Thomas Oliver, Senior, Will (1854)
Book A, Transcript Page: 223
I Thomas Oliver Seym [Senior?] do make and publish this my last will and Testament hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at any time made.
1st I direct that my funeral expences and all my just debts be paid as soon after my death as possible out of any money that I die possessed of or may first come into the hands of my Executors.
2nd I give and bequeath to my son William B. Oliver one thousand that I paid to Benjamin Matlock for the tract of land that said Wm. B. Oliver sold to R. D. Shofner this is all I desire to give to my son Wm. B. Oliver.
3rd I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Oliver four hundred and thirty two dollars that I have paid him in different ways This is all I desire to give to my son Thomas Oliver.
4th. I give and bequeath to my son James L. Oliver two Negro Boys namese Albert and Henry. I have conveyed to my son James L. Oliver by Tend of gift a Negro woman named Ginsery and all of her increase.
5th. I have conveyed and given to Daughter Katharine A. King by Tend of gift a certain Negro woman Rose and her increase.
6th. I have given and conveyed by Tend of gift to my son Burrell Oliver a certain Negro woman named manerva and all of her increase.
7th I give and bequeath to the children of my Daughter Elizabeth Walters Tend a certain Negro woman named Mary and all of her increase I also give to the children of my Daughter Elizabeth Walters Decd the sum of five hundred Dollars to be kept at interest and paid by my Executors to the said children as they arrive at the age of twenty one years or marry should any of the said children die before receiving their distributive share in that case I wish it to be equally divided among the surviving children of said daughter Elizabeth Walters Deceased.
8th Lone to my son John J. Oliver a Negro woman named Lucy and all of her increase during his natural life and at his death to his children Lawfully begotten of his body Should he die without children lawfully begotten of his body then I wish that the property herein loned to my son John J. Oliver be equally divided between the children of my son James L. Oliver the children of Burrell Oliver and the children of my Daughter Elizabeth Walters Decd.
9th I desire that my son James L. Oliver have the sum of sixty Dollars a years as compensation for his trouble of keeping and taking care of my old servant woman named Ginney as long as she may live
10th I wish my Negro boy Beverly sold as soon after my death as my Executors may think best and the money arising from said sale, together with all other money belonging to me not otherwise conveyed away be this will to be equally divided between the children of my son James L. Oliver and the children of my son Burrell Oliver my son John J. Oliver and the children of my Daughter Elizabeth Walters Decd I wish the money conveyed to my son John J. Oliver to used in the same restriction named in the 8th item of this will.
11th. I do hereby appoint William H. Carson and my son James L. Oliver my Executors to execute or carry out this my last will and testament in testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand & affix my seal this 28th day of February A. D. 1854
Thomas Oliver (Seal)
Witness James Rogers.
George W. Rogers
State of Tennessee )
Carroll County Court ( April 3rd 1854
This day a paper writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of Thomas Oliver was offered in open Court for probate and was duly proven by the oaths of James Rogers and George W. Rogers the subscribing witnesses thereto when the court ordered the same to be duly recorded of which the above is a copy test.
W. H. Graves Clk.
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.