A Life in the Saddle: Memoirs of a Pioneer, Circuit Rider and Missionary: A Life in the Saddle, #4

By Brian Hogan

A Life in the Saddle is an expansion on the account Rev. Davie Hogan left of his own life, which he entitled: Autobiography of David Hogan (1811-1899).

This is Part 4 of 4

The author will quote directly from this work in the following format, as in the following opening passage:

I propose on this the 16th day of February A.D. 1899, in the 88th year of my life, to continue the work of writing a biographic sketch of my life, from a very imperfect, or partially kept diary. I will here state, this work is only intended as a manuscript for the information of my children, grandchildren, and those who in the future may be interested in the history this writing may afford. I have tried to keep as far from self-laudation as possible. I therefore pray that whosoever may consult or read it, if they think they see a spirit of exultation, they will account for it, on other grounds than intention of the writer.

The rest of the text is comprised of quotes from other sources and background information researched and compiled by the author. Davie wrote for an audience with a base of shared experience and knowledge mostly lost to contemporary readers. The author has attempted to fill out Hogan's often terse or detail lacking account with the wealth of information on history, family members, and local color his ancestor neglected to include. By the way, the author, Brian Hogan, is Rev. Hogan's third great grandnephew.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Hogan
• Release date: Oct 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223390022

Book preview

Reconstruction (1866-1881)

I

n 1866, Davie and Elizabeth became grandparents when Harry Thomas was born to Mary Hogan and Phillip Thomas. As happens so often in life, grief comes in like a tide and attempts to erase the sandcastles of joy we build. On January 20, 1867, the patriarch of the Hogan family, General David Hogan, died in Otterville, just a few miles east from his Arator farm. He was buried in Providence Baptist Church Cemetery in nearby Smithton, beside his sons: Joseph and Samuel. His monument reads: Aged 85 years 7 months 13 days.

A month later the family gathered for the reading of the patriarch's Will.

The Last Will and Testament of Gen. David Hogan

[1]

In the name of God, Amen. I, David Hogan of the County of Cooper, and the State of Missouri, being of sound mind and memory, but being mindful of the uncertainty of this life, do make declare and establish this to be my last Will and Testament.

Item First, it is my will that after the expense of my last sickness, and funeral expenses are paid, that all my just debts shall be paid by my executors hereinafter named.

Item Second. It is my desire, that my executors so soon as they may deem it advisable, shall proceed to sell all my estate, real, personal, and mixed, it except as much thereof as is hereinafter specified, be devised or bequeathed, upon such terms as they may think best for the interest of the estate.

Item Third. Should my beloved wife Elizabeth P. Hogan  survive me, It is my will and desire that she shall hold for and during her natural life my following named Slaves to wit: Abram, Dick, Lucy, Rachel, Jane and Mary, and further that from the just proceeds of my estate, when sold or from money on hand at my death, it is my wish that ‐‐‐ my executors should invest ‐‐‐ the sum of four thousand dollars in a small and comfortable farm for the use and benefit of my beloved wife during her natural life, and that the further sum of two thousand dollars ($2000.00) shall be placed in the hands of a trustee, to be appointed by my executors, to be loaned out by said trustee, during the life of my said wife, and the interest on same to be paid annually to my said wife, during the continuance of said trust, and after the death of my wife said money is . . . to be distributed with what shall remain of my estate not disposed of. And I further desire that ‐‐‐ my said wife may have the entire and final disposal of my two old and infirm female servants to wit: the above-named Lucy and Rachel.

Item Fourth. It is my desire that my executors have tombstones placed over the graves of me and my dearly beloved wife, and that they are hereby directed to appropriate ‐‐‐ from my estate ‐‐‐ the sum of two hundred dollars for this purpose, that is one hundred dollars for each tombstone.

Item Fifth. It is my will and desire that my property should be shared equally by my children, not only that portion which may be subject to distribution in the event that my wife survives me, but also that portion which will remain undistributed at her death. And as I have given each of my children at different times property, differing in value according to the estimate ‐‐‐ which I have placed on the same and which I believe to be just and right . . . I have given to my son Wilkinson Hogan a Negro woman and child & cash which I estimate in all at $1200. I have given to William H. Trigg in trust for my daughter Sarah, a Negro girl, and to my daughter Sarah aforesaid absolutely some money, and I estimate the whole including the Negro girl at $1300. To my son John D. I have given in cash to $400. To my Son David I have given a negro woman and child, and cash, and I estimate the whole at $1300.[2]. To William H. Trigg for the sole use and benefit of and interest for, the wife of and heirs of my son William[3], I have given one negro boy[4] and to my son William I have given cash, and I estimate the negro boy and cash at $1200. To my son James I have given in cash $300. To my son George M.  I have given cash and do hereby bequeath to him and his heirs two small negro girls named Margaret, aged about eight years, and Elizabeth, aged about six years, all of which I estimate at $1300. To my son Moses D.  I have given a Negro boy named Orange and cash which is all I estimate at $1300. To William H. Trigg in trust for the sole use and benefit of my daughter Elizabeth G. Wilson and her heirs I have given a negro girl, and to my said daughter Elizabeth G. I have also given money, all of which I estimate at $1000. To my son Robert H. I have given a negro boy named Westley[?] which I estimate at $1000. In order to carry out my intentions to divide my property equally, I desire that my executors, after providing for my wife as herein directed, and retaining the sum mentioned in item fourth for the purpose there specified, shall first ‐ pay to those of my children or their trustees who have not been advanced, the sum of $1300 an amount sufficient to make up that sum. After that ‐ it is my will and desire that ‐ my property be equally divided among my children as follows. Whatever sum may be coming to my daughter Sarah A. Young as her distributions share of my estate I direct to be placed by my executors in the hands of William H. Trigg of Boonville or such other trustee as my executors may appoint, ‐ for her sole use and benefit ‐ and if she should die without issue, or intestate the same shall revert to my heirs. It is my will, that such trustee as may be appointed shall have power to invest, such distributions share from time to time and to change such investment by selling property or otherwise, but to hold the proceeds at all times subject ‐ to the limitations herein declared, whenever he shall be requested so to do by said daughter, and it is my will that my said daughter shall have the rents and profits of said trust funds to her sole and separate use while she is living. It is further my desire that any trustee who may be acting for my said daughter may at any time transfer his authority as such trustee to another person. It is my will that my daughter Sarah have power to dispose of said property by will. In like manner it is my will and desire, whatever portions of my property would be coming under the distribution to my sons John D. and Wm Hogan[5], may be placed in the hands of a trustee to be appointed by my said executors for the sole use and benefit of their wives and children begotten by their present husbands respectively, that is to say the share of John D. Hogan, for the sole use and benefit of Hortensia G. Hogan his wife, and his children by Hortensia G. Hogan, and the share of William for the sole use and benefit of Cornelia V. Hogan and her children by said William Hogan, and said trust to be subject to the provisions and limitations declared in the case of Sarah A. Young, abovementioned. It is my express meaning here, that all the property which might be coming to my said sons John D. & Wm. Hogan from my estate, be placed in and subject ‐ to the trust ‐above declared. I give and bequeath to my son Robert H. Hogan after my death my negro woman Zelda & her child Catherine, and their increase to be valued to my said Son by my executors, and if their value be more than the equal share of my son Robert ‐ he is to pay the excess to my executors. I give and bequeath to my son James my negro boys Jim and Elliott