Book A, Transcript Page: 308

I Richardson B. Edwards of the County of Carroll & the State of Tennessee considering the uncertainty of this mortal life & being of sound & perfect mind & memory Blessed be Almighty God for the same do make & publish this my last Will & Testament in manner & form following. That is to say
Item 1st it is my will and desire that my Just debts should I owe any at the time of my death Should be punctually paid.
Item 2nd. It is my will and desire that should my wife Martha Edwards out live me that her and all my children that may be unmarried at the time of my death shall have the use and benefiet of the plantation on which I now live provided they can agree to live togather during the lifetime or widowhood of my said wife. At her death or intermariage it is my will and desire that my son Richardson T. I. Edwards have said Tract of Land togather with the following named negroes (Viz) Pheby Tom Abram & Caroline. My wife Martha to have the use of said negroes in conjunction with my son Richardson during her lifetime or widowhood My said son Richardson is to have one horse Saddle & bridle and all my farming tools.
Item 3d.
To my Daughter Nancy D. Davis I give and bequeath to her & the heirs of her body the following negroes (Viz) Nelson & Porter.
Item 4th to my Daughter Mary W. Forrest I give and bequeath to her & the heirs of her body the following named negroes.
(Viz) Boyd.
Item 5th. To my daughter Angettina Warren I give and bequeath to her & the heirs of her Body the following negro Boy (Viz) William with a clear understanding that a Legacy comeing to her from her Grandfather Alston Jones estate is included in the above bequeath.
“Item 6”
To my daughter Martha Edwards I give and bequeath to her and the heirs of her body the following named Negroes (Viz) Ned & Pearce her legacy in her Grandfathers Estate included as above.
Item 7th
To my daughter Isabella Edwards I give and bequeath to her & the heirs of her body the following named Negroes (Viz) John Betsy & Frank.
Item 8th
To my daughter Tennessee Edwards I give and bequeath to her & the heirs of her body the following negroe Boys (Viz) Joseph
Item 9th
All the balance of my property not before disposed of it is my Will that it be sold on a credit of Twelve months and after all debts and expences are paid the money accruing from said sale togather with all debts owing to me at the time of my death be equally divided between my daughters Nancy Martha & Isabella & my son Richardson T. J. Edwards.
Lastly I hereby appoint Richmond S. Cole Executor of this my last will & Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 18th day of March 1856.

R. B. Edwards (Seal)

Signed sealed published & declared by the above named Richardson B. Edwards to be his last will & testament in presence of us who hereunto subscribe our names as witnesses in the presence of the testator

Thomas Hamilton – David I. Mays.

State of Tennessee )
Carroll County ( October Term 1857.

At the above term of said court was produced in open court a paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Richardson B. Edwards Decd. and offered for probate which was admitted And thereupon the said will was duly proven by the testimony of Thomas Hamilton and David I. Mays and ordered to be duly received of which the foregoing is a copy test.

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.