacob M. Smith, Julius A. Gaines and Francis M. Gaines, John Anthony Middleton, and to the children of James A. Middleton, deceased (who are to have one share) to Sarah A. Arnold and Elizabeth McGruder, and to Allen H. Vories in trust for James R. Weakley for and during his lifetime, and which share of the said Weakley is hereby directed to be invested in productive real estate by said Trustee, and the reversionary right title ___ interest of the said share of the said Weakley after his death is bequeathed and devised to the child or children of said ______ (him surviving) all the persons named, or referred __________
in the item 6 are to share alike, with the ___________

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the children of James A. Middleton who are to have but one share)
7th I direct and order that all my real and personal estate, not specially bequeathed and devised , shall be sold by my executor as follows, my real estate for from one fifth to one third cash in hand the balance in payments not to exceed five years , said payments to be secured by good and sufficient security, and the personal_y as my said executor may deem best for the interest of my said estate.
8th I hereby constitute and appoint Rufus L. McDonald of the City of St. Joseph in the County of Buchanan, to be the executor of this my last will and testament.
In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name in my own handwriting this 30th of August 1875.
Armstrong Beattie

We attest the above and forgoing will by subscribing our names hereto as witnesses in the presence of Armstrong Beattie the testator on this 30th day of August 1875
Bennett Pike
Jas Hull

Proof of Will
State of Missouri, County of Buchanan. In the matter of Proving the last will and testament of Armstrong Beattie late of Buchanan County deceased, In the Probate Court of said County.
On this 29th day of July AD 1878 before me Judge of the Probate Court within and for said County, personally came Bennett Pike and James Hull who being by me duly sworn, on their oaths say that they were present and saw Armstrong Beattie sign the foregoing instrument purporting to be his last will and testament and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last will and testament and that at the time of signing and publishing the same the said Armstrong Beattie was of sound and disposing mind and that these deponents subscribed their names thereto as witnesses to the same in the presence and at the request of the testator ___________ presence of each other.
Bennett Pike
Jas Hull

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Subscribed and sworn to before me Judge of the Probate Court of Buchanan County on the 29th day of July AD 1878
Henry Tutt
Judge

Certificate of Probate
State of Missouri, County of Buchanan
In the probate Court of said County of Buchanan,
I, Henry Tutt, Judge
of the Probate Court of Buchanan County having examined the foregoing instrument purporting to be the last will of Armstrong Beattie and signed by Armstrong Beattie and having heard the testimony of Bennett Pike and James Hull, subscribing witnesses thereto in relation to the execution of the same, do declare and adjudge said instrument to be the last will and testament of the said Armstrong Beattie late of Buchanan County, deceased.
In testament whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Probate Court of Buchanan County at office in the said County this 29th day of July 1878
Henry Tutt
Judge

Executors Bond
Know all men by these presents that M Rufus McDonald as _____
________ Beattie _______ and Charles _______ as securities __
________ ________ to be held and firmly bound unto the state of
Missouri in the sum of one million of dollars for the payment of ___
_________ [rest not clear on copy]
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