Noxubee County, Mississippi

The will of Mark Hardin

In the name of God Amen

I, Mark Hardin of the county of Noxubee and State of Mississippi, being of advanced age and mindful of my approaching dissolution and being of sound mind and disposing memory, do make and publish my last will and testament. To wit -

Item 1st I do will and bequeath unto my beloved Son Callaway Hardin the following negro slaves to wit my Boy Little Allen woman Fany and Girl Harriet and the future increase of the females.

Item 2nd I do will and bequeath unto my beloved Son William Hardin the following negro slaves to wit my Boy Allen Girl Peggy and Boy Madison and the future increase of said negro girl Peggy.

Item 3rd I do will and bequeath unto my beloved Son Absolom C. Hardin the following negro slaves to wit my Boy Jerry woman Lucy and Girl Tilda and the future increase of the females.

Item 4th I do will and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Sarah Jernigan formerly Sarah Hardin the following negro slaves, to wit my boy Gneso(?) Boy Isaac and Girl Hanna.

Item 5th I do will and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Cynthia Cade (formerly Cynthia Hardin) the following negro slaves to wit my Boy Alford Girl Jane and boy Jackson.

Item 6th I do will and bequeath unto my granddaughter Elizabeth Ryan wife of Spencer B. Ryan (formerly Elizabeth H. Taylor) and to the children of his body begotten, my negro Girl Susan.

Item 7th I do will and bequeath the following negro slaves Bena and her two children and Tom and Io(?) and the future increase of Bena unto my Grandchildren the lawful children of my son James R. Hardin now living or that may shall have hereinafter be by him begotten to be equally divided among them share and share alike to be apportioned ? to my said grandchildren as they shall respectively come to two years of Twenty mo. (?) and should any one or none of my said grandchildren die before the age of twenty-one then and in that event the said negros so bequeathed shall be divided equally among the survivors share and share alike.

Item 8th It is my will and desire that all my real estate together with all my personal estate not included in the foregoing bequests and not herein otherwise disposed of of which I shall die seized and possessed shall so soon after my death as shall be thought convenient be sold at public vindiu (venue?) and cry to the highest bidder for cash and it is my will and desire that all my just debts shall first be paid out of the money arising from such sale and I do further will and bequeath unto my said Grandchildren all lawful children of my Son James R. Hardin Four Hundred Dollars in money to be equally divided among them to be paid out of the proceeds of sale of my said real and personal estate.

And I do further will and bequeath that the balance of the money arising from the sale of my said Real and personal estate shall be equally divided among my said beloved children Callaway Hardin, William Hardin, Absolom C. Hardin, Sarah Jernigan, and Cynthia Cade, share and share alike.

I do hereby constitute and appoint [blank] my executor to carry into effect this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hands and affixed my seal this twenty-fourth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty-two.