He left a will on 18 Feb 1868 in Galesburg, Knox, Illinois, United States
G.
Will of William Gordon dated 1857 and revised 18 February, 1868 at Gatehouse-of-Fleet(Probate File Box: 48; Knox County, IL Courthouse, Galesburg, IL) I, William Gordon, residing in Gatehouse of Fleet in order to regulate the management and distribution of the means and Estate belonging to me after my decease, do hereby Give, Grant, Assign and Dispone to and in favor of Margaret McNay or Gordon my spouse, provided she remains unmarried after my decease, in liferent for her liferent use allleuarly and in case of the said Margaret McNay or Gordon marrying again or upon her death to and in favor of my children, James Gordon presently residing at Manor House, Woodend, Thirsk in Yorkshire and Jessie Gordon or Ewart, spouse of David James Ewart, residing in Gatehouse of Fleet, and their heirs and assignees whosoever, in fee in the following proportions viz. to the said James Gordon my son, one third of my Means and Estate both heritable and moveable after mentioned, and the said Jessie Gordon or Ewart two thirds of the aforesaid Means and Estate as after mentioned but both under the provisions herein after written, heritably and irredeemable, my whole Means and Estate heritable and moveable, real and personal, wheresoever situated or addebted to me at the time of my death with the whole vouchers and instructions of the said Moveable and Personal Estate and the writs and Evidents of my said heritable Estate, And particularly and without prejudice to the said generality, the effects and sums of money which may be contained in any Inventory made up and subscribed by me as relative to these presents and which shall be as sufficient to exclude the recepity of confirmation as if every particular thereof were herein inserted. Moreover, I oblige myself, my heirs, and successors to infeft and seise the said Margaret McNay or Gordon and the said James Gordon and Jessie Gordon or Ewart and their heirs and assignees for their respective rights of liferent and fee in the whole lands, houses and other heritages above disponed requiring infeftment and for that purpose, to grant all deeds and conveyances that may be necessary. But always with and under the burdens of my lawful debts and obligations, payment of my funeral expenses and such gifts or legacies as I may think proper to leave by any deed or writing to the executed, by me at any time of my life Providing and declaring that should either of my said children have preceded me or my said spouse leaving lawful issue, then such children shall succeed share and share alike to that share of my means and estate both heritable and moveable which would have belonged to their r parent had he or she survived. And I hereby nominate and appoint the said James Gordon and the said David James Ewart to be my executors, And I reserve full power to revoke these presents. And I dispense with delivery and I reserve my liferent right. And I the aforesaid Margaret McNay or Gordon with the advice and consent of the said William Gordon, my said spouse, do hereby agree to accept of the above written liferent provision in my favor in full, of all right which I have or claim to in the Estate and means above mentioned in the event of my surviving my said spouse or in any other way. And I entirely agree in the above disposition. And we the said William Gordon and Margaret McNay or Gordon consent to registration hereof for preservation. In witness whereof, these presents written upon the foregoing pages of stamped paper by George Hamilton, writer in Kirkcudbright are subscribed by us the said William Gordon and Margaret McNay at Gatehouse of Fleet upon the Twenty-fifth day of December, Eighteen hundred and fifty-seven years, before these witnesses, Andrew Kirk, Provost of the Burgh of Gatehouse and Thomas Campbell, farmer in Boreland.
(signed) A. Kirk, Witness Wm. Gordon
(signed) Thos Campbell, Witness Mrs. Gordon
(Revision of 18 February 1868) I, the above designed William Gordon in consequence of the death of Margaret McNay or Gordon my wife, and also the death of Jessie Gordon or Ewart my daughter, of the dishonest conduct of David James Ewart, my son in law and also of the unkind treatment I have received from my son James Gordon, but more particularly from his wife; being resolved to settle my affairs so as to prevent all disputes after my death in regard to the succession to my moveable means and Estate. Do Hereby revoke all former settlements made and executed by me at any time heretofore and in ________ of Do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint John Ewart and Mary Elisabeth Gordon Ewart, only surviving children of the above designated Jessie Gordon or Ewart now deceased to be my sole executors and universal legatories __________ and bequeathing to them and their heirs and assignees whomsoever in equal portions, the whole goods, ______ debts, sums ______ of money, household furniture and other movables whatsoever that may pertain or be resting, owing to me at the time of my decease with the whole _________ and instructions thereof and all that has followed or may be competent to follow thereon. But in the event of my decease taking place before my legatories become of lawful age, I do hereby nominate and appoint Peter Gordon and John McDowell in Altona, Knox County, Illinois to act for them until they arrive at that age. In witness whereof, I have subscribed this codicil written by myself on this and the preceding page of stamped paper on the nineteenth day of February Eighteen hundred and sixty eight years, in the presence of these witnesses John Brown, Teacher in Gatehouse and D. James Nicholson residing there.
(signed) John Brown, Witness
(signed) James Nicholson, Witness (signed) Wm Gordon.