THIRD GENERATION

18. Samuel Beeler was born about 1757 in Virginia.⁽¹²⁾ He Moved to McLean Co., Illinois about 1830. ⁽¹²⁾ He signed a will on 3 Jan 1840 in McLean County, Illinois. ⁽¹²⁾ The original manuscript of the will of Col. Samuel Beeler shows no punctuation, all such marks appearing in the copy were supplied by the copyist.

"Emmeline & Milton" mentioned in this will were really not children of the testator, but were his grandchildren, Emmeline (Dollahan) Wyatt and Milton Dollahan, children of the testators daughter, Elizabeth (Beeler) Dollahan.

THE WILL OF "COL." SAMUEL BEELER

Copied from the Original on file in the County Clerk's Office, Bloomington, Illinois.

"I Samuel Beeler of the county of McLean and State of Illinois do make and publish this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made, and firstly I direct that my funeral be conducted in a manner corresponding with my Estate in life, and as to such worldly Estate as it hath pleased god to entrust me with I dispose of as follows; I direct that all my debts and funeral Expenses be paid as soon after my decease as possible out of the first moneys that shall come into the hands of my Executors from any portion of my Estate real or personal, also I direct that a fair valuaion or appraisement be made according to law of all of my Estate, also I direct that all my stock in trade be sold by public auction for good current money on a credit of twelve months, and that all the real Estate of which I shall die possessed shall be sold by my Executors for its reasonable value for the current money or on such credit and the amount thereof secured in such manner as is ususal in like cases to insure the full and punctual payment thereof and to effectuate this my intention I do hereby vest in my Executors full power and authority to dispose of my real Estate in fee simple or for a term of years or otherwise in as full and large a manner as I could myself do if living, also I direct that the net produce of my personal Estate heretofore ordered by me to be disposed of be divided Equally as soon as it can be done, share and share alike amongst my nine Children, to-wit; Samuel, William, Mary, Elizabeth, George, Amelia, Nancy, Emmeline & Milton, and I also will and bequeath one dollar to Isabella Rockhold, and I also will and bequeath one dollar to Lavina Rynearson, and that the produce of the real Estate if sold on credit shall be divided in like manner as soon as it shall come into the hands of my Executors; the heirs or representatives of any of my children who shall have died between the time of my decease and the time of such division or distribution, to be Entitled to such share or shares as their respective ancestors would have been Entitled to receive if then living."

"I also will and bequeath to my daughter Amelia and the heirs of her body forever, a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, known and described as follows, to-wit; the North west quarter of the South East quarter of Section numbered three in Township numbered twenty-three North of Range numbered one East, containing Forty acres, and I do hereby make and ordain William Beeler and William Henry my Executors and administrators of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I, Samuel Beeler the testator, have to this my will written on one sheet of paper, set my hand and seal this 3rd day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty."

Saml. Beeler. (Seal)

"Signed Sealed and delivered in the presence of us who have subscribed in the presence of each other"

John Enlow.

his
John X Layton.
mark

Abraham Enlow.

State of Illinois,)
) ss. AFFIDAVIT
McLean County,)

Before me the undersigned probate justice of the peace in and for the said county this day came personally William Beeler and Willaim Henry, and present here the last will and testament of Samuel Beeler, deceased, and being sworn on their oath do say that said Samuel Beeler did on the fourteenth day of January instant, depart this life, whereupon they pray letters testamentary on said will be to them granted - as executors therein named.

Sworn and Subscribed
before me this 18th day
of January, 1840. William Beeler.
his
Wells Colton, William X Henry
prob. justice. mark
He died on 14 Jan 1840 in McLean County, Illinois. ⁽¹²⁾ He served in the military War of 1812 in from Ohio. ⁽¹²⁾ A brief record of the service of Samuel Beeler as Captain of a Company of Virginia Colonial Militia in 1775, is shown in the "Rumney and Winchester Payrolls" preserved in the Virginia State Library. According to his grandson William Beeler Sr. he also served in the American Revolution. He was buried in East Twin Grove Cemetery, McLean Co., Illinois. ⁽¹²⁾

He was married to Mary Graves about 1780. ⁽¹²⁾ Mary Graves was born about 1746. ⁽¹²⁾ She died on 3 Nov 1831 in McLean County, Illinois.⁽¹²⁾ She was buried in East Twin Grove Cemetery, McLean Co., Illinois.⁽¹²⁾ Samuel Beeler and Mary Graves had the following children:

+21 i. Isabella Beeler.
+22 ii. Samuel Beeler.
+23 iii. William Beeler Sr..
+24 iv. Mary Beeler.
+25 v. Elizabeth Beeler.
+26 vi. George Beeler.
+27 vii. Amelia Beeler.
+28 viii. Nancy Beeler.
+29 ix. Lavina Beeler.

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