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Will Book 24, Page 73

Washington County Courthouse, Abingdon, Virginia

October the 10^th 1870

I, John J. Scott of the county of Washington and the State of Virginia in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventy, Being in good health and sound mind do consent to make and write my will.  I do bequeath to my dear wife Patsy Scott all my land and property, to have and to hold, so long as she remains my widow.  If she outlives me, she will sell as much property as will pay my just debts and school the four Boys John J. and Martin and Solomon and James ___ the boys are to have a liberal education, and at the Death of my wife if she outlives me the land and property is to be devid equl among the six Boys and tha are not to sell to any Bodey except to each other.  I also will to my daughter Mary C. an her airs fiftey Dollars which the boys is to pay to Mary C. Lilly or her airs at the Deth of my dear wife Patsey Scott if she outlives me.  This is my last will and testmoney.

                                                                                                John J. Scott

 Joseph H. Mann

Martin Scott 

At a Court begun and held for Washington County the 25^th day of July 1890.

            A writing purporting to be the last will and testament of John J. Scott, deceased, was this day produced in Court and the hand-writing of Joseph H. Mann, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto was proved by the oaths of Henry A. Mann and James M. Miller and it was also further proved by the said Henry A. Mann and Solomon Scott who being sworn severally deposed that they are well acquainted with the testators hand writing and verily believe that said hand-writing and the name thereto subscribed, to be wholly written by the testator’s own hand.  Whereupon the said writing is ordered to be recorded as and for the last will and testament of John J. Scott, deceased.

                                                                        Teste

                                                                        D. C. Cummings, Jr.  Clerk

Notes:  John J. Scott, Jr. married Palestine Phelps about 1886 or 1887.  Joseph H. Mann was married to Palestine’s sister Louzana Phelps.  It is interesting that when the will was actually proved out, it was the father of Joseph Mann, Henry A. Mann, who proved the handwriting.  This is most likely because Joe and Lou Mann had left for Colorado along with Lou’s sister Ida Phelps Branch and other families from the area.  Most of them had left in 1889.  I don’t know where Martin Scott was, but his brother Solomon had to speak for his hand-writing.  The other two boys of John J. Scott were George and Henry who were already married by the time of this will.  A seventh boy, Noah had apparently died as a child sometime between 1850 and 1860.  Mary C. was the only girl in the family.

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