The following inscription was found on a headstone in Bowden Kirk Cemetery;

This document is a transcript of the last will and testament of John Mabon who resided in Midlem in the parish of Bowden. John Mabon died on the 19^TH June 1899. The original document can be viewed in the NAS in Edinburgh, file reference SC62-44-99, Page number 632.

I John Mabon, sawer, residing in Midlem for certain good causes and considerations do hereby grant, assign, and dispose to and in favour of Mrs Mary Lauder or Mabon, my spouse in lifesent, but for her lifesent only and to and in favour of Thomas Mabon, Glasgow, Adam Mabon, Berwick, John and William Mabon, all my sons, jointly and their respective heirs, exacters and successors if fee, but burden the said fee in name after writing all and sundry, lands and heritage, and in the whole estate reitable and movable, seal and personal of what kind or denomination soever or wherever  situated at present belonging on addebited or that shall belong or be attributed to me at the time of my death and I hereby nominate the said Mrs Mary lauder or Mabon, whom failing my son the said Thomas Mabon, whom failing my son Adam Mabon to be my sole executer but declaring always that the fee of my estate is hereby disposed under burden of the following provision the occupation of the lifesent in favour of my spouse, my sons shall be bound to obtain a just and true valuation of my estate made up at the sight of a natural honourable men and they shall sell and dispose of the whole estate and for the value or price they shall be bound to account to each other and to their sisters Margaret Mabon or Wayden, Agnes Mabon or Bell and Janet Mabon of Heddin and that in equal shares and proportions my ernest desirer being that all my children should share equally in my estate on the death of my spouse and declaring that if any child die leaving issue such issue shall succeed to their parents share and I execute my lifesent right and power to alter and revoke these present at pleasure and I dispense with delivery and I assign all my writs, titles and securities to my dispenses and I consent to registration for preservation in witness therefore I have subscribed these presents written on this and the proceeding page by David Carnegie Alexander, writer in Selkirk and declaring that the letter “acet” on the forth line and the same letter “acet” on the ninth line of page first were deleted before subaceipition at Midlem, the ninth day of September eighteen hundred and seventy five years before these witnesses the said witnesses David Carnegie Alexander and Thomas Darling, post boy, Selkirk

There is also a document submitted by Mr Richard Vary Campbell, Sheriff of Roxburgh, Berwick and Selkirk showing that the accounts of the estate had been submitted and were true. The value of the estate was 51 Pounds 13 shillings and 10 pennies which was lodged in the “Nation Bank of Scotland Limited”

Headstone found in Bowden church yard