Book A, Transcript Page: 346

In the name of God Amen
I Thomas Barham of the County of Carroll and State of Tennessee being of sound mind & disposing memory do make and ordain & publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking all others my me heretofore made.
Item 1st. My soul I resign to God who gave it my body I wish buried decently.
Item 2nd. I desire all my Just debts to be paid as soon as convenient after my death.
Item 3rd I give to my beloved wife Sarah to her sole & separate use for and during her natural life all of my land except the tract known as the Dawson tract all my stock my household and kitchen furniture all my farming utensils and the following slaves to wit Andrew Mary David Marshall George Rose Ezekiel & Therby and such others as I may own at the time of my death and not here after otherwise disposed of.
At the death of my wife I wish all the above named property except the land and four of the slaves towit Andrew David Rose and Mary sold upon such terms as my Executor herinafter named may deem best and the proceeds equally
Item 4th, divided between my children Mary Mc Bride, John Barham, Cassandra Lanier Henry Barham Jackson Barham and Thomas C. Barham.
The shares of Mary Mc Bride and Cassandra Lanier I give to them for their sole and separate use.
Said slaves Andrew David and Rose after the death of my wife I give to such of my children as said slaves may choose as I wish them to live with such of my children as they may desire.
Item 6th. At the death of my said wife I give all of my land Except the Dawson tract to my son Jackson Barham.
Item 7. I give to my daughter Sarah York for and during her natural life for her sole and separate use free from the control of any husband which may now or hereafter have the tract of land known as the Dawson tract and at her death I give the same to the children of my said Daughter.
Item 8. 8th. I give to my daughter Lanier for her sole and separate use for and during her natural life a slave named Harris now in her possession at the death of said daughter I give said slave to my said Daughter’s children.
Item 9. I give to my daughter Sarah York for her natural life for her sole and separate use two slaves now in her possession to wit Mariah & Green at the death of my said Daughter I give said slave and their increase to the children of my said Daughter,
Item 10th, At theath of my wife Sarah I give said girl Mary and her increase to my said daughter Sarah York to her sole and separate use for and during her natural life and at the death of my said daughter Sarah I give said slave and her increase to the children of my said Daughter.
Item 11th. I give to my daughter Mary Mc Bride for her sole and separate use for and during her natural life a negro girl named Jenny now in her possession and at the death of my said Daughter Mary I give said girl and her increase to the children of my said Daughter Mary.
Item 12th. I give to my Grand children Thomas Donald and Hester Ann Donald three slaves to wit Penny Dianna and Anthony.
Item 13th. I have heretofore given my children William now Decd. Mary Mc Bride John Barham Cassandra Lanier Henry Barham Jackson Barham Adline Donald now Deceased Thomas C. Barham and Sarah York property and money which I think will make this disposition of my Estate about equal and just between them and with it I wish them all to be satisfyed.
I do hereby nominate and appoint my son James Henry Barham Executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 12th day of September A. D. 1853.

Thos. Barham (Seal)

Signed sealed and published in our presence 12th Sept. 1853.

Felix Rutherford
Alvin Hawkins.

State of Tennessee )
Carroll County Court ( January Term County Court 1860.

At the above term of said court a paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Thomas Barham Decd. was produced in open court and offered for probate and the same was duly proven by the testitmony of Felix Rutherford and Alvin Hawkins subscribing witness thereto and ordered to be recorded of which the foregoing is a copy test.

W. H. Graves Clerk

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.