Book A, Transcript Page: 165

I John Clark do make & publish this as my last will & testament hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at any timre hertofore made First I derect that my funeral expences & all my debts be paid as soon after my death as practicable out of any money I may die possessed of or may first come into the hands of my Executors. Secondly I give and bequeath to my Daughter Rachel B. Mc Neill during her lifetime all the lands whereon she lately lived (at Hico) to wit Sixty four acres known as the Williams tract also an undivided half of thirty or thirty five acres as the case may be on measurement known as the Burrow tract & on which the mill stands adjoining the above described 64 acres of land with the privilege however of selling the same at any time with the consent and approbation of my Executors herein after name. Reserving to herself Interest on the proceeds of the sale during her lifetime and at her death the said property or the proceeds of the sale as the case may be to be equally divided amongst the Heirs of her Body or their decendants (to-wit) Leonidas J. McNeill James C. Mc Neill Franklin W. Mc Neill Julia Ann Hanna Addison C. Mc Neill George Mc Neill Henry C. Mc Neill Nathan W. Mc Neill Thomas W. Mc Neill Thomas C. Mc Neill, Rebeckah Mc Neill Henry C. Mc Neill. Thirdly I give & bequeath to my Daughter Julia B. Townes during her lifetime a house & two lots in the Tonw of Huntingdon known and designated in the plan of said town as Lots No. 110 & 111 with the privelege however of selling the same at any time if she wishes so to do with the consent & approbation of my Executors hereinafter named Reserving to herself Interest on the proceeds of the sale during her lifetime & at her death the said property or the proceeds thereof as the case may be to be equally divided amongst the heirs of her Body (to-wit) Cornelia C. Grizzard, James F. Townes John M. Townes, Isabella H. Townes Edmond W. Townes Virginia Townes & Henry C. Townes. I also give to my Sd Daughter the sevises of girl Harriett now 8 or 9 years old during her lifetime and then her and her increase if any to be sold by Executors & the proceeds equally divided amonst all my grand children above named or their descendants. It is also my will & wish that my slave Lotty be sett free at my death & she have a cow and calf set apart out of my stock also Corn meat flour sugar & coffee sufficient to last her one year all those articles of property now calld hers such as bed and furniture Tables Chirs &c I also wish her to have the use of my Cabbins & garden lately occupied by Jo Hamerlu during her lifetime & that my Executors pay her twelve dollars per year during the same length of time. Believing that the money and property heretofore given to my two Daughters by me has been nearly equal & being desirous to do equal Justice between all my grand children I am induced to insert this clause in my will (to-wit) heretofore at the request of James Townes I became his security to Hiram A. Johnson for a stock of good part of which is yet due & unpaid and if any part of the same has to be paid by me or out of my Estate or any furhter securityship or advances that I make to keep up said merchandise I think it but just and right that the sum so paid by me should be charged as part of the legacy due from my estate to the heirs of James & Julia B. Townes all except Cornelia C. Grizzard who was not interested in the same and further I have heretofore mad some advances to some of my grand children and taken their notes for the same and may continue to do so tho I do not expect to call one them for payment yet expect it to be a charge against them in the distribution of my estate. The whole of my estate both real and personal except that part employed in Merchandize & except also such as is otherwise disposed of in the foregoing part of this will I recomment to be sold as soon after my death as practicable and on such terms as my Executors may deem of most advantage to all concerned & the proceeds of such sale or sales to be equally divided amongst all my grand children above named except as above exceped. That part of my estate employed in Merchandize I recommend to be continued under the direction of my Executors for the term of two years after my death and then a final close made of everything belonging to the Estate and divided as above directed. Should Legal counsel be necessary my Executors are recommended to emply such & pay them out of the funds of the Store. Lastly I nominate and appoint John K. Clarks James F. Townes and Addison C. Mc Neill Executors of this my last will & testament Given under my hand and Seal this 7th day of October 1850.

John Clark (Seal)

Acknowledged before us the 8th Oct 1850

Alvin Hawkins
James N. Hawkins

State of Tennessee)
Carroll County( January Term 1851

This day the last will and testament of John Clark was produced into open Court and the Execution thereof duly proven by the oaths of Alvin Hawkins and James N. Hawkins the two Subscribing Witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded.

A Copy Test
Y. W. Allen Clerk
By J. C. Whitehorn D. C.

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.