Individual Details

Will of Martin Gilbert, 6 Jun 1827, Logan Co
I Martin Gilbert being perfectly in my senses do make this my last Will and Testament unto my wife, Martha, I bequeath during her life one hundred and sixty acres of the Land on which I now live, including the dwelling and other necessary outhouses … all the stock … horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. One wagon and geering, one Gig & harness and clock and all the household and bedding furniture and all the farming utensils and following named negroes: Reuben, Susan & Hannah, Daniel & Vina and to be the property of my wife during her life and at the decease of my wife, Daniel is to descend to Lucius, and Vina with her increase to be divided between Betsey and Lucius should my wife Martha die intestate. All the property I leave her and otherwise disposed of in my Will is to be divided between my four youngest children, to wit … Polly, Miles Green, Betsey and Lucius Gilbert.
To my son Miles Green Gilbert I leave one hundred acres of my land adjoining Silas Gilbert and Zadok Beall, and one Negro boy named Samuel unto my daughter Polly I bequeath one Negro woman called Chany and her son Joseph with her future increase. Unto Betsey I leave one woman named Fanny, her son Jack and infant daughter Margaret and increase from this date. To Lucius one hundred and sixty acres of the land on which I live after my wife’s death … and man called Robert and boy Henry. To my other children, Sally Finch, Silas Gilbert, Bird Gilbert, and Michael Gilbert, I leave nothing, having given them heretofore all I ever intend to give them.
To this my last Will and Testament I leave my wife, Martha, and my son Miles Green Gilbert, Executors. In Testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal, June 6, 1827.
Martin (X) Gilbert (Seal)
Teste: Degraften Read Zadok Beall C.W. Ewing George W. Call John J. Mackale
The above is a “substantial copy” of the original will, which was stolen from Miles Green Gilbert’s possession after Martin’s death. The will was admitted to probate after a hearing in which several witnesses, including original witnesses to the will and Martin’s son, Michael, testified that it was an accurate copy. Martin’s daughter and son-in-law, Sally & William Finch, unsuccessfully contested it. Miles declined to serve as co-executor, so Martin’s widow, Martha, served as sole executrix.
[The Gilbert Family, by Billie Louise Gilbert Edlin, 1980]
Note about the will: The record will be found in Logan Co County Order Book, #8, p. 395. This record was overlooked for years by the genealogists and was not found until 1975

From Chapter Five of the above book - found in an Ancestry Family Tree:
There were just two sons left now of the Benjamin Gilbert who was born of Gervaise and Mary of Maryland.....
Benjamin Gilbert, Jr., and his brother Martin, left Georgia about 1812 and went overland to Kentucky. Martin had bought a piece of land in Georgia as late as 1810. He paid taxes on 12 slaves and other things in 1812. To own 12 slaves, one had to be rather rich, but he left no written history divulging his reasons for leaving Georgia, so it is left to one's imagination.
Martin's uncle, Aquilla and his family, along with several of Martin's cousins, sons and daughters of Samuel and Gervaise both long ago deceased, lived in various parts of Kentucky. They may have written glowing reports of Kentucky and once again, Martin and Benjamin, Jr., were enticed to move.
Sometime between 1800 and circa 1804, Martin's first wife, Patsey, must have died. She consistently signed or made her "X" on land deeds using the name Patsey, and then, 1810 Martin's wife signed the land deeds as Marthey, also with a "X". Of course "Patsey" is the nickname for "Martha", but they seem to be two different people. There seems to be a set of children by Patsey and one by Marthey.
When Martin left Georgia, he left with Marthey and his entire family which consisted of Sally, who was married to William Finch, Silas, Byrd, Michael, Miles Green, Mary or "Polly", and Elizabeth. They must have left soon after the last piece of land was sold which was dated Oct. 14, 1812.
Martin Gilbert, while living in Hancock County, Georgia, lived in the vicinity of Powelton, near Piney Woods Church, and to the north of Sparta. He owned land at various times near Powell Creek, Beaver Dam Creek and Shoulderbone Creek. He and his father lived in the area of the Greene County line, which was a part taken in by Hancock when the county was formed. See the chapter "Gilberts in Georgia". The Gilbert court records are found both in Hancock and Greene counties.
...Martin had cousins in Logan County. These were sons of Aquilla. You will remember that Aquilla left Virginia for Kentucky soon after the Revolutionary War. He had died in Jessamine County, 1807, and it isn't known if Martin knew of his uncle's death or not. His sons Samuel, Michael, and Charles had bought land in Logan County. Samuel was there as early as 1799, and a John Gilbert, who at this writing (1980) is unidentified, bought 10 slaves as early as 1792. Some of these cousins moved on to Missouri, but at least Samuel's son, William R., and Charles were there as William R. married his cousin, Drusilla, daughter of Charles.
It is known that Martin and Martha were welcomed to Kentucky by Charles, wife Jane, and their family as they were all soon attending the same church.
...Jane and Charles had quite a large family themselves; Rebecca, Anthony, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Thomas, Polly, Amelia, Drucilla, and Sarah.
...One of the first court records found for Martin (in Logan Co KY) is in a church record. His name appears on a deed, October 15, 1813, as a trustee for the Pleasant Church.
...Charles and Jane Gilbert, year 1813... They sold one acre of their land for $20.00 in order that Pleasant Methodist Church could be established.
...Charles Gilbert made his will, 4 Mar 1824, and called Martin to witness it. Two months later he was dead. A copy of his will is on file in the Logan County Courthouse; Will Book C, p. 57.

Birth	Ca 1760	Bedford County, Virginia
Death	1828	Logan County, Kentucky
Marriage		Martha [Gilbert]

Spouse	Martha [Gilbert] ( - )
Child	Polly Gilbert ( - )

Father	Benjamin Gilbert (1729 - )
Mother	Anna [Gilbert] ( - )