Will George Pearcy/Piercy at Putnam County, Indiana
Probate Order Book B, Jan 1839-Aug 1844 p. 321,22,23

Copy of Will:
"I George Piercy of the County of Putnam and state of Indiana do make and publish my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all my former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

First I direct that my body be decently interred and that my funeral be conducted in a manner corresponding with my estate and situation in life and as to such worldly estate as it has pleased God to intrust me with I dispose of the same in the following manner to wit: I direct first that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon after my decease as possible and after the first moneys that shall come to the hands of my executors from any portion of my estate real or personal;

2nd To my beloved children to wit: Jacob Allen, Abbey Ellen, Thursa Ann, Hannah Elizabeth, Joseph Thomas, Sally Evaline, Mandy Lavica to each of which said heirs I wish my estate personal and real, equally share and share alike divided amongst my children as before named with the following exceptions, before the dividend of my goods and chattels, moneys and effects as before specified to my loving children before named I will and bequeath to my son Jacob Allen my bay mare called Heeb, one [?cany] plow, one pare of gears, one hoe, new ax, one coller, one bline bridle, one saddle and riding bridle and one english heifer. I will and bequeath my step daughter Nancy Ann Bryant one red cow named Cherry also three head of sheep.

I will also to my son Jacob Allen the use and benefit of the farm I now reside on also the use and benefit of the farm I purchased of Barrisford Robinson six years on condition he stay with and take care off the rest of my children only on noncomplyance of the foregoing clause shall he the said Jacob Allen be disposed, my will is that my brothers John Piercy and Jacob Piercy be and they are hereby constituted the executors of this my last will and testament, my will is that my brother in law James Nosler, and my brothers John Piercy and Jacob Piercy be and the same is hereby constituted a board of control to see and attend to the education and tuition of my children, and they are hereby authorized to make sale of property even to real estate for the education of my children. as far as they the said board may deem necessary. My will is that the law regulating wills and testaments be and they are hereby set aside and that my executors is hereby athorised when and where they may think proper without without valuation or appraisement to make of my property and if it should become necessary to make sale of real estate the privilege is hereby extended to my executors to sell and convey the same with this restriction only that they sell the Bryant or Moore farm and that they the said executors sell to the best advantage, this my last will and testament. I ordain and establish revoking all others heretofore by me made signed with my hand and seal this the twenty fourth of January one thousand eight hundred and forty two, George Piercy (seal) James Gilmore, Samuel Martin"

And the said proof publication is now here recorded in these words and figures to wit: "State of Indiana Putnam County Sct Probate Court February Term A.D. 1842 This day came in open court James Gilman and Samuel Martin, and after being first duly sworn state on their oaths that they signed and subscribed the foregoing will of George Pearcy at his request as witnesses thereto on the day the same bears date in the presence of the said George Pearcy that the said George Pearcy signed and sealed the same , at the same time in the presence of these deponants as his last will and testament and declared it to be so at the time, that at the time of signing the said will, the said George Piercy was of sound mind, memory and discretion, that the said will was read over to the said George Pearcy before he signed the same, and that at the time of the signing the same the said George Pearcy was fully acquainted with its contents and the disposition which it made of his property, and that he was under no restraint whatever" (signed) James Gilmore Samuel Martin

Subscribed and sworn in open court this 16th Day of February 1842
A. McGaughey Clk. And thereupon the said Jacob Pearcy as such executed as aforesaid took the oath prescribed by law and filed his bond as such executor in these words and figures to wit. and this cause is continued.

George Piercy's will raises several areas of interest in my search for more information on his wife Sally, who has been recorded elsewhere by various names: Sally Moore, Sally Case Moore. In researching George's reference to his brother in law James Nosler I found a marriage record for James Nosler and Jemima Moore, and later a deed in which Thomas and Ann Moore deeded land "with love and affection" to James and Jemima Nosler. Sounds like Jemima and Sally could have been sisters. But then there's also the reference to his stepdaughter Nancy Ann Bryant, which makes it sound like Sally had been married before. But then the term stepdaughter wasn't always used to mean the same thing. The reference to the Bryant and Moore farms is intriguing. Would welcome any comments or insights people might have. Connie Norheim