Fayette County Clerk's Office

06/17/2026

06/16/2026

According to Black’s Law Dictionary, a Last Will and Testament is a document that determines how a person (testator) directs his or her estate to be distributed or bestowed upon death. This legally binding document is important in securing an individual’s control over their assets and the management of their estate. Without a having a will, an individual’s estate is distributed according to state laws of intestate succession. To record a Last Will and Testament it must first be admitted to a district court for probate and then it is recorded and indexed at the County Clerk’s Office which helps to ensure that a testator’s wishes are enforceable upon their passing.

The story of Robert (Bob) Cromwell, a free man of color, sheds light on the importance of having a Last Will and Testament. On February 8, 1819, Bob Cromwell, who was enslaved by John Moore, was emancipated through the terms of John Moore’s Last Will and Testament. Moore stated in his will dated January 29, 1809 that ten years from this date, Cromwell was to be set free. Moore’s administrator, Robert McWit, followed through with Moore’s wish by executing the Deed of Emancipation to Cromwell (Fayette County Clerk Deed Book S, Page 107). Cromwell also executed his own Last Will and Testament, ensuring that his assets and estate were taken care in the manner he chose (See Fayette County Clerk Will Book Q, Page 136).

-By the Digital Access Project

06/11/2026

FAQ Thursday

06/02/2026

Tidbit Tuesday from the Fayette County Archives:

Two of the interesting books in the Fayette County Clerk's Office are the Land Partition books, both from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The records in these books show the 'partitioning', or subdividing, of plots of land, usually by action of the courts. Those who drew the maps as exhibits to the partition records frequently included little drawings of landmarks, such as estate houses, trees, rivers, lakes, and roads. This image is in Partition Book 1, Page 66, also available on www.fayettedeeds.com in the non-indexed records. Take note of the surveyor's little 'hand' drawings, pointing the way to notes and important areas of the map, and of the historic Lexington family names, such as Gratz and Warfield. These records also include the use of colored ink - a rarity in our collection.