Last week on Tuesday, I visited the County Court House in Platte City, Platte County, Missouri, Recorder's office and found the following Will recorded in Book C Pages 356 thru 359. I am not sure why this Will was filed in Missouri but thought I would share it with the list. It appears that this John Ramey was from Montgomery County, Kentucky and his wife was Litty or Letty, and that he had no direct heirs other than a nephew Davis Ramey and the infant son of Presley Wilson, Henry Wilson. Not sure how the Wilson's are related unless Liddy's maiden name may have been Wilson and John Ramey, son of James Ramey. I have transcribed it exactly how it was written, spelling and puncuation are the same. No comma's, periods etc. were used for the most part "In the name of God Amen I John Ramey of Montgomery County and State of Kentucky do make ordain and declare this instrument which is written with my own hand to be my last Will and Testament revocking all others heretofore made by me. All my debts of which there are but few and none of magnitude are to be puntually & speckly paid and the ligacus hereafter bequeathed are to be discharged as soon as sircumstances will permit and in the manner directed- Item to my Wife Letty Ramy I give and bequeath the use profit and benefit of my whole estate real and personal for the Term of natural Life except such parts thereof as are specially disposed of heretoafter-Item upon the decease of my wife it is my will and desire that all the slaves which I hold in my own right shall receive their fredom and whereas among those who will receive Freedom according to this in desire there may be some who from old age or bodily infinity and others who are on account of infancy that will be unable to support themselves it is my will and desire that all who came under the first and second descriptions shall be come comfortably clothed and fed by my heirs and my wifes heirs while they live and that such of the later description as have no parents living or if living are unable or unwilling to provide for them shall be bound by the Court until they shall arrive at the age of twenty five years and in case where no record can be provided whereby their ages can be ascertained the judgment of the Court upon its own view of the subject shall be adequate and final the negro's thus bound are by their Masters or Mistresses to be taught to read and to write and to be brought up to some useful occupation agreeaby to the Laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky providing for the support of orphans and other proore children and I do hereby expressly forbid the sale or transportation out of the Commonwealth of any slave I may die possessed of under my pretence whatsoever and I do moreover most positively and most solemly enjoin it upon my Executor hereafter named or the survivor of them to see that this clause respecting slaves and every part thereof be religously fulfilled at the epoch at which it is directed to take place without evasion neglect or delay after the crops which may then be in the gournd are harvested partickular as it respects the aged and infirm seeing that a regular and permanent fund be established for their support as long as there are subjects requiring it not trusting to the uncertain provision to be made by indivuduals and to my Mulatto man Phillip I give him immediate freedom and it is also my wish that he should attend strictly honeslly and faithfully and act as an overseer in every respect provided she shall approve of his conduct and it is also my will that she his mistress shall pay him for his services fifty dollars per year and Feed, Clothe and pay his taxes if any-Item I give unto my wife Litty Ramey the whole of the Land and plantation containing about two hundred acres whereon we now live during her natural life with all it spanterance thereunto belonging so long as she shall live and at her decease it is my will she shall or may dispose or Will threefourths of the above metnioned two hundred acres of land to any person or persons she may think proper-Item I also further give unto my wife Litty Ramey one half of all my household and kitchen furniture and also one half of all the produce of every description that is on hand at my decease to give or will to any person or persons as she in her wisdom may think proper and also one half of the stock of every description I give unto her to dispose of to any person or persons she may think-Item unto Henry Wilson now an infant son of Presley Wilson I give and bequeath unto him five hundred dollars to be raised out of the other half of my stock Household and kitchen furniture and produce not heretofore bequeathed to be paid him by my Executors or the survivoir of them when he arrives to the age of twenty one years and should he die before he arrives to the age of twenty one then in that Case it is my will that the afousaid five hundred dollars should descend to John Ramey son of my brother James Ramey and his heirs fourver 4 Item I give unto my nephew Davis Ramey and his heirs in pirpituity the Land with the plantation which I bought of Thomas Garritt and by Garritt bought from James Milroy immediate possession at my decease containing one hundred eleven and three quarters acres and thirty eight poles also the other fourth part of my house tract of Land not heretofore bequeathed at the decease of my wife also the balance of the other half of my stock of every description household and kitchen furniture together with the produce now on hand of every discription except the aforesaid five hundred Dollars heretofore bequeathed-Item unto my nephew Davis Ramey and his heirs I give and bequest one half of money now his me together with one half of the notes on different people also some open accounts which may hereafter be collected all of which he is to receive immediately after my deceas lastly, I constitute and appoint my wife Litty Ramey, my nephew Davis Ramey Executrix and Executor of this my Will and testament and as it will be seen in the front of this instrument or Will the course I have takin to dispose of what little I have been blessed with in this world I may make some person or person auxious break or destroy this instrument or Will therefore it is my Wish and desion that any person or person so attempting it may not succeed nor find any favor in any Court of Justice in the commonwealth of Kentucky, In witeness of all and of each of the things herein containd I have sit my hand and seal this twenty third day of February in the year our thousand eight hundred and twenty one. Test. Joseph Fanning ?(difficult to decipher the writing) Elijah Hansborough, Benjamin Davis Ennes Combs, John B. Duke David Rice Senr. John Ramey Seal At a Court held for Montgomery County on the 7th day of May 1821 The Last Will and Testament of John Ramey deceased was this day produced in Court and proved by the oaths of Joseph Fanning, Ennis Combs and John B. Duke subscribing witnesses hereto and ordered to be recorded, which is ??(word unreadable). Att: M D Harrison, CLK State of Kentucky) Montgomery County) I James Howard, Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid, do hereby certify the foregoing Will and order of Court are truly transcribed from the Records on file in my oiffce. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of said Court at office in Mount Sterling this 5th day of August AD 1842 James Howard, Clk. State of Kentucky) Montgomery County)I, Joseph Boudurant, Presiding Justice of the County court of the County aforesaid do certify that James Howard whose name appears to the foregoing certificate is now, and was at the time of signing the same the Clerk of said County Court duly appointed and qualified, that said certificate is in (word unreadable) form of law and the signature of said Clerk thereto is genuine given under my hand this 5th day of Auguat 1842. Fee $1.00, Tial 1.00= $2.00 Joseph Boudurant, P. J. M. C. This day John D. ORear and George Buttey came personally before the sucscriber, a Justice of the Peace for Montgomery County and made oath that the two boys named George and Philip are the same boys emancipated by the last will and testament of John Ramey, dec. to which this is appended. Given under my hand as Justice aforesaid the 6th day of September 1842 L Y Millspaugh Montgomery County, Sat. I James Howard Clerk of the County Court for the County aforeaid, do certify that the following contains a correct description of George and Phillp Ramey, Slaves, emancepated by the written & foregoing Will of John Ramey, deceased. To Wit, George Ramey is five ffut five & a half inches high, aged about twenty six years in january next, weight-about one hundred and thirty pounds, Philip Ramey is about five foot six inches high, aged about twenty three in October, weight about one Hundred and forty eight pounds. Given under my hand this 9th day of September, 1842. James Howard, Clerk, M.C.C. Filed for Record August 1st 1845" I also found quite a few land transactions for Ramey's in Platte County, Missouri in the 1853-1870 Book B Index. I copied some of the entries from Book B and C and D but did not look up the information. Ramey, Daniel J. D. Book B Page 82 Ramey James Book B. Mortgage page 150 Ramey, John-fr. Isabella Book B. Page 242 Ramey, Lewis-John Book C. Title Bond Page 277 Ramey, John Will Book C Page 356-359 Ramey, John Book C. Page 546 Ramey, Lewis Book D. Page 34 Wren Cemetery, Platte County, Missouri shows burial of: Ramey, John b. 1791 died Oct 24, 1873 Ramey, Juda Gordon b. Feb. 26 1797 died Apr. 16, 1869 wife of John 1860 Fed. Census Platte Co. Missouri Carroll Twp Raney, John 73 M. Va. Judith 67 F Ky Susan 38 F Ky Wren Edwin 18 M. Ky Weston Twp 922 Alred, John J. 39 M. Tn. Lucinda Gilford 27 F Oh. John Raney 20 M. Ky. Also found this obituary: Platte County 1959 Ottie Ramey Dies "Ottie Edwin Ramey was born in Platte County, Mo., on August 8, 1891. He ended his life's journey at the Smithville Community Hospital on April 7, 1959. He was the son of Davis and Lille Wren Ramey. In 1913 he was married to Buena M. Logan, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, James Logan Ramey of the home and Kenneth Edwin Rameyl of Ferrelview. Mr. Ramey was a member of the Second Creek Christian Church and ws for many years a member of the school board. By occupation he was a farmer. He was active in the work of the Agricultural Stablization and Conservation Committee. He was extremely hospitable and was never too busy to answer a call to help a friend. Besides his wife and sons, he is survived btwo grandchildren, Keith and Karen Sue Ramey, Ferrelview, a sister, Miss Christine Ramey of Cincinnati, Ohio, A brother, Searcy Ramey, predeceased him by three weeks. Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Billy B. Morgan, assisted by the Rev. J. D. Johnson, at the Second Creeek Church on April 9. Burial was in the Church cemetery." This obituary may help to explain why the will of John Ramey was filed in Platte County, as Ottie was the son of Davis Ramey, one of the heirs in the estate of John. Hope this helps someone.