File contributed for use on USGenWeb/MOGenWeb Lincoln County Heritage Page by Tina Wells,  5 April 2006.  Link change or update: 20 May 2006

Will of James Cannon (written 30 June 1836)
Transcribed from Book A of Lincoln County, MO Will Books A and B, 1825-1855, and provided by Tina Wells, 2006 .

This is how his will is in the book of Abstracts:

Lincoln County, Missouri Will Book "A" and "B", 1825-1855
Page 3

Cannon, James - will dated 30 June 1836
Two slaves, Sarah and George, shall have their freedom. All my estate should be sold and proceeds divided among my children now living.
Exr: son Isaac Cannon
Wit: Brice W. Hammack, Thomas Buchanan and David Wilson
Recorded 10 May 1842 (A:113)

This is a transcription of his will, in its entirety, that I already had in my files:

The Last Will Testament of James Cannon of the County of Lincoln and the State of Missouri, Lincoln County, Missouri probate office, Book I, page 113:

James Cannon's will probated May 14, 1842, is recorded at page 113 of Book I in the probate office of Lincoln County.

THE LAST TESTAMENT OP JAMES CANNON OF THE COUNTY OF LINCOLN AND THE STATE OF MISSOURI

I, James Cannon, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, towit:

First, my will and desire is that my two servants, Sarah and George, who are slaves, shall after my decease have their freedom, and that my executor shall cause the necessary papers of emancipation to be made out, properly certified and delivered to each of said slaves as soon as can conveniently be done.

Second, I wish all my personal estate (except the slaves above mentioned) that I may die possessed of, to be appraised and sold according to law, and also I will and ordain that the executor of this my last will and testament shall as soon as convenient sell and convey in fee simple, at public or private sale, all of my lands that I may die seized and possessed of. And for the doing executing and perfect finishing whereof I do by these presents give to my said executor full power and authority to grant, bargain, sell and convey all of said lands to any person or persons and their heirs and assigns forever in fee simple, and a conveyance or conveyances to make execute and deliver for the same agreeably to this my last will and testament. And after all my debts and the expenses of administering my estate are paid, I wish all the proceeds arising from the sale of my personal and real estate to be equally divided among my children who are now living, as I consider that I gave them in their life time of those deceased, their full share of my estate.

And lastly, I hereby appoint my son, Isaac Cannon, sole executor of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal the thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Six.

James Cannon (Seal)

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named James Cannon to be his last will and testament in the presence of:
Brice W. Hammack
Thomas Buchanan
David Wilson

Isaac Cannon, named as administrator in the will, filed a written waiver in which, "in consequence of Indisposition" he relinquished his right in favor of his elder brother, Samuel. Notice of administration was given in "The Daily Missouri Republican", later the "Saint Louis Republic", May 20, 1842.

In the Inventory and sale bill of the estate on file on the probate office, the following items are indicative of the times:

Amount due from the Government of the United States on pension certificate from the 4th of March, 1842, up to April the 20th, 1842—-$12.50

One shot gun with apparatus-------------------------- 6.50
Two noggins------------------------------------------ .37 1/2
One Piggin--------------------------------------------- .18 3/4
One jar of brown sugar------------------------------- .62 1/2
One cotton wheel------------------------------------- 2.12 1/2
Five pewter plates----------------------------------- .50
Candlestick and salt cellar------------------------- ,12 1/2
One pair of andirons--------------------------------- 1.50
Check reel and part of flax wheel-------------------- 1.00
One weaver's loom and gear--------------------------- 10.18 3/4
One pair of pot hooks-------------------------------- .26
Pail and two piggins--------------------------------- .67 1/2
One gourd of lard------------------------------------ .37 1/2-
Sheepskin and deer skins----------------------------- 1.68 3/4
Tomahawk--------------------------------------------- .37 1/2
One pair of cotton cards----------------------------- .27 1/2
One pair of saddle bags------------------------------ 1.50

Among the expenses of the sale was one dollar to J. Winston Sitton, Justice of the Peace, who acted as crier, and four gallons of whiskey at 37 1/2 per gallon. This last item was a proper and necessary accompaniment of all public gatherings of the time, including house raisings, log rollings and harvests. It is interesting to note the prices of the various commodities at this sale held in May, 1842.

One lot of corn containing about 70 bushels---------- 12 cents per bu.
One lot of corn containing about 10$ bushels--------- 18 cents per bu.
One bureau---------------------------------------------- $14.00
One fancy bedstead------------------------------------ 8.37 1/2
Two books----------------------------------------------- .43 3/4
Two books----------------------------------------------- .25
Five meal bags------------------------------------------ 1.50
One large eight gallon kettle--------------------------- 2.12 1/2
One white and spotted cow---------------------------- 9.12 1/2
One pied heifer----------------------------------------- 4.00
One large blue sow-------------------------------------- 2.37 1/2
Eight shoats--------------------------------------------- 5.25
One two horse Dearborn and harness------------------ 50.00
One small wagon----------------------------------------- 55.00
One bay horse------------------------------------------- 66.25
One lot of chickens (about one dozen)---------------- .50
One tract of land containing 160 acres--------------- 391.00

* * * * * * * * * * *
In accordance with the provisions of the will, the estate was to be divided among the children living at the time of the testator's death. The following children are named as beneficiaries in the accounts of the administrator; Samuel Cannon, John Cannon, Lydia Thurman, Isaac Cannon, William Cannon, Elizabeth Pyle, Nancy Stinebaugh, Ephraim Cannon, Rachel Trail, Rebecca Barnett, Margarette Hubbard and Jane Dameron. At the time of the final settlement, Elizabeth was living in Randolph County, Missouri; Lydia, William,

Ephraim, Margarette and the heirs of Rebecca were in the State of Illinois; and the remainder were presumably in Lincoln County. Rebecca Barnett and her husband,. Joseph, were dead, but Ephraim Cannon received their share as the "lawful guardian of the heirs of Joseph Barnett", probably by general consent.

The accounts of his administrator show that James was buried in a "Raised led coffin maid of Cherry Tree" fashioned by his son-in-law, Jacob Stinebaugh, the cabinet, maker. He was buried beside his wife, whose death preceded his by several years. The two were laid between their daughter, Rachel Trail, and their grandson, Robert Cannon, in the old family burying ground on the Stinebaugh Place and were re interred in the Elsberry Cemetery in December 1941.The original headstone of heavy slate, symmetrically carved, and evidently the work of an experienced engraver, was three inches thick, twenty inches in width and extended about thirty inches above the ground. In the course of time it became shattered into numerous fragments and, either through neglect or intentionally with the hope of preserving it, had been buried several inches below the surface, where long decay had reduced it to the consistency of chalk. It was with difficulty deciphered, but the full inscription, with the exception of the days of the month which had become-illegible was:

JAMES CAN-
N0N WAS B0
RN DECEMBER
THE 11, 1762
DIED APRIL
THE 30, 1842
AGED 79

This stone gave place in 1910 to the plain marble slab erected in accordance with the provisions of a general Act of Congress, by the United States, in commemoration of his services in the War of the American Revolution.

File contributed for use on USGenWeb/MOGenWeb Lincoln County Heritage Page by Tina Wells,  5 April 2006.  Link change or update:20 May 2006

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