William was a farmer who could not read or write but apparently thatdi dn't keep him from being a sound business man able to amass a smallfor tune.
Residences & events:
1838 Oakland area, Bracken Co, KY was where he first purchased landin t he state.
1840 S Div, Bracken Co, KY. At census time his family consisted of 2m ales under 5, Wm was 20-30, 1 female under 5, and Sophia, also20-30. N ext door was a McDowell family.
8/30/1850 Same place. The census taker recorded both William andSoph ia "Workeman" at age 37. The children were: Albert, 14,William, 13, E lizabeth, 11, Mary, 10, James, 8, Cynthia, 6, Rebecca,5, Darius, 4, an d Cordelia, 2 months. William was a farmer with realestate worth $800 . Next door neighbors were John Cox and SamuelMaines.
7/2/1860 E Dist, Bracken Co, KY, was his address at census time. Hea nd Sophia were both 48 years old and they had a large family: JamesM, 1 8; Rebecca J, 15; Darius E, 13; Cordelia, 11; Sarah A, 7; andAlfred, 5 . Next door neighbors were Thomas Jett and William Burrelland son Wil liam was 2 doors away.
7/20/1870 Brookville Pct, Bracken Co, KY. He may not have moved,only t he townships changed. At census time he was a 62 year oldfarmer with p roperty valued at $10,000/1000, quite a sum for the day.Sophia was 60, a nd living with them was Sallie A, 20. Next door wasson "Dreton" and o n the other side was Richard Lucas. Living in thesame precinct were d aughter Elizabeth and Nimrod Neaves.
6/8/1880 Same place. The census listed him as Will, 68, Sofa, also68 , and living with them was grandson, William J, 21. Next door wasson A lbert.
By the time of his death he had amassed nearly 1000 acres.
William's will was dated 5/17/1888 and signed by X. It stated:
"Know all men by these presents that I William Workman this day beingo f sound mind and knowing the uncertainty of all things human make,publ ish and declare this my last will and testament.
1st Unto my wife Sophia Workman, I bequeath all my estate both real &p ersonal to hold use & manage in her own name and right during hernatur al life. Sophia Workman is to discharge my burying expenses andall ot her debts left unpaid at my death.
2nd At the death of my wife Sophia Workman I will unto my daughterEli zabeth Ann Neaves the sum of One Thousand Dollars as her portionof my e state. (William did this because Elizabeth had moved toIllinois, and p ossibly Kansas, and would have no use for KY land.)
3rd After all the conditions of the above have been complyed with, Id esire the balance of my property to be divided equally between myremai ning heirs.
4th Section Third includes the children of Sarah Ann McDowell asheirs i n the Equal division made in said secion Third.
5th It is my will that Darius E, William W and Albert B. Workmanshall p ay no back rent or that no deduction shall be taken out oftheir portio n of the estate on account of any moneys paid by me forsaid heirs.
6th It is my will that the heirs pay or cause to be paid all debts att he death of my wife, and also her burying expenses"
On 3/13/1893, son, Albert, petitioned the Court to divide his deceasedp arent's land. The petition was granted and division was made equallyam ong the children except for Elizabeth, who received a tenth of atract o f her mother's land. The court proceedings recorded all the
children of the family and/or their heirs, each receiving 1/9th.Instru ctions were given to the those in charge of the transactions:
"The Commissioners in making the division will have due regard toquant ity, quality and value, and may assign to each their respectiveinteres ts, so as to suit the convenience and best interest of all theparties. T he Commissioners will proceed to make the division on the
23rd..."
Family lore says that when Sophia died, William was disinterred sothey c ould be buried together and his beard had grown.
