Notes for Thomas McMahan Sr.

Lamine Township:

Lamine Township is located in the northwest part of Cooper County and is just across the river from Howard. It is bounded on the east by Boonville Township, on the South.

The surface is rolling and was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber. The soil is rich and very productive. It was settled first in 1812 by David Jones, a revolutionary soldier, Thomas and James McMahan, Stephen, Samuel and Jesse Turley, Saunders Townsend.

Those who arrived later were John Cramer, Bradford Lawless, John M., David and William Reid, Hezekiah Harris, Elijah Taylor, John, Peter, Samuel and Joseph Fisher, William and Jesse Moon, Rudolph Haupe, Isaac Hedrick, John Smelser, William McDaniel, Wyant Parm, Harmon Smelser, Samuel Larnd, Pethnel Foster, Julius Burton, Ezekiel Williams, and some others at present unknown.

Fort McMahan was built in the year 1812 or 1813 but it can not be exactly located.

Extracted from "History of Cooper County" by Johnson.

Some of this information taken from Mary McClelland Eastham DAR application accepted by National DAR on October 18, 1924, National No 202795.

DAR application indicates wife's name "Dianna" not "Diana." However, will referred to below clearly has "Diana."

Some of this information taken from Nadine E Neff Roberts, DAR ID Number 161725, Volume 162, Page 222.

This DAR application states "Diana."

Thomas McMahan Sr. Will:

The first will proved in the Cooper County Court, which then had jurisdiction in probate matters, was that of Thomas McMahan, Sr. It is here reproduced:

In the name of God, Amen, I, Thomas McMahan, Sr., of the Arrow Rock township in Cooper County and State of Missouri, being weak in body, but of sound mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, calling unto mind and mortality of my body, etc., do make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God, who gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the descretion of my friends. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First, I lend to my beloved wife, Diana McMahan, during her natural life, the whole of my estate, real and personal for her own proper use and benefit. Under the care of my executors hereinafter named.

Second. At the death of my wife, I will that all my personal estate be equally divided amongst my four children hereinafter named or their representatives. (That is) I will that all the children of my daughter, Elizabeth McGee, deceased, have one childs part equally divided amongst them. I will that my daughter, Mary McMahan, have one child's part, which I give to her and her children forever. I give to the children of my son, Samuel McMahan, deceased, one child's part of my personal estate to be equally divided amongst them as their property forever. I will that my daughter, Susannah McMahan, shall have a child's or forth part of my personal estate to her and her heirs forever.

Third. After the death of my said wife I give and bequeath unto my son, Thomas McMahan, my negro man, Samuel, instead of giving him any part of my personal estate, which negro Samuel, I give to him and his heirs forever.

Fourth. After the death of my said wife, I give to my son, James McMahan, my negro woman, Edey, instead of giving him any part of my personal property, which negro women and her increase after the death of my wife, I give to him and his heirs forever; but in case either of the aforesaid negroes, Samuel or Edey, should die or be lost before the death of myself and wife, and in that case I will that my son Thomas or James, or both, as the case may be should have an equal child's part of my personal estate with the afore named children that are to share my personal estate, or if my negro woman, Edey, should have any living children in the lifetime of myself or wife aforesaid, I leave it to my said children to divide such increase amongst them as they may think fit and proper, or should the personal estate amount to more by valuation at the time of the division, to each share than the value of one of the said negroes then my will is that after each sharer getting the value of one of said negroes the over plus, if any, be equally divided amongst all my children or their representatives as aforesaid. And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my two sons, Thomas McMahan and James McMahan executors of this my last will and testament, requesting and enjoining it on them to faithfully execute every part of this my will and make all such dividend with the other heirs as are herein mentioned.

And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, and disannul all and every other testaments, will, legacies, bequests and executors by me in any wise before named, willed, or bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament__ IN WITNESS whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-first day of January in the year of our Lord 1821.

P. S. __ Should myself or wife, or both, become helpless and dependent on our children, I also will that them that takes care of us should be paid for their trouble out of my personal estate before any division is further made.

Signed: THOMAS McMAHAN.

Signed and sealed in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in presence of each other have hereunto set our names, Peyton Nowlin, Bryan T. Nowlin, Pewton W. Nowlin.

Extracted from: "History of Cooper County, Mo." by W. F. Johnson.