Book A, Transcript Page: 450

In the name of God Amen I Citizen S. Woods of the County of Carroll State of Tennessee do make and publish this my last will and testament hereby reviking and making void all wills at any time made.

Article 1st I give my body to the dust until the Resurection and my soul to Almighty God who gave it

Article 2nd It is my will that my Executors &c pay my funeral expenses and my just debts so soon after my death as they conveniently can.

Article 3rd I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Jane M. Woods during her natural life or widowhood the following property real and personal (Viz)
The tract of land I now reside on containing three hundred and fifty acres I also give her for the same way and for the same time all the buildings and improvements of evry kind I also give her all my stock of horses mules oxen cattle sheep hogs and fowls also one thousand dollars in cash and I give her the anual interest that my accrue on all debts Notes judgments accounts and all evidences of indebtedness to me that may be due me at the time of my decease and I wish the same kept at interest as long as she lives a widow I also give her all my household and kitchen furniture Buggy waggon gear all my farming utensils and carpenters tools and all other things belonging on the place during her natural life or widowhood which is done at her own request also all corn wheat Oats hay fodder and all other crops that I may have on hand or growing at the time of my decease all of which I give her in lieu of Dower &c

I will and bequeath to Virginia B. Fly formerly Virginia B. Peeples Ann Thomas Peeples Corinna Peeples a tract of land containing Sixty five acres situated on the road running from Huntingdon to Lexington and on Briar Creek a fork of Beaver Creek which I hold by deed of James Mc Collum Clerk Master &c Also one other tract of land of about Eighty five acres which I hold by deed of Edward Gwin (this deed is for one hundred acres but som has been sold and some lost or may be lost by interference) also one other tract of land containing about thirty acres for which I hold a deed of Y. W. Allen Also a sixty seven acre tract (or there abouts) for which I hold a deed from John Clark Samuel Ingram & others. Also another tract of about Eight acres for which I hold a deed from the same parties Also a ninety three acre tract for which I hold the deed of Mathis Bigham. All the foregoing lands are adjoining and situated on Briar & Beaver Creeks and a small portion held by the Eight Acre deed is on the north side of Bever Creek and adjoining the town of Huntingdon. Also a tract of Four and one half or five acres situated between the two Roads from Huntingdon to Paris and adjoining the town of Huntingdon. Also a tract of Four and one half or five acres situated between the two Roads from Huntingdon to Paris and adjoining the town of Huntingdon. Also a tract situated between the western margin of Huntingdon & Beaver Creek and north of the Road leading towards Jackson of which I hold the deed of Wm. H. Woods John M. Towns containing two or three acres
The whol amounting to about two hundred and ninety one acres which I value at two thousand and five hundred dollars

Articles 5th I give and bequeath to Wm. C. Peeples the right to live upon the land which I have given to his children named above being the place whare he now resides during his natural life.

Articles 6th I will and bequeath unto unto Hiram Peeples and Laura Peeples my Grand children apart of a thirteen hundred acre tract of Land Situated in the County of Benton State od Tennessee on the Bank of the Tennessee River beginning at a stake and pointers at the lower corner of my tract on the River and running west to the back line of the old Mulholland Land being a corner of the land belonging to the Mulhollands heirs, thence in a southern direction with said back line about one hundred & sixty Poles thence east to the bank of the Tennessee River thence along the bank of the River to the beginning about one hundred & fifty Poles I wish the said last described tract of land split with a line in the middle beginning at the river and running to the western boundary and I give to Hiram Peebles the lower half and Susan Peeples the upper half each tract being about seventy five poles wide

Article 7th I will and bequeath to my grand son Thos. I Woods son of Wm. H. Woods deceased, one tract of land which I hold by deed of Robt. I. Chester containing one hundred and Eighty two acres situated on the South side of Beaver creek about one mile from the town of Huntingdon.

Article 8th. I will and bequeath unto my Grand Daughter Mary E. Hurt one hundred and thirty eight acres of land situated on Bevar Creek and bounded as follows (to wit) Beginning at the south east corner of the late John Princes a hickory and oak corner and running west with his line one hundred poles to a stake in said line with Post oak & Spanish oak pointers thence south two hundred and twenty poles to a stake in Briar creek with gum and small poplar pointers thence eastward up said creek to a Beech with Elm and Ash pointers thence east twenty poles to a stake with hickory pointers on the line. Of the land I shall herein give to Peter H. Woods my son and his children thence with his and Wm Marshals lines two hundred and twenty two poles to the beginning which I value at seven hundred Dollars I give the same to her for her own and seperate use independent of any husband she may hereafter marry which said tract will be better understood by refference to a plot if a division of a tract of one thousand & eighty five acres for which I hold a deed from Wm I. Polk and this is know as lot No. 3 in said division.

Article 9th. I give and bequeath unto Wyly H. Woods my grand son lot No. 2 in the said division containing about one hundred and thirty seven acres and bounded as follows Beginning at the North West corner of lot No. 3 at a stake with post oak and Spanish oak pointers the lot given to Mary E. Hurt on Princes line and running west one hundred and two poles to a stake with two black Oak and small post oak pointers then south about one hundred and eighty four poles to a stake in Briar Creek thence up said creek with the middle of the channel of the same about one hundred and ten poles to the south west corner of lot No. 3 a stake in said creek with black gum and a small poplar pointers thence north with said lot two hundred and twenty poles to the beginning which I value at Seven hundred dollars.

Article 10th. I will and bequeath to Susan Y. Woods my grand daughter lot No. 1 in said division containing about one hundred and twenty three acres and bounded as follows: Beginning at the north west corner of lot No. 2 in said division a stake on Princes line with two black oaks and small poplar pointers and running west one hundred and sixteen Poles to a stake on Princes line with white oak and other pointers thence South with John Mebane’s line about one hundred and sixty two poles to a stake in the bed of Briar creek with ash horn beam and gum pointers on the north bank the north west corner of lot No. 5 thence up the centre of the channel and the centre of the ditches as it is partially straightened about one hundred and twenty three poles to the south west corner of Lot No. 2 thence North with the same about one hundred and eighty four and one half poles to the beginning which I value at seven hundred dollars and I give it to her sole and seperate use independent of any person she may marry.

Article 11th I give and bequeath unto James F. Woods my grand son Lot No. 4 in said division containing one hundred ant thirty four acres and bounded as follows (to wit) Beginning forty poles south of the S.W. corner of the 250 acre tract I bought of the Estate of Ezekiel Thomas at a Red Oak in John Mebane’s line bought of Kirk and wife with Red oak and Spanish Oak pointers and running west one hundred and fifty eight poles to a stak with white oak gum and Elm pointers thence North one hundred and forty poles with lot No. 5 to a stake in Briar creek with four Black oak and Elm pointers thence East with Lots No. 2 & 3 up the centre of Briar creek one hundred and forty poles to a large Beech on the South bank of said creek thence east twenty poles to a stake with Hickory pointers in the line of the two hundred and fifty acre tract given to the children of Peter H. Woods, being the Ezekiel Thomas Estate tract heretofore refered to thence South with the same and John Mebane’s line one hundred forty poles to the beginning which I value at Seven Hundred Dollars

Article 12th I will and bequeath unto George P. Harris, Thomas H. Harris and Mary E. Harris children of my daughter Elizabeth H. Harris Decd the following described Real and Personal Estate (to wit) Onetract of land situated west of where I now reside being a part of the tract I bought and hold the deed of Wm. I. Polk and known in the division of said tract as lot No. 5 containing about five hundred and forty acres which said 544 acres is situated south and west of the following dividing lines Beginning on a Red oak with Red and Spanish oak pointers forty poles south of the S. W. Corner of a 250 acre tract I bought of E. Thomas’s Estate on John Mebane’s line and the South west corner of lot No. 4 in said division and running west one hundred & fifty eight poles to a stake with white oak Gum and Elm pointers thence north about one hundred and forty Poles to a stake in the centre of Briar creek (as it is now straightened) with four Black Oak and Elm pointers thence down the centre of the same as it is now partially straightened to the west boundary of the tract I bought of the said Wm. I. Polk. Also one other tract on Crooked and Beaver Creek and Obion River for which I hold three grants the whole amounting to five hundred and forty seven acres.
Both of which I value at Thirty hundred dollars I have heretofore given to Elizabeth H. Harris my daughter and the mother of the aforesaid legatees in Cash Horses, Mules &c Six hundred Dollars.

Articles 13th I will and bequeath to Wm. H. Luther and Lelah Woods children of my Deceased son Peter H. Woods Jointly and equally the Tract two hundred and fifty acres I Bought of the Estate of Ezekiel Thomas which I hold by the decree of the heirs of said Thomas Exparte in the Circuit Court of Carroll County Also one tract of twenty seven acres for which I hold a deed from Wm. Henry also one tract of nine acres for which I hold the deed of Wm. Allen including the residence where my son Peter H. Woods lived at the time of his Decease I also give them the tract of land of three hundred fifty acres which is herein given to my wife Jane M. Woods during her life That is after the death of my wife it is to go to the three legatees before named This last includes my present residence All of which I value at three thousand dollars I have heretofore given to my son Peter H. Woods the father of the before named persons three hundred and fifty dollars

Article 14th It is my wish that Virginia Woods the widow of my deceased son Peter and the mother of the above named children have the right to live upon the land I have here given to her children with them during her natural life or widowhood.

Article 15th. It is my will that my beloved wife Jane M. Woods have complete control over that portion of my tract of land situated upon Tennessee River not heretofore given to Hiram and Laura Peeples either to sell or to use in any way she thinks proper if she sells the same the proceeds are to be for her own use during her life, but if at her death the land or any part of same shall remain unsold or being sold the proceeds or any part thereof shall remain unexpended then I wish the land or money to be divided so as to give to the children of Wm. H. Woods Decd. Sarah Ann Peeples Decd Elizabeth H. Harris Decd and Peter H. Woods Decd. each one fourth part of the same.

Article 16th. I will and bequeath unto John Taylor provided he lives with us during the natural life of myself and wife and help to make something to support us my undivided half which I hold with the heirs of Seth W. Bell of a certain tract of land estimated at three hundred and twenty acres situated in the forks of Crooked and Gwins Creeks.

Article 13th. It is my wish that my wife pay my funeral expenses and whatever small debts I may be owing at the time of my death out of the means which I have given her,

Article 13th. I Request the Circuit Court to appoint Commissioners in any case where any of the land given to my grand children have to be divided and that the said court may decree upon the report of said commissioners without the form of petition &c Provided the heirs interested or their legal representatives apply to the court for the appointment of said commissioners.

Article 19th. It is my wish that the foregoing distribution of my property shall be final and that it be so considered by all parties interested therein and that no appeal may be taken therefrom but that each may be satisfied with the portion alloted them and that no call shall hereafter be made by upon another for anything additional upon the plea of unequality.

Article 20th. I will and bequeath unto Virginia B. Fly Ann Thomas Peeples and Carrinna Peeples children of my deceased daughter Sarah Ann Peeples my undivided half interest in lot No. – Situated in the town of Huntingdon and bounded as follows: on the north by one ally on the east by Robt. Mc Cracken on the south by the public Square and on the west by Dr. J.S. Ramsey.

Article 20th I hereby appoint my beloved wife J. M. Woods my Executrix and my friend Alvin Hawkins my Ecutor to carry out this my last will and testament

Witness my hand & seal this the 11th day of October A.D. Eighteen hundred and sixty five

C. S. Woods (Seal)

Witness W. H. Hawkins
Jas. N. Gardner
Wm. H. Allen

I make this codicil to my last will and testament (to wit) If before or after my death any property should recur to me or my estate I wish it equally divided between my wife and the family of my four children (to wit) To my wife one fifth, to my daughter Sarah’s children one fifth to my son Wm’s children one fifth, to my daughter Elizabeth’s children one fifth and to the children of my son Peter one fifth and if any person who is interested in my will should interfere with the execution of it or any part of the Same my will is that he or she be excluded from any interest in my estate. It is my will that Grace and Ann with their families have the use of the house of the house they now live in togather with the small field lying between the stage and Railroads Grace during her life time and Ann for the term of Fifteen years after the death of my wife upon the condition that they remain with and assist my wife during her life time and do not disturb any family that may hereafter live at my present Residence.

Witness my hand and Seal this the 22nd day of November A. D. Eighteen hundred and sixty five.

C. S. Woods

Witness
A. G. Hawkins
A. V. Phillips

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This text was transcribed by Jere Cox from the typescript entitled Tennessee Records of Carroll County Will Book “A” September, 1822 – 1864 (approximately) created in 1937 under the Works Progress Administration.

Corresponding Resource: FamilySearch has a microfilm copy of the WPA transcript of Will Book A available to view on-line (click here).  A free FamilySearch login is required to view microfilm.

Jere Cox was an early Carroll County TNGenWeb coordinator.  We do not intend to violate Jere’s copyright interests by including the transcription here, but we want to make sure his efforts remain available for future researchers.