Will of John R. Cathey--Dickson Co TN -Drawn July 10th 1827--Proved July Term 1828 -- Recorded Jan Term 1830

John R Cathey No. 46

State of Tennessee Dickson County
I John R. Cathey calling to mind the mortality of all flesh and being feeble of body but sound in memory and understanding do ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all others.

1st I give unto my beloved wife Peggy Cathey during her natural life or widowhood all of my lands that I am now in possession of(except fifty acres lying above my son Archy Cathey's which I give to my son Joshua Cathey).  The balance at my wife's decease to be equally divided amongst my four younger sons vez. Daniel, Samuel, Martin and John Cathey.  Also I give to my said wife all my personal property after all my legal debts are paid.  Also I give unto my Daughters Jane and Dolly, one feather bed, one cow and calf each when they come of age or marry.

2nd As I have give to my son George one filly, to Archie one small Horse and to my daugher Maj., wife of William G. Austin a cow and calf and feather bed they are to have no more of the remaining property as I consider they have had their share and neither more when the rest are raised.

3rd I do constitute and appoint Munford Smith and Peggy my wife my sole Executor to this my last will and testament.In Witness hereof I sign and seal the same 10th day of July 1827




Test. John Forsythe    John R. Cathey his mark (seal)

State of Tennessee Dickson County Court July Term 1828
Then was the within paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of John R Cathey dec'd produced in open court and proved to be such by the oath of Jno Forsythe as subscribing witness thereto and teh same was ordered to be certified accordingly and recorded

Test. Field Farrar Clerk of said Court

State of Tennessee Dickson County January 30th 1830
Then was the last Will and Testament of John R. Cathey dec'd Recorded in Book A page 103
Field Farrar Clerk

Will of John Cathey--March 1837 Session--Lincoln Co NC

Read over some of the Lincoln Co. North Carolina probate records and found the will of John Cathey which was proved at the March 1837 Session of the Lincoln Co Court.  John listed all his children but apparently did not approve one of his daughter's choice of a husband.

4th I give and bequeath to my second daughter Jinny Mauney --one dollar

Later in the will he makes the following stipulation.  

also all my other property bequeathed to my wife at her decease to be equally divided among all of my children except my daughter Jenny Mauney.  it is my desire that she do not heir any of my estate until after the death of her husband Livingston Mauney.

You can find the complete will of John Cathey at the link below.

Will of John Cathey--March 1837 Session--Lincoln Co NC
"North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1940-1191876-1-8?cc=1867501&wc=MDRK-FZ3:169766601,170758801 : accessed 27 May 2015), Lincoln > Wills, 1824-1838, Vol. 01 > image 466 of 489; county courthouses, North Carolina

Livingston Mauney and Abram Houser took out a marriage bond on August 21 1829 in Lincoln County, North Carolina for Livingston Mauney to marry Jane Cathey.

Livingston Mauney and Jane Cathey 21 August 1829 Lincoln Co NC  Abram Houser.
Ancestry.com. North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: North Carolina County Registers of Deeds. Microfilm. Record Group 048. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.

All records I could find showed the marriage as the same day as the bond.  While I am not sure that is accurate John Cathey's will proves that they must have married at least by the time of his writing the will and he was apparently not very fond of Livingston.  Livingston is thought to be the son of Dr. George Mauney Sr. even though he is not mentioned in George's will of 1840.  A check of the files at Ancestry and Rootsweb have Livingston's date of death as 16th November 1849 though I never found a source for that.  There are a lot of unanswered questions.  What caused John Cathey to not like Livingston?   What was the cause of death for Livingston?  Forties is fairly young to die..even back then.  What became of Jane "Jenny" Cathey Mauney?  Did she also die around that time?  Did she get her inheritance when her husband died if she was still living?  Now if I can just find info concerning one of my ancestors.