James Madison Rambo

 

Last Will and Testament of James Madison Rambo

In the name of God, Amen

I, James M. Rambo of Personville, Limestone County, Texas, being in tolerable good bodily health and of sound and disposing mind and memory, calling to mind the frailty and uncertainty of human life, and being desirous of settleing my worldly affairs, and directing how the estates with which it has pleased God to help me, shall be disposed of after my decease, while I have strength and capacity so to do, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking, and making null and void, all other last wills and testaments by me heretofore made and first, I commend my immortal being to him who gave it, and my body to the earth, to be buried with little expense or ostentation, by my executor hereinafter named.

And as to my worldly estate and all the property, zeal, personal, or mixed, of which I shall die seized and possessed, as to which I I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I devise, bequeath and dispose thereof in the manner following, to wit

My will is that all my just debts and funeral charges shall by my executors hereinafter named, be paid out of my estate, as soon after my decease as shall by him be found convenient.

I give, devise, and bequeath to my beloved wife, Minnie Rambo, all my household furniture, my mansion or dwelling house, all my horses, buggies, wagons and harnesses for each. All my stock of every kind, all the money I may have at the time of my decease, … , debts and legal obligations and all my real estate I now have and own, I also give to my said wife the use, improvement and income of all my estate both real and personal to have and to hold the same to her for and during her life, with remainder thereof on her decease to my said children herein after named, to wit Wm Laurence Rambo, James Rubin Rambo, Mattie Ann Massey wife of James Massey, Francis Jane Sims, wife of James R. Sims, Jefferson D. Rambo, Ona Eugenia Glass, wife of Doctor J. S. Glass, and Mattie Tooke wife of Mark A. Tooke and their heirs, respectively, share and share alike.

I will and devise that my executor herein after named pay to Mattie Tooke, now the wife of Mark A. Tooke, out of the portion she or her heirs one hundred dollars if so much there be going to her in an equal divide, and the remainder of her portion be it what amount it may be turned into money to the highest bidder by my executor hereinafter named and the money put out at interest with approved title real estate security for the same, notes to be renewed every twelve months and interest counted in to be collected and paid to the heirs of the said Mattie Tooke as they come of age or marry. If the said Mattie Tooke should die leaving no issue the amount or amounts so loaned out to be collected with the interest and equally divided between my six surviving children or their heirs if father and mother is dead share and share alike.

I do nominate and appoint my said son Jefferson D. Rambo to be the executor of this my last will and testament.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal using scroll for seal and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, in the presence of the witnesses named below this 5th day of May in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.

Signed (Jeff Rambo)

The above instrument consisting of one sheet of legal cap paper was now here subscribed to by James M. Rambo, the testator, in the presence of each of us; and was at the same time declared by him to be his last will and testament; and we, at his request, sign our names hereto, so

Signed (John A. Moore)
(R. H. Pitman)
Both subscribing witnesses are
citizens of Limestone County, TX