Mitchusson Family Wills in Caldwell County, Kentucky

The Mitchusson line is not a blood line for me, but a number of the Mitchusson’s married into some of my family lines through the years.  So, when I saw these two wills with slave names mentioned, I wanted to add these to the records as well, since there are so many slave names mentioned.  I believe there maybe be a connection to this family through my Ford family, but so far I cannot connect the Ford’s that married into the Mitchusson family with the Ford’s that married into my Beard family, but I keep looking just in case.  You can access my online family tree that has a number of these Mitchusson’s listed at this web link: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=popfraley

**********

William Mitchusson, 1789-1842

William Mitchusson, was born March 31, 1789 in Craven County, South Carolina the son of William Mitchusson, 1755-1819, and Permelia Ford, 1761-1814.  William was number six of the eleven children that William and Permelia are known to have had.  The first eight children were all born in Craven County, South Carolina.  The next one in Montgomery County, Tennessee which I believe may have been born there after they left South Carolina on their way to Kentucky.  The Mitchusson family arrived in Caldwell County, Kentucky sometime around 1796 or 1797 and their last two children were born in Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1799 and 1802 respectively.

The only wife I know for William Mitchusson was Sally P. who is mentioned in his will, but I do not know her maiden name, only that she had a son named Francis Green Sasseen, 1821-1910.  Apparently William did not have any children or at least any that lived past childhood and I don’t know if he had a wife before Sally either.   Family records state that William died on March 31, 1842 in Caldwell County, Kentucky.

What I really like about William’s will is that he is freeing most of his slaves and he had a few too.  In the codicil there had been two more slaves born since he had written his will and he names them and their mothers, which I find very interesting as well.

So on with this will which I found in the Caldwell County, Kentucky Will Book B, 1835-1889, compiled by Brenda Joyce Jerome.   Book B, page 53 - William Mitchusson - Will was written December 2, 1841 and a codicil was added on March 26, 1842.  The will was recorded in court on May 16, 1842.  William mentions his wife Sally P. Mitchusson, he mentions his wife’s son F. G. Sasseen and his brother Drury C. Mitchusson; but no children are mentioned at all.  I believe he did not have any children with Sally or any other possible wife before her.  The executors were: his brother Drury C. Mitchusson and his friends, Charles H. Webb and William Johnson; witnesses were: F. H. Rackerby, Sanford Duncan, Jr. and Charles H. Webb.  Codicil witnessed by Marcus M. Tyler and Charles H. Webb.

The following slaves are to be set free, Bold George, Alexander, Larkin, Ned, Amy, Rine alias Marinda, Dick alias John, Richard Lyon, Jane alias Mary Jane, Henry, Thomas, Charles, Susan and Ellen and any of their future increase.  His wife Sally P. Mitchusson was to get the negro girl Mariah.  The farm on the road leading from Princeton to Hopkinsville he gives to all the slaves he set free for their use and benefit forever, to be equally divided among them according to the sire of the different families.  Other properties to be sold and the money’s to be put in a joint fund for the freed slaves for them to use to buy horses and supplies for the running of a farm.  He mentions the following small slaves who he is setting free as all being under the age of eighteen, namely: Dick, Jane, Henry, Ellen, Thomas, Charles and Susan.  After reaching the age of eighteen they are to be liberated as state previously.    The codicil states that since he wrote his will there have been two male births in his black family, namely: Edward son of Amy and Frederick son of Rine alias Marinda.  Both are to be liberated like the others.  Amy and Rine are not to be hired out, but are for his wife’s use and benefit only.   None of the negroes are to be sold for the payment of any of his debits, his negroes are to be the last thing used to cover any outstanding debts if needed.

**********

James Ford Mitchusson, 1787-1858

This next will is for James Ford Mitchusson, who was born June 28, 1787 in Craven County, South Carolina and is also a son of William Mitchusson, 1755-1819, and Permelia Ford, 1761-1814.  James was number five of the eleven children that William and Permelia are known to have had.   Family records state James died on August 12, 1858 in Caldwell County, Kentucky and is buried at the Mitchusson-Chambers Cemetery in Hopson, Caldwell County, Kentucky as is his wife, Elizabeth E. Young, 1789-1852.

James and Elizabeth had twelve children, namely: Sinai Young Mitchusson, Mary S. Mitchusson, William Young Mitchusson, Permelia Ann Ford Mitchusson, Nancy Young Mitchusson, Abraham Young Mitchusson, Elizabeth Ann Mitchusson, Buly Mitchusson, James Ford Mitchusson, Jr., Johnnie Horace Mitchusson, Emily Caroline Mitchusson and Ninian Edward Mitchusson.  James’ wife, Elizabeth was still living and is on the 1850 census which was taken July 26^th that year.

James F. Mitchusson is found on the 1850 slave schedules in Caldwell County, Kentucky with 26 slaves ranging in age from 65 to 7 months old.  The following picture shows the 1850 slave schedule so that you can see the age and sex of each slave that he owned.

James had a lot of slaves as you can see from the above schedule, but he did not set his slaves free like his brother, William did in his will just ten years earlier.  This will was also found in the Caldwell County, Kentucky Will Book B, 1835-1889, compiled by Brenda Joyce Jerome.   Book B, page 178 - James F. Mitchusson - Will was written July 27, 1852, 1st codicil added October 30, 1854, 2nd codicil added October 12, 1855, 3rd codicil added November 20, 1856, and the will was finally recorded August 16, 1858 in Caldwell County, Kentucky.  James does not mention his wife, so I am assuming she had already passed away before he wrote his will, but she was still alive in 1850 as she is listed on the 1850 census schedule.

James mentions the following children in his will, daughters: Sinai Mitchusson Carson (her husband Milton H. Carson), Permelia Mitchusson Hopson (deceased), Nancy Mitchusson, Eliza Mitchusson Massey (her husband George S. Massey), Emily Mitchusson Chambers (her husband William Chambers) and Nancy Mitchusson, sons: William Y. Mitchusson, Abram Y. Mitchusson, James F. Mitchusson, Jr. and Ninian E. Mitchusson, granddaughter: Elizabeth Ann Hopson (she died between the date of the first codicil and the second codicil);  Executors: sons, W. Y., A. Y., J. F. and N. E. Mitchusson, and son-in-law, George S. Massey.

There are a number of slaves listed and some have approximate ages, some have relationships stated and some died or were born from the writing of the will to the codicils added later, which makes this will very interesting as well.  Two old slaves were, Ralph and Lucy and he was going to free them but they would have had to leave the county and they did not want to, so he let them stay with one of his children of their choice.  Ralph choose James F. Mitchusson and Lucy choose Emily Mitchusson.  They were both to receive $5 each annually for the next five years for their use and benefit.

Sinai Mitchusson receives: Maria and her increase, Philip or Field as he is commonly called, Celia and Fanny, Dick age 12 to 15 years born between 1837 & 1840 (later given to Ninian E. Mitchusson)

William Y. Mitchusson receives: Smith age 15 or 16 years born between 1836 & 1837, Bob and John

Permelia Mitchusson receives: Lucinda and her increase, Emeline (later given to Nancy Mitchusson) and her three youngest children, Minerva (to go to granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Hopson, who died by the next codicil so she was given to Emily Mitchusson), Rhody and Mary Jane

Nancy Mitchusson receives: Clara and her increase, Jenny (later given to Emily Mitchusson) and her two children Jack and Dave

Abram Y. Mitchusson receives: Sam age 19 or 20 years born between 1832 & 1833, Letty and her daughter Lucy, Randle/Randall (died in the fall of 1856)

Eliza Mitchusson receives: George Ann and her increase, Betty daughter of Tish and Charles son of Jenny

James F. Mitchusson receives: Ned, Sally age 12 to 14 years born between 1838 & 1840, Lutitia with her two children George and Alexander, Charity

Emily Mitchusson receives: Sylva age 10 to 15 years born between 1837 & 1842 and her increase, Mary age 8 to 10 years born between 1842 & 1844 daughter of Emeline, Henry and Ben, Ellen age under 2 years born between 1852 & 1854 youngest child of Jenny

Ninian E. Mitchusson receives: Tom age 12 to 15 years (later given to Abram Y. Mitchusson), Jacob and wife Priscilla and all their increase thereafter and also their son Frank (he died after 1852 and before November 25, 1856), Susan daughter of Lutitia

There are 43 different slaves listed and the known slave families listed in the will were the following: 

Emeline and her children: Minerva, Rhody and Mary Jane

Jenny and her children: Jack, Dave, Charles and Ellen

Lutitia and her children: Susan, George and Alexander

Tish and her daughter Betty

Letty and her daughter Lucy

Jacob and Priscilla and their son Frank

The transcript of the will of James Ford Mitchusson follows.