Adeline's Will and Lawsuit

1913, (standing r-l) Bertha Graham Wilson(white), Abner Medley (white suspenders), Rev. George Steel(white beard), Rev Brown (kneeling in front of them), Gladys Wilson Long is seated on the ground with a black band around a white hat. Bertha Graham Wilson (named in the will below) and George Steel defendants.

Section 7 of the Will basically says "no part of my real estate shall be sold to pay any portion of the legacies bequeathed by this will."

Section 8--If a surplus shall remain after all the costs of the settlement of my Estate, and all the money's directed paid out of my Estate . . . .the surplus shall be paid by my Executor share and share alike to the following persons to wit: Samuel Lee, son of my deceased nephew, James Lee, to nephew Martin V. Graham, to my nieces Margaret V. Blake, Catherine Eaves, and Bertha Wilson, and Ruth Frost and Maggie Maupin, daughter of my deceased niece Arah J. Williams.

Adeline Graham Wilson's Will, Section 6

Adeline Graham Wilson mentioned 3 heirs in the previous post: Thomas J. Miller, Frederick A. Harbison (her brother Madison Martin Graham's grandson) and Ann Liza Wilson (her former-slave). Between this will and the subsequent lawsuit, we know almost all of her nieces, nephews for two generations. But, first, I probably need to list the children of William Graham and Margaret Graham (Adeline's brothers and sisters whom she outlived):

Thomas Jefferson Graham (1809)
Thompson Graham (1810-1843)
Mary "Polly" Graham (1811-1858)
Madison Martin Graham (1814-1882)

Susan Graham (1815-1880)

Lucinda Graham (1816)

Arah Graham (1818-1847)
Theodore Graham (1820-1882)
Adeline Graham (1822-1900)
Margaret Julia Graham (1824-1889)
William Kane Graham (1825-1880)

James Stephen Graham

Section 6: To Margaret V. Leeper---my niece four hundred dollars.
To Margaret Carrow, widow of John J. Carrow one hundred and fifty dollars.
To my niece Sarah I. Carnell one hundred and fifty dollars.
To my niece Sophronia Winer one hundred dollars.
To my niece Lydia Oles one hundred dollars.

Adaline Graham Wilson's Will and "Lize"

Ann Eliza Wilson, 1913

Adaline Graham (1822-1900) was one of William and Margaret Graham's youngest daughters. She and her husband John M. Wilson had no children who lived beyond infancy. But, they "took in" many children to raise. They were fairly affluent and well-respected in the community. Adaline's will and subsequent lawsuit, is like having your genealogy handed to you on a plate. For these two documents, I will highlight the names of the individuals so genealogists can find their ancestor easily. But, my favorite part of the will concerns "Lize" her former slave.

Last Will of ADALINE WILSON deceased

I, Adaline Wilson of Jefferson County and State of Missouri do make and publish the following which is my last will and testament.

William Graham's Will

William and Margaret Graham are perhaps my most interesting ancestors (4 greats). They are Catherine Caroline Brown Long's (Milton's wife) grandparents. Their daughter (Catherine's mother)was Mary (Polly) Graham Brown who was born in Missouri around 1811.

Originally they were just names, but I gradually began to realize that almost everyone with Jefferson County pioneer blood is related to them (some, like cousin Rick, is related to them three or four ways). Although we aren't sure where they came from, they were definitely early settlers since Missouri wasn't a state until 1821.

At first, we thought William had died before 1830 because Margaret is the head of the household in the census (above). But, then we found William's will dated 1835: