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Will of Bud Mullins, 1846

Bud MULLINS will was written on May 1, 1846.  Bud was living in Cobb County when the will was drawn up.  But, when he died in late 1856 or very early 1857 the county boundaries had changed, and he lived in Paulding County, Georgia.  His will was not amended in the 10-11 years between, which means that there was no change in his heirs.  Here is his will, as it was written in 1846:[1] 

In the name of God Amen  I Bud Mullins of Cobb County and State of Georgia being of sound mind, perfect memory, blessed by God do this the First day of May One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Six make and Publish this my Last Will and Testament in the manor following (this is to say) First I give and bequeath my soul to God and my Body to Dust from whence I came  Also I will and Bequeath to Thomas Mullins my oldest son all of my property consisting as follows My Negro Woman Sarah and Alfred my Negro Boy also all of my house hold furniture consisting of two Feather Beds and clothing and two Bed Steads and Kitchen Furniture.  Two plow Horses and my Stock of Cattle and Sheep the N° not Known of either, my Small Wagon and Gear and planes and plow gear I will & bequeath the above naimed property to the Entire Controll and Disposal of the above named Thomas Mullins during his natural life then if any left to be equally Divided amongst my other children (to wit) Rebecca Childers my Daughter Nancy Mires my daughter also Elias Ausbern Bergess Clemmon Reubin & Samuel my sons, and Mahalia Hickman my Daughter which is my Will and Desire that the above Named Children (to wit) Rebecca Childers my Daughter Nancy Mires my Daughter Elias Mullins Ausbern Mullins Bergess Mullins Clemmon Mullins Reubin Mullins & Samuel Mullins also Mahalia Hickman my Daughter this is my Desire I also Will and Bequeath to Ausbin Mullins’s son Bud my Grand Son one Bay Horse which is now in Possession of Ausbin Mullins my son

This is my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Bud Mullins have to this my last Will and Testament I here set my hand and Seal this day & year above Written signed Sealed and Published and Delivered B y the said Bud Mullins the Testator as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who were at the signing and Sealing thereof

                                            his

                                    Bud   X   Mullins  {LS}[2]

                                         mark

 

Michael Austin

Solomon L. Strickland

S.K. White

Wilson F. Blackstack

              Obviously, the person recording wills into the (Paulding County) ledger at this time did not believe in punctuation, and capitalization is somewhat hard to interpret at times.  What is more important is that this will gives us a clear sequence of the birth of his children beginning with Rebecca and ending with Mahalia.  Another noteworthy item is that all of his children are alive, at least as far as he knows.  Unfortunately Bud’s wife is deceased, because she is not mentioned, and her demise (1840-1846) was probably the reason for Bud’s writing of his will.  All of his possessions were left to his firstborn son, Thomas.  After Thomas’s death, the estate is to be divided among the remaining nine children. 

            One must ask why died Bud leave most of his estate to his first born son, Thomas, and then after Thomas' death, distribute the estate to the other children.  Thomas never married.  Was he deformed, crippled, incompetent, or other maladies that could have contributed to these facts?  We will never know.