Owen Shannon's Will and Estate Papers
Owin (Owen) Shannon's Will and estate
papers are located in Austin County Clerk's office in a file referred to as the "Old Probate Files." The
Owen Shannon probate file is File 41(11). Special thanks to Austin County Clerk, Carrie Gregor, for
locating these documents which date from the time of Austin's Colony. Scanned below is the Will of
Owen Shannon and all the estate papers with complete transcriptions. The reader will notice that Owen
Shannon describes his real property as being one quarter league of land "in the neighborhood of Lake
Creek." It is important to note that no where in Owen Shannon's Will or his estate papers does
anyone ever mention a place called the Montgomery Trading Post, Montgomery Settlement or Montgomery
Prairie. In fact, no trading post of any kind is mentioned, nor any trading post dry goods. Owen Shannon died
on the Owen Shannon League in the Lake Creek Settlement in 1834.
Owen Shannon's Will

In the name of God Amen
I Owin Shannon being weak of body yet
strong of mind make and establish this my
last will and testament. I will & bequath
all my property real and personly to my
wife Margaret to dipose of use through life
to will bequath or in any way to dispose of that
she may wish or thinck mete.
The personal property mentioned in the followi
ng Eneumeration. Six negroes name and ages
as follows Nancy age forty five yeares, Lydia
age twenty three, Thomas age nineteen, Marin
da age sixteen, Joseph age Eight, Luis age
six years, Two horses thirty head of comon sto
ck cattle of [unreadable] with what hogs I have togeth
er with all our house hole and kichen furna
ture The Real and landed property as follows -
One Quarter League of Land being in the neighbor
hood of Lake Creek a part of which tract I have
agreed to let Wm. Clarke have for somuch
as I wish for from him of the tract, on which I
now live and have improved say not more than
two hundred Acres. Now to the Intent that this
my will may have full Effect I heare unto set
my hand and seal this 12 April 1835.
Owen Shannon {Seal}
Witnesses
Henry his X mark Goff
Mary her X mark Corner
Matthew Hubert
James J. Foster
William C. Clark
Benjamin his X mark Rigby George
Allen
Enlargement of Signatures on Owen Shannon's Will

[Note: The date of April 12, 1835 on Owen Shannon's will above cannot be the correct
year. As will be seen below, on June 9, 1834, Owen Shannon's will was filed of record before R. M.
Williamson, the Alcalde for the Department of Brasos Jurisdiction of Austin. Robert McAlpin Williamson was
the famed Texas Judge "Three-Legged Willie". See Owen Shannon
Died in 1834.]
Owen Shannon's Will Filed of Record
June 9, 1834
Top of Page
Personally appeared before
me, R M Williamson only Al
calde of Austin James J
Foster who on oath says that
he signed as a witness of the
last will and testament of Owin
Shanon now before him in the presence
of the Testator who requested
him so to do and acknowled
ged his signature to the same
this deponent futher says
that he saw William C. Clark
Benjamin Rigby and George
Allen sign the same.
Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 9th of June
1834
James J Foster
R M Williamson
Bottom of Page

William C. Clark on oath
Swears to the same facts.
Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 9th of June
1834
Wm C Clark
R M Williamson
Letters of Administration
Back

Letters of Administration
With the Will Annexed
Estate of Owen Shannon, Decd.

Bond
Jacob Shannon
Adm of the Estate of
Owen Shannon Decd.

Department of Brasos
Jurisdiction of Austin
Know all men by these
presents, that we
Jacob Shannon and Jesse Grimes are held and
firmly bound unto Francis W. Johnson Judge
in the first instance of the Department
aforesaid and his succesors in office in the
just and full sum of Five Thousand Dollars
good and lawful money for the payment of
which we bind ourselves, our heirs, Executors
and administrators jointly and firmly by
these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated
the 24th Feby. 1835.
The condition of the above obligation is such
that whereas letters of Administration with
the Will annexed has this day issued unto the
above bound Jacob Shannon upon
the estate of Owen Shannon late of said
jurisdicton decd Now if the said Jacob
Shannon shall do and perform all and every
Act and thing that is or may be required
of him by law as the administrator of the estate
of said decd in pursuance of the said [unreadble]
Then the above obligation to be void
Otherwise to remain in full force & effect
Jacob Shannon {Seal}
Jesse Grimes {Seal}
Bottom of Page
Enlargement of Signatures of Jacob Shannon and Jesse Grimes

[Note: It is clear from the document below that Owen Shannon died before June 9, 1834.]
Letters of Administration Estate of Owen Shannon

Department of Brasos
Jurisdiction of Austin
Whereas Owen Shannon late of said
jurisdiction decd. died leaving his last Will
and testament which Will has been admitted
to probate before the Constitutional Alcalde
of the aforesaid Jurisdiction on the 9th day of
June 1834 The said Decd. not
having
nominated and appointed an Executor of his said
Will Now therefore be it
remembered and
made known unto all whom it may concern
that upon the application of Jacob Shannon
unto me George Ewing Judge of the Jurisdic
tion aforesaid I have and do hereby
grant
unto him the said Jacob Shannon the entire
Adminsitration of the Estate of said Owen
Shannon Decd. with the Will annexed, wtih
full and ample power and authority to sue
and to be sued, plead and to be impleaded
transact do and preform all and every act
to do in persuance of the said will to the
full execution thereof.
In testimony wherof I have unto st
my hand and seal the 24th Feby 1835
Geo. Ewing
Estimative Inventory of the Estate of Owen
Shannon

Estimative Inventory
of the Estate of
Owen Shannon
Page 1 of the Estimative Inventory of the Estate of Owen
Shannon
Top of Page 1.

Bottom of Page 1.

In Compliance with an order of the Hon.
George Ewing, Esq. judge in the first Instance
of the Jurisdiction of Austin dated 19th
day of June 1835 to me described and deliv-
ered wherin I was Commanded to proceed
to the late residence of Owen Shannon Decd.
and there with the assistance of two discreet
Citizens to make an estimative Inventory
of the property both real and personal
belongin to said succession In Conformity
to the said order I have together with the
assistance of William W. Shepperd and
Matthew Hubert proceeded to make the
following Inventory and Appraisment of
the Estate of the said Owen Shannon Decd.
To Wit:
One Negro Woman named Nancy
Val. @ 250.00
One Negro
Woman Lydia
" " 475.00
One "
Man
Thomas " " 625.00
One "
Girl Marinda " "
475.00
One "
Boy
Joseph " " 325.00
One "
Ditto
Luis " "
200.00
One Bay
Horse 40.00
" Grey
Horse 20.00
30 Head Neat
Cattle
@ 5.00 150.00
Household & Kitchen
Furniture
100.00
Farming
Utensils
15.00
Amt. Carried Forward $2,675.00
Page 2 of the Estimative Inventory of the Estate of Owen
Shannon

Amount Brought
Forward
$2,675.00
One Fourth of a League of Land
including the late residence and
improvement of
Decd.
600.00
$3,275.00
Marget Shannon
Widow of Decd.
Jacob Shannon Admn
Jesse Grimes
}
Matthew Hubert }
Appraisers
W W Shepperd }
Assisting
Witnesses Assisting
Witnesses
Joseph
Lindley J
H Shepperd
Transcription by Marisa Searle for Texas History Page
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