WILLIAM KEYSER'S WILL, AS TRANSCRIBED FROM "HENRY'S CHILDREN"
This will is recorded in Bath County Deed Book 4, page 396
I, William Keyser, Sen., of the State of Virginia, county of Bath, having perfect use of my rational powers, do make and ordain this instrument to be my last will and testament in the manner and form following: that is to say, I give to my son William Keyser, all of my land after his mother's death, to him and his heirs forever.
I give to my daughter, Sally Carnes, a negro girl named Mary, together with all her increase, to the said Sally Carnes and her heirs, forever. I give to my beloved wife, Kezia Keyser, all of my household and kitchen furniture, all of my horses, cattle and sheep, which may be found on my place at the time of my death, together with their increase, and I also give to my wife, my negro boy named Armistead and my negro woman named Lucy and my negro girl Adaline, together with the increase of said Lucy and Adaline. I also give my said wife, my wagon and all of my farming utensils which may be found on my place at the time of my death. And I hereby privilege and allow said wife to dispose of the aforesaid property herein bequeathed to her, just as she may see cause or think proper at the time of her death.
In testimony of the foregoing disposition of my estate I hereunto attach my name on this 15th day of November, 1834.
William Keyser (signed)
Witnesses:
Francis Crutchfield
Calvin S. Campbell
John O. Hunter
LETTER FROM JAMES F. KEYSER,
SON OF FLEMING KEYSER AND GRANDSON OF WILLIAM KEYSER
WRITTEN TO L.R. BECKNER ON AUGUST 15, 1932
TRANSCRIPTION BELOW
I never saw my grandfather, John [William] Keyser, since he died before I could remember. However, I have had descriptions of him by my father, Fleming Keyser, and uncles which show conclusively his Indian origin. He was tall, straight, very active, and from a standing start, in three leaps, could cover thirty-six feet. He was of dark complexion, straight hair black as a raven, and eyes that were dark and piercing. He served in the Rev. War after which he migrated to Bath Co., Va. where he pre-empted a tract of land and settled there for life. His wife's name was Sneed. They had eight children: William, James, Fleming, John (called Jack), Christopher Columbus, Sarah, Bettie, and Kate. All these children lived into adulthood. Two sons and one daughter moved to the Big Sandy Valley region at an early date. Jack settled on the Big Sandy River 5 miles up from Catlettsburg, Ky., and Christopher settled on Beech Fork of Twelvepole. Kate married Rowland T. Burns, an eminent lawyer and stopped at Catlettsburg. The others remained in the vicinity where born and married and raised families.
The original Keyser, John's [William’s] father, immigrated to the Virginia Colony at an unknown date prior to the Revolution. The name is German, but whether he came directly from Germany or some other European country is not known. The name is properly pronounced 'Ki-zer' which we have corrupted to 'Kee-zer'.
This first Keyser married an Indian, but nothing is known about her or her other children, if any, except our ancestor, John [William].
