Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch for providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.
Isaac Mulkey's Will.
I Isaac Mulkey do make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at any other time made.
First - I direct that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be paid as soon after my death as possible out of any moneys that I may die possessed or may first come into the hands of my Executor.
Secondly. I direct that all my property including my Stock household and Kitchen furniture farming utensils books and all other property not named in this will be given to my loveing companion for the support of her and any of my children that are single and laboring under bodily affliction to belong to my wife during her widowhood but should she marry it is to be given up to such of my single children as may be inable to make a living by their own exertions and at the death of the last of them included in this second direction I direct that it go into the hands of those that support them while they lived and my Executor is hereby directed to give up the property to my widdow Rachel Mulky as soon as he enters on his Executorship.
Lastly. I do herby nominate and appoint my two sons Philip Mulkey and Robt H Mulkey my Executors to Carry this will into effect.
Witness my hand and Seal 25th August 1849
Isaac Mulkey [seal]
Signed Sealed and published in our presence and we have subscribed our names hereto in the presence of the Testator this 25th August 1849.
R. S. Ferguson
John Murray
The foregoing Will was proven in open Court at October Term 1855 by R. S. Ferguson and John Murray the subscribing witnesses thereto and orderd to be recorded.
Henry Hoss, Clk.
Notes: Isaac Mulkey was my gggg grandfather. When his will was written his eldest son Philip was 39 years old. His son Robert was 24 years old.
Witness John Murray was Mulkey's brother-in-law. R.S. Ferguson's relationship is unknown, however he may be related to Amanda Ferguson who married Mulkey's son Hiram and/or to Alexander Ferguson who married his granddaughter Sarah Mulkey.
It is unclear which children Isaac was referring to in his will as disabled. He had 3 males, aged 10 to 15, in his household in the 1840 census and 3 younger females, one under 10 and two aged 15 to 20 in addition to his wife.
In 1850 Isaac was enumerated in Washington County with his wife Rachel and four of his children still living with him - Sarah (aged 32), Lucinda (aged 27), Hiram (aged 21) and Rachel (aged 17). Robert H Mulkey was one of the males listed in the 1840 census, as was Hiram. The third may have been a son Howard who does not appear in any subsequent census listings but was named in his brother Jesse's will. The younger females' ages roughly correspond to the ages of the daughters in the 1850 census (Sarah is older than she should be if the 1840 census listing is correct).
Sarah may have married a Mr. Depew or she may have died. She does not appear in the household in subsequent census listings. Hiram married Amanda Ferguson. Both he and his wife died in the 1870s leaving young children. Lucinda survived her father and was enumerated in the 1860 census living with her mother, younger sister Rachel and Rachel's husband, Joseph Campbell. Lucinda does not appear in subsequent census records. Isaac's widow Rachel Mulkey was enumerated in the 1870 and 1880 census listings in the household of her son-in-law Joseph Campbell. He and his wife Rachel do not appear to have had children, but adopted a son.
Source: Washington County, Tennessee, Wills, 1: 565, Isaac Mulkey; Tennessee State Library and Archives roll #169.
