I decided to pursue a clue about William Holland, son of Anthony Holland who had died in Scott County, Kentucky in 1799. Lore said that this William had died in Harrison County, Kentucky before 1814. Harrison County touches Scott County on Scott’s eastern border. The two county seats are only 20 miles apart.

Today’s post is a transcription of William Holland’s will, which was written on 4 August 1813 and probated at the (undated) May 1814 term of the Harrison County Court.

1814 Will of William Holland
Harrison County, KY Will Book A:221-223
Source: FamilySearch

In the name of God amen I William Holland of the County of
Harrison & state of Kentucky being of sound mind and memory
but takeing into consideration the uncertainty of life and that it
is appointed for all men once to die & as Touching such worldly Estate
as it hath pleased God to bless me with my will & desire is that
after my Death the same shall be Distributed in the following
manner 1st Whereas the tract of land on which I know live that
was purchased of Abraham Craig belongs one half of it to myself
and the other half to my son Anthony Holland my will and
Desire is that from & after my Death my Beloved wife Amelia Holl
=and shall have hold occupy & Enjoy my half of said tract or so
much thereof as she shall so cause during her Natural life also
that my said wife shall in like Manner have hold & enjoy
my Mulatto man slave named Moses also my riding mare one
Good Cow & Calf six sheep & Eight hogs to be of value proportional
to the average value of the rest of my stock of hoggs & sheep over
Six months old also 2 Beds with the furniture belonging hereto
during her Natural life. 2nd I Give unto my son Aaron Holland
one Dollar which with what I have heretofore given him I give
as his full proportion of my Estate 3rd I Give to my Daughter Mary
Greenup Two Dollars which with what I have heretofore Given her
I give as her full proportion of my Estate 4th I Give to my
Daughter Rachel Wilson five Dollars which with what I have
heretofore Given her I Give as her full proportion of my Estate
5th I Give to my Daughter polly Elliott five Collars which with what
I have heretofore Given her I Give as her full proportion of my Estates
6th I Give to my son Anthony Holland my Mulatto man slave
Moses from and after the death of my Beloved wife to him and his
heirs forever 7th I give to my son Uriah Holland from & after my
death so much of my half of the tract of land on which I
now live as my wife Amelia Holland shall not wish to hold
& at her death the whole of my half of said tract of land to
him & his heirs forever 8th I give to my Daughter Rebecah Holland
one hundred Dollars also one horse to be worth not less than
Sixty Dollars one Good side saddle & bridle one Cow & Calf &
the same number of of Sheep & hogs that I have willed to my
wife & of the same value all of which to be paid to her at her
Marriage or when she arrives at the age of Twenty one
years if she should then remain unmarried and at the
Death of my wife one bed & furniture and of those bequeathed
to my wife by this will to her and her heirs forever 9th I Give
to my Daughter Lydia Holland one hundred Dollars also
one horse to be worth not less than sixty Dollars one Good
side saddle & bridle one Cow & Calf and the same number
of sheep & hoggs that I have willed to my Daughter Rebecah
Holland and of the same value all of which to be paid to her
at her marriage or when she arrives at the age of Twenty one
years if she should then remain unmarried and at the death
of my wife the remaining bed & furniture bequeathed to my
wife by this will to her and her heirs forever. 10th I Give unto my
sons Anthony & Uriah all the remainder of my Estate of every
Description including all Debts that are to me oweing to be
Equally divided Between them to them & their heirs forever but
upon this condition that they pay all my Just debts & Personal
Expenses also the Expenses of selling my Estate 11th my will
and Desire is that if either of my four Children now living with
me namely Anthony Uriah Rebecca & Lydia should die without
Issue that such part of my Estate as is willed to such child
should be Equally Divided among the survivors or survivor
of my said four Children or their heirs 12th I do constitute &
appoint my sons Anthony & Uriah Executors of this my
last will & Testament directing them to Pay to the different
Legatees their respective legacies and to Execute this will in
Every part thereof In Testimony that the foregoing is my
True last will & testament I have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 4th day of August in the year 1813.
Wm Holland (L s)

Test. Josiah Griffith
James Smith
Harrison County
May Court 1814 Sct

This Last will & Testament of William Holland deceased was
proved in open court by the oaths of Josiah Griffith and
James Smith Subscribing witnesses thereto & ordered to be
Recorded Attest A. Moore DClk