James GIVENS was born about 1723 in probably County Ulster, Ireland. He died before 18 July 1801 at the age of 78 in Lincoln, KY. Will of James Givens, Lincoln co KY WB G, p33

    In the name of God Amen, I James Givens of the County of Lincoln being of an advanced age in life but of sound disposed mind and memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and knowing that God has appointed for all men to die for the better regulation of worldly affairs, I do hereby make and ordain this my last will and testament and first place I give and bequeath to my eldest son, Samuel Givens the tract of land whereon he now lives, containing fifty two acres which I purchased from Robert Dangharty.
      Item. I give and bequeath to my son Robert Givens two hundred and fifty acres of land that I clain in the state of Tennessee on the waters of the Red River being a part of the premption of six hundred and forty acres granted to me by the Governor of North Carolina as one of the original settlers of the Cumberland Country.
     Item. I give and bequeath to my son John Givens fifty acres of land to include the plantation where he now lives, but if he should so choose at any time thereafter to move from it, then the said fifty acres of land is to descend to my son Benjamin Givens upon the payment by him of One Hundred and fifty pounds to my son John Givens.
     Item. I give and bequeath to my son Benjamin Givens the plantation whereon I live with all residents of the lands which I own adjoining thereto and not herein already bequeathed to either of my two sons, be the same more or less being the residue of the tract I live on and the land I purchased of the Executors of John Carpenter, deceased. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Martha Givens my negro woman, Cats to be at her whole and sole disposal at her death. And I also lend to my said widow, Martha, my negro girl, Mary, during the life of said wife Martha.
     Item. I give to my son Benjamin Givens my slaves Dick, Jack, Mary, Willoby, Cabbell and Hannah, and he is to pay my two daughters Sally Campbell and Martha Givens each in property the sum fifty dollars at the end of twelve months after my decease. And my son Benjamin is also to supply my wife Martha an ample and comfortable support with the sole use of her room during her natural life. I also give and bequeath to my son Samuel Gives, fifty dollars worth of live stock which I now own. I also give and bequeath to my son Benjamin Givens all the residue of my stocks of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs together with all my farming utinsils of every kind and all my household furniture of every description and lastly, I do hereby appoint my sons Robert Givens and Benjamin Givens Executors of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this first day of May in the year of our Lord 1801.
(signed) James Givens
    Signed and sealed in the presence of us: George Givens, Isaac Shelby
    Memo before signed that my son Benjamin Givens is also to pay to my son John Givens the sum of fifty dollars worth of property to make his share more equal with my other sons shares.
     At a Court held for Lincoln County on the 18th day of July 1801, the within will was proved by the oath of Isaac Shelby and George Givens to be the act and deed of the within names James Givens and order to be recorded.
Witness: James Montgomery DC LCC

     (LDS film #0982311) PIONEER FAMILIES OF MISSOURI, by William S. Bryan and Robert Rose, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1977, St. Charles County: JAMES GIVENS, of Augusta co VA, had the following named children--Robert, Samuel, James, Jr., John, Benjamin, and Martha. They all settled in Lincoln co KY, in 1780. Benjamin married Hannah Riggs, of Kentucky, and settled in Howard co MO, in 1821. John married Martha Robinson, of Kentucky. They had seven children--James, Margaret, Samuel, Robert, Jane, Alexander R., and Martha. Of these children, Alexander married and settled in Johnson county, Missouri; Samuel married Sarah S. Organ, of Indiana, and came to Missouri in 1823, and in 1825 he removed to Charles county. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. They had eight children, five of whom are living. Mr. Givens brought his wedding coat (a blue "pigeon tail") with him when he came to Missouri, and his wedding boots, which had never been wet. He also brought the gammon stick which he used for hanging hogs at butchering time. These articles are still preserved in the family.