Papers of DeWitt Colonists John McCrabb

SONS OF DEWITT COLONY TEXAS
© 1997-2005, Wallace L. McKeehan, All Rights Reserved

1847 Will of DeWitt Colonist John McCrabb
(From the DeWitt County Probate Records)

In the name of God, Amen. I, John McCrabb. of said state and county, knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die and being in a feeble state of bodily health but of perfect memory and sound mental faculties do hereby make public or ordain and declare this to be my last will and testament, revoking all others heretofore made, and by those present do certify this and this alone to be my only will, as follows
1. I command my soul to God who gave it and my body to the grave.
2. It is my will and decree that all of just debts be paid of my estate.
3. It is my will and request that my tract of 1107 acres on the Guadalupe, near Mission Valley, be preserved for my beloved wife during her Lifetime and at her death to be equally divided between my two sons, Joseph Alexander McCrabb and John Frederick McCrabb.
4. The land I have below Victoria it is my will and decree that it shall be paid for and that it and the adjoining 2 lots shall be sold at private sales whenever a good price or opportunity should off or and that the money arising therefrom be applied to the education and support of my children to the best advantage as my executrix may determine.
5. The lands I have on the Arinosa I wish to be secured by patent - about 2021 acres - and the lands I have on the main Colett in this county I wish to be patented about 1476 acres - out of which 366 acres is to be deeded to Joseph Tumlinson when he makes a deed to the land I now live on, about 192 1/2 acres.
6. It is my will. and I give and bequeath to my daughters, Mary Jane and Susan Elizabeth, my Coletto lands equally between them after making a deed of 366 acres as stated above to Joseph Tumlinson.
7. I give and bequeath to my 2 sons and 2 daughters aboved named my lands on the Arinosa to be equally divided among them.
8. To my brother-in-law, Jacob A. Miller, 150 acres of my land on Coletto to be taken according to quality as he may choose to be bounded by any one of the out boundary lines. After this deduction out of the lands, then my 2 daughters mentioned in the 6th clause of my will are to have my Coletto lands equally divided between them.
9. I give and bequeath to my son, Joseph Alexander McCrabb, 640 acres lying on the Leon-branch of the Arinosa in Victoria County.
10. I give and bequeath to my son, John Frederick McCrabb, 320 acres of land in Gonzales County on the waters of Nash Creek which land is patented.
11. I give to my 2 daughters my block town lots in Victoria to be equally divided between them, said 4 lots near Margaret Queen's lots.
12. To my 2 sons I bequeath 1 lot in Victoria on Market Square - John Frederick to have of lot fronting market square and Joseph Alexander to have the other fronting on the street by Rodger's store and Dr. Raglin's shop.
13. My 3 town lots in Victoria lying on the river I give to my 2 sons, each to have 1 front lot and 1 of the back lot.
14. My land in the town of Victoria on a 15 block of 27 1/2 acres I give to my beloved wife, Mary, to be at her disposal to assist her in raising the children.
15. The land I now live on consisting of 1921 acres I give to my beloved wife Mary, to be at her disposal.
16. My will is that each of the children shall have 1 horse apiece and the children are to have the cattle they now claim.
17. I will all the balance of my homes and cattle and hogs and household and kitchen furniture to my beloved wife during her natural life, and what debits I may have due me in notes or accounts I give unto her, requesting her to apply them to getting my patents on the above lands.
18. It is my will that 300 acres part adjoining Fayette County, shall be sold at private sale and the proceeds I give to my beloved wife, Mary, to be at her disposal.
19. It is my will and desire that nothing be done in probate court with my estate, except probating this will.
20. Lastly, I hereby appoint my beloved wife. Mary, executrix to this my last will and testament, revoking all others as heretofore named. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 4th day of November, 1847. John McCrabb Testators - James Norman Smith Jacob A. Miller X mark of Sarah Barnes. County of DeWitt - State of Texas.

Page 200, Book A, DeWitt County Deed Records. Title bond of Joseph Tumlinson given to John McCrabb July 24, 1847, the condition of which is that Joseph Tumlinson bargained to John McCrabb a certain tract of land being a part of the Joseph Tumlinson headright and also part of the tract of William Taylor, the upper part being at the mouth of Spring Branch at the Guadalupe River, etc. (The "certain tract of land" contained 1922 acres and John McCrabb and family were living there at the date the bargain was made.) In return for the 1921 acres from Joseph Tumlinson John McCrabb bargained to let Joseph Tumlinson have part of a tract of land that John McCrabb owned on the Coletto.

Page 316, Book C. Filed May 10, 1851 and reads thus: "This indenture made April 29, 1851 between Joseph Tumlinson and Mary McCrabb executrix of the Estate of John McCrabb for and in consideration of a dead of conveyance for 384 acres of land deeded to me by said Mary McCrabb on the waters of Coletto according to bond filed and recorded have bargained sold and conveyed to Mary McGrabb, executrix of John McCrabb will and testament, a certain tract or parcel of land (192 1/2 acres) lying on Guadalupe River - a part of my headright. Signed Joseph (hisXmark) Tumlinson

Minutes of Probate Records. Book B, pp. 21-22. October term of court A.D. 1850: "Petition of Mary McCrabb praying to be appointed guardian for minor heirs of John McCrabb, deceased, under 14 years of age, namely Mary Jane, John Frederick, and Susan Elizabeth." Court granted the petition. "Joseph McCrabb. over 14 years of age, did come into court and make choice of his Mother as guardian." So ordered. Mary McCrabb gave bond of $5000. Joseph Tumlinson and Louis I. Brisette went security for her.

John Frederick (Buck) McCrabb was the youngest of the John and Mary Miller McCrabb children. He was born February 11, 1846 in the home where, about 21 years later, his father passed away. "Buck" McCrabb received only a limited education in the early day schools. In 1863, at 17 years of age, he left school at Clinton to enter the Confederate Army in S.H. Hudson's Company of Independent Scouts and served in the Rio Grande Valley until the close of the war. Buck then returned to DeWitt County where he engaged in raising cattle and became one of the best stockmen of the locality--he owned 7,000 acres of land (4,000 acres in one tract near Thomaston). "He had 150 acres of good bottom land in cultivation and the other in pastures". (Quote is taken from the book, "The Lone Star State", printed in 1894). On March 21, 1883, J.F. McCrabb was married to Cora Augustine - daughter of Dave and Mary Augustine. Dave was a native Texan and was one of the earliest citizens to come to live in the Shiloh Community. Mary was born in Springfield, Missouri and came to Texas at an early age. Cora Augustine was born April 26, 1865 at Shiloh near present Cuero. She attended school at Clinton. The records show she joined the Presbyterian Church there on June 29, 1879. John Frederick (Buck) McCrabb came to his death accidentially. He was driving a term of young horses that ran away and overturned the wagon. After his death in 1909, the management of the large holdings of land and cattle fell to his wife who was assisted by their son, John Samuel McCrabb. J.F. McCrabb was also survived by his daughter, Mary E. McCrabb Atkinson and three grandchildren, Jessie E. McCrabb, J.F. McCrabb, and Mary Lee McCrabb.

Joseph Alexander McCrabb. Joseph Alexander McCrabb was born about 1835 to John and Mary Miller McCrabb. He was with his mother in Texana while his father served in the Texas Army. From 1839-1841 the family lived at Victoria. Sometime about 1845, the McCrabb family moved to a home on the east bank of the Guadalupe River on land they secured from Joseph Tumlinson. There were few, if any, schools in this section in those early days. It would seem most probable that Joe and his sisters were taught by their father in the home when they were small, and that later they went to the school taught by Rev. J.M. Connelly at Clinton. About 1867, Joseph Alexander McCrabb was married to Sarah Jane McDonald, the daughter of William J. and Lucy Ann McDonald. Sarah was born in October 1849 in Alabama. In 1852, she and her older sister, Lucy Charlotte, came with their father and his parents and three brothers to Texas to live in the Prices Creek section of DeWitt County. The mother Lucy Ann McDonald died about 1851 in Alabama. William married a second time in 1856. Lucy and Sarah supposedly lived with their father and stepmother at Blue Mott and later, on the old Borland Ranch on the Guadalupe River in Victoria County. It is not known where Lucy and Sarah went to school. For a time after Joe and Sarah were married they lived in the home with his mother. For a number of years they lived in their home about a mile from Cuero and not far from his mother. On April 19, 1877 Joseph A. McCrabb sold to Thomas Bates a place on Irish Creek, southeast of Cuero. On January 24, 1881, Joseph bought from Richard C. and Eliza Bates Warn, 1125 acres of the Amadore survey and all improvements for $5,000. The two-story house on this place then became the home of Joe and Sarah McCrabb and their two daughters and two sons. Prior to his marriage, Joe McCrabb served as a Confederate soldier. Upon his return to civilian life, Joe became a very successful farmer and stockman and continued this work the remainder of his life. He was also, a 32nd degree Mason in the lodge at Cuero. In December, 1883, Lucy McCrabb passed away only one day old. Mother Sarah remained ill for months. She died on March 8,1884 in her home near Thomaston. Sarah was thirty four years old. Joe's younger brother, John Frederick (Buck) and his wife Cora, and their daughter, Mary, were living with his mother in the old him and his motherless children go to live his mother. Joe and several others were taking sitting up with Jim Cottingham who was seriously ill in his home near Burns Station. On a freezing cold December night, Joe rode back to fulfill his vigil with the sick. He soon took a very severe cold and developed double pneumonia. He died on December 20, 1885. Joe and Sarah's children were: Mary Jane (Mollie) was born August 13, 1868. John William McCrabb was born about 1870. Annie born in 1873, and Joseph (Jodie) MeCrabb born about 1875. Also, three children died as infants: Jimmie McCrabb was born after 1875 but only Iived seven months. Mandy McCrabb was born died at eighteen months of age. Lucy McCrabb only lived one day in 1883. Beth Dietze and Mary Lee Smith (From The History of DeWitt County Texas. Reprinted by permission of Curtis Media Corporation)