St. Clair County
Wills and Codicals

Will of Matthew Boswell

A Copy of Matthew Boswell’s Will
Filed June 16th, 1852.
A.G. Foster, Recorder
Fees $1.65 not paid (crossed out)
Recorded in Book A pages 187, 188 & 189

County of St. Clair S S:
The State of Missouri To all persons to whom these presents shall come Greeting
Know ye that the will and Testament of Matthew Boswell deceased hath in due form of law been exhibited proved and Recorded in the office of the clerk of the county court for St. Clair county a copy of which is hereunto annexed and in as much as it appears that Edith Boswell & Robert S. Boswell has been appointed Executors – in and by the said Last will and testament to Execute the Same and to the end that the property of the Testator may be preserved for those who shall appear to have a legal right or interest therein And that the said last will may be Executed according to the request of the Testator We do hereby authorize them the said Edith Boswell and Robert S. Boswell as such Executors – to collect and Secure all and singular the goods and chattels rights and credits which were of the said Matthew Boswell at the time of his death in whosesoever hands or possession the same may be found And to perform and fulfil all such duties as may be enjoined upon them by said will so far as there shall be property and the law charged
And in general to do and perform all other acts which now are or hereafter may be required of them by law
In testimony whereof I James W. Beck clerk of the county court in and for said county of St. Clair have hereunto signed my name and affixed the seal of said court at office this 4th day of February AD 1852.
James W. Beck Clerk

State of Missouri
County of St. Clair Ss
I James W Beck clerk of the county court within and for the County of St. Clair aforesaid Do certify that I did on this day in my office record the withing and foregoing letters Testamentary in letter book A page 172 before the delivery thereof.
Witness my hand and the seal of our said court hereto affixed Done at office In the Town of Oseola this 4th day February AD 1852
James W. Beck clerk

“I Matthew Boswell of the county of St. Clair in the State of Missouri Do make and publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say
First It is my will that my burial and funeral expenses and all my Just debts be fully paid
Second I give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Edith Boswell all the lands belonging to my home tract it being the land on which we now reside also all the Slaves and other personal property together with all my stock of horses cattle hogs Sheep. Also my wagon and all the farming tools and all others of any and every description that now belongs to me To have and to hold during her natural life or widowhood
Third I give devise and bequeath to my beloved Children Robert S. Boswell, James F. Boswell, Elizabeth F. Boswell and Minerva A. Boswell all my lands lying and being in the county of Hickory in the state of Missouri to be equally divided between the above named children to be received at valuation there is a forty acre lot of Land included in the last named Lands Entered in Robert S. Boswells name which the said Robert S. Boswell is to account for in Settlement
Fourth after the death of my beloved wife Edith Boswell it is my will that all the property both real and personal together with all the articles named in the Second Section be equally divided between Robert S. Boswell, James F. Boswell, Elizabeth F. Boswell and Minerva A. Boswell & lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my said wife Edith Boswell and my son Robert S. Boswell to be my Executors to this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me made and ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 13th day of September AD 1847
Matthew Boswell
Signed published and declared by the above named Matthew Boswell as and for his last will and testament in presence of us who at his request have signed as Witnesses to the same
Test
Edm’d Nance
John E. Eades

State of Missouri
County of St. Clair Ss
Before the clerk of the county court of St. Clair county in vacation February 3rd 1852
Be it remembered that Edmund Nance and John E. Eades the subscribing witnesses to the within and foregoing will personally appeared before me James W. Beck clerk of the county court of the county of St. Clair aforesaid And being by me duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that they heard the said Matthew Boswell the Testator acknowledge that he Signed the within and foregoing instrument of writing which he published as his last will and Testament That the said Testator was of Sound mind at the time of Publishing the same and over the age of Twenty one years And that these deponents attested said will as Witnesses thereto by subscribing their names thereto in the presence of the Testator and each other.
Edmund Nance
John E. Eades
Which said Testimony is deemed by me Sufficient to Establish said instrument as the last will and Testament of the Said Matthew Boswell Deceased
In testimony whereof I have hereunto Subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said court Done at office in the Town of Oseola this 3rd day of February AD 1852
James W beck clerk
(LS)

State of Missouri
County of St. Clair Ss
I James W. Beck clerk of the county court within and for the County of St. Clair aforesaid Do certify that I did on this day in my office Record the within and foregoing Last will and Testament of Matthew Boswell Deceased and the above and foregoing proof and certificate of Probate in will book “A” on pages 41, 42 & 43
Witness my hand and the seal of said court hereto affixed at office this 3rd day of February AD 1852
James W Beck clerk
(LS)

State of Missouri
County of St. Clair Ss
I James W. Beck clerk of the county court within and for the county of St. Clair aforesaid Do certify that the foregoing which is annexed to the Testimony Letters of Edith Boswell and Robert S. Boswell upon the estate of Matthew Boswell Deceased Is a true and perfect copy of the Last will and Testament of said Matthew Boswell Deceased together with the proof and certificates of Probate and Record thereof as the same appears of Record and on file in my office.
In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and affix the seal of said court at office this 6th day of February AD 1852
James W. Beck clerk
(official seal)

State of Missouri
County of Hickory Ss
I Alfred H. Foster clerk of the Hickory Circuit Court and Exioficio Recorder of Said County do hereby Certify that the within instrument of writing was filed in my office for Record on the 16th day of June 1852 and that the said is fully and Correctly Recorded therein in land Book A on pages 187, 188 and 189
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at office in Hermitage the 26th day of June 1852
A.H. Foster, Recorder

Submitted by: Stacy Kelly