Original Last Will and Testament of Frances Livingston (Isbell) Parkes
State of Missouri, St. Genevieve County, August 30 AD 1843 - Know all whome this may concern that I
Frances L. Parks being of sound mind and believing that I have not long to live having some property I
wish to dispose of according to my own desire. I therefore make known in this writing my last will and
testament that is I give and bequeath to my beloved grandson Francis Marian Parks son of Hasten E.
Parks one Negro boy named Thomas aged six years old provided H. E. Parks wife never has another son
and if they do said Negro boy Thomas is to belong to all the sons of said H. E. Parks after the death of
H. E. Parks. I further more desire that after my death H. E. Parks take possession of said boy and see that
all the proceeds of said boys labour is applied to the use of said sons. I also desire James D. Parks have a
negro girl named Rody Malinda aged three years old to him to have and to hold to his use and to his
heirs for ever. I also desire that William A. Parks Frances Mary Parks and Thomas H. Parks have the
following described property to wit Three negro slaves William Rody and Caroline & all the ballance of
my goods and chattles beding and clothing excepted on condition that A.L. Parks pays or causes to be
paid to my beloved daughter Mary Barns one note signed by me of one hundred and five dollars and
ninty five cents to be paid in cash and two hundred dollars to be paid in other property other wise a
sufficient portion of said property shall stand bound to said Mary Barns until said amount is settled &
the above described property is to belong soly to the three above mentioned children except A.L. Parks's
wife has some other heirs then to be equally divided with all the heirs of said A.L. Parks. I also desire
after my death A.L. Parks take possession of the following described property and sees the proceed of
said property is applied to the use and benefact of said heirs. I also desire that my beloved daughter
Frances Watts have a negro boy named George Washington to her and the heirs of her body for ever and
that James Watts keep in his possession said boy and apply the benefeit of his labour to the use of said
heirs the amount that is to be paid to my daughter Mary Barns which is three hundred and five dollars
ninety five cents of which one hundred and five dollars is to bear interest at ten per cent which is to be
discharged in eighteen months after my diseease having given to the following heirs all that I have
intended for them to wit Martin L. Parks Thomas L.D. Parks A.W. Parks Martha Isbell Cintha Barns and
Nancy Johnson where I have set my hand and seal in the presence of the undersigned witnesses the day
and date above written.
Frances L. Parks (Seal)
Harvey Young
Hudson Davis
Filed July 6th 1850
Eloy Se Compts
State of Missouri
County of Ste. Genevieve
Be it remebered that on this Sixth day of July A.D. 1850 personally appeared Hudson Davis and Harvey
Young - of lawful age, and being duly sworn depose and say, that they are subscribing witnesses to the
aforegoing last will and testament of Mrs Frances L. Parks, late of this county deceased. That they were
present at the residence of the testatrix in the county of Ste. Genevieve on the 30th day of August 1843
when the testatrix signed the same in their presence, and that at the time of so doing she was of sound
mind and memory, that they have signed their names as witnesses thereto at this instance and request of
the testatrix in the presence of each other, and in the presence of the said testatrix, who at this time
declared and published the same to be her last will and testament and further sayeth not.
sworn to and subscribed
the day last aforesaid
before
Hudson Davis
Harvey Young
Eloy Se Compts
N.B. this testimony of Harvey Young
Taken on this 20th July 1850 -
Eloy Se Compts
Name: Ambrose PARKS
Sex: M
Birth: ABT 1765 in Amhest County, Virginia
Death: 1838 in St. Francois, Missouri 1
Note:
Notes of Abstracts of Deeds Recorded in
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Absher's Abstracts--
Instrument:Bill of Sale
Grantor:Ambrose Parks
Grantee:Ann Isbell
Date:2 April 1798
Rec.:Book D, p. 405-Wilkes Co NC
Legal:400 lbs. … Tom, Jack, Sarah, Rhody
By:Ambrose Parks
Wit:Benjamin Letchworth
Jacob Elledge
Aaron Parks
Instrument:Bill of Sale
Grantor:Ambrose Parks
Grantee:Ann Isbell
Date:2 April 1798
Rec.:Book D, p. 405-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:16 head of cattle
By:Ambrose Parks
Wit:Benjamin Letchworth
Jacob Elledge
Aaron Parks
The above conveyances and the following five conveyances are between Nancy Martin and Ambrose Parks, her son-in-law, and husband of Nancy Martin's daughter Frances L. Isbell
Instrument:Bill of Sale
Grantor:Ambrose Parks
Grantee:Ann Isbell
Date:2 April 1798
Rec.:Book D, p. 406-Wilkes Co NC
Legal:30 lbs. .. Three feather beds, two chests, ten Puter Plates, five Puter Basons and all the rest of his household furniture
By:Ambrose Parks
Wit:Benjamin Letchworth
Jacob Elledge
Aaron Parks
Instrument:Bill of Sale
Grantor:Ann Isbell
Grantee:Ambrose Parks
Date:15 March 1800
Rec:Book C-1, p. 139-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:3 horses … 150 lbs
By:Ann X Isbell
Wit:Jacob Elledge
Benjamin Litchworth
Aaron Parks
Instrument:Bill of Sale
Grantor:Ann Isbell
Grantee:Ambrose Parks
Date:15 March 1800
Rec:Book C-1, p. 166-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:4 slaves, 400 lbs
By:Ann X Isbell
Wit:Jacob Elledge
Benjamin Litchworth
Aaron Parks
Instrument:Bill of Sale
Grantor:Ann Isbell
Grantee:Ambrose Parks
Date:15 March 1800
Rec.:Book C-1, p. 143-144-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:Cattle and h.h. goods
By:Ann X Isbell
Wit:Benjamin Letchworth
Jacob Elledge
Aaron Parks
The sum of the above conveyances appears to be that Ambrose Parks conveyed property to Ann Isbell, who later re-conveyed what appears to be the same property to Ambrose Parks.
These conveyances could reflect a lending transaction - Ann Isbell took the property from Ambrose Parks as collateral for a loan, but used a deed rather than a mortgage to document and secure the lending transaction. Upon being repaid, she re-conveyed the property to Ambrose Parks.
Instrument:Deed
Grantors:Ambrose Parkes, Esqr. for himself and for Thomas Barlow by Power of Attorney; James Brown, Nancy Isbell, Senr. and Nancy Isbell, Junr.
Grantee:Reuben Barnes
Date:18 Feb. 1800
Rec.:Book D, p. 834-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:100 lbs. 100 Ac. Brushy Mountain on Gerrot's fork Moravian Creek … his other line … below the falls in a Rocky Cove … Being a grant of James Isbell No. 1839 … 7 June 1799
By:Ambrose Parkes
Thomas Barlow
James Brown
Ann Isbell
Ann X Isbell
Wit:John Barnes
Solomon Barnes, Junr.
Joe X Hampton
All of Livingston Isbell's heirs sign this conveyance. Presumably, this is property from his estate. Nancy Isbell, Sr. and Nancy Isbell, Jr. appear to have preferred to call themselves "Ann Isbell."
Instrument: Deed
Grantors:Ambrose Parkes, Esqr. For himself and for Thomas Barlow by Power of Attorney; James Brown, Nancy Isbell, Senr. And Nancy Isbell, Junr.
Grantee:Reuben Barnes
Date:18 Feb. 1800
Rec.:Book D, p. 834-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:100 lbs. 100 Ac. Brushy Mountain on … N side … line his other survey … granted James Isbell No. 1838 … 7 June 1799
By:Ambrose Parkes
Thomas Barlow
James Brown
Ann Isbell
Ann X Isbell
Wit:John Barnes
Solomon Barnes, Junr.
Joe X Hampton
A Hampton is a witness. A possibility of a relationship to Hamptons is suggested by William Brown and Nancy Martin Isbell naming a son Wade Hampton Brown.
Instrument:Deed
Grantors:Ambrose Parks, James Brown, Thomas Barlow, William Brown
Grantee:Richard Crouch
Date:7 Nov. 1806
Rec.:Book F-1, p. 502-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:$70 … 100 ac. Gum Branch … waters of Beaver Creek … Livingstons Isbell's line.
By:A. Parks
James Brown
Thomas Barlow
William Brown
Wit:Jesse (X) Hays
Aaron Parks
William Parks
Livingston Isbell's four sons-in-law are possibly selling property from Livingston Isbell's estate. The Beaver Creek property was property involved in Livingston Isbell's dealings with John William Crosthwait.
Instrument:Deed
Grantors:James Davidson, Ambrose Parks, Esq.James Brown, Esq. and Nancy Martin Isbell
Grantee:John Crouch
Date:5 May 1801
Rec.:Book C, p. 229-230-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:150 lbs. … 300 ac. … both forks of Beaver Creek … Great Shalos near Isaac Cook's corner … Isaac Walker's corner… "…road that turned and twined by Livingston Isbell's" … Robeson's 54 ac. having been conveyed to Isaac Walker
By:James Davidson
Ambrose Parks
James Brown
Nancy Martin X Isbell
Presumably, James Davidson is signing here for Nancy Martin, the widow of Livingston Isbell - he had married her about a year before.
Nancy Martin Isbell appears to have called herself Nancy Martin Isbell, in addition to calling herself Ann Isbell and Nancy Isbell.
Instrument:Deed
Grantor:James Davidson, Ann Isbell,Ambrose Parks and James Brown
Grantee:Michael Gore
Date:24 Feb. 1801
Rec.:Book C-1, p. 149-150-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:50 lbs…. 66 ½ ac. branch
King's creek … James Reynolds line … Thomas Casphens (Castevens?) corner … Alan Walleases line … wagon road by the Muster …
By:James X Davidson
Ann X Isbell
Ambrose Parks
James Brown
Wit:George Brown
Henry X. Nowland
Thomas Carlton
Instrument:Deed
Grantor:James Davidson; Nancy Davidson, husband and wife
Grantee:James Hill
Date:17 July 1801
Rec:Book C-1, p. 248-249-Wilkes Co. NC
Legal:10 lbs… 2 ac. both sides Bridge Branch, Warriors Creek
By:James DavidsonNancy Davidson
Wit:A. Parks
John R.