WILL OF
William Williams, Junior,

9 January 1850, DeKalb Co., Tennessee Will Book A Page 91-100,
Co. Clerk's Office, Smithville, Tennessee.
Proven, 4 March 1850. Transcribed from a copy of the original line for line.

In the name of God Amen. I William Williams, being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory do make and publish this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following (towit)

Item first.

It is my will and desire that all my just debts be paid,-- 2nd. I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Rachel Williams a generous Support from my home plantation where I now live and that she have the use of my dwelling house, barne, and stable s with other out houses for her benefit during her natural life; also it is my will and desire that my wife have the Benefit to and Labour of my black man cary and also the benefit and labour of my black woman Arminta during her natural life and at the death of my wife this plantation and negros above named to be equally divided among my Sons and daughters also it is my will and wish that my beloved wife have two head of horses, two cows, one Yoke of Oxen and cart also three breeding Sows also twelve head of Stock hoggs for next Years provission also two beadsteads with two feather beads and furniture also I wish my wife to have twoploughs and two callars harnes, and Two pare of chane traces, also it is my will and desire that my wife have a Sufficient Support for this present year out of the crop on hand at this time Including corn fodder bacon & c Also I wish her to have a sufficient quantity of wheat at next harvest to answer her family use also I will to my Beloved wife all my personal stock of geese also I give my beloved wife five of my breeding Sheep Say Ewes, also I give to my beloved wife my Cupboard and cupboard furniture also my beaureau also Kitchen furniture, such as pots ovens Kettles and Skillets sufficient to do her cooking and washing also one loom and geer also I give my wife two cotton wheels with two pare of cotten cardes also it is my will and desire that my wife have Salt, sugar and coffee, to do her and family this present year, a nd at or after the death of my beloved wife Rachel Williams it is my will and desire that all I have herein willed to my Said wife be equally divided amongst my sons and daughters after my wife having been supported as before named;

Item the 3rd

I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter Elizabeth one black woman named Vilet with her increase, during life unto the said Elizabeth her heirs, and assigns forever

Item the 4th

I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter Rebecca my black woman named rose, with all her increase unto the said Rebecca her heirs and assigns forever,

Item the 5th

I will and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Nancy my black woman Milla, with all her increase unto the said Nancy her heirs and assigns forever,

Item the 6th

I will and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Parale my black girl named Amanda with all her increase unto the said Parale her heirs and assign forever, also one horse with bridle and saddle one bead stead bead and furniture.

Item 7th

I will and bequeath to my beloved Son Leroy one beadstead, bead and furni- ture,

Item the 8th

I will and bequeath to my beloved Son Vinson one beadstead bead and furniture,

Item the 9th

I will and bequeath to my beloved Son James Monroe and horse bridle and saddle also and beadstead bead and furniture,

Item the 10th

I will and bequeath to my beloved Sons and daughter, Mariah,(towit) Matthew, John W., Leroy, Thomas Jefferson, Vinson and James Monroe Williams, The following named black boys, (towit) the first named Sam, Mason, Isom, Alfred, Henry, Neas, Nelson, and Jasper, all black boys, now it is my will and desire that my Sons and my daughter above named draw for the above named black boys, putting Neas and Jasper together making seven lots one lot for my daughter Mariah and one lot for each of my Sons above named to be drawn for by the above named Sons and daughter, and then Value by disinterested men and those which have drawn the most valuable to pay over to those that have drawn a lot or one of less val ue untill all are made equal, in value (Explanation) It is my will and desire that all the negros named in this will first and last Except, those given to my wife, be valued by disinterested men, and that my Gray Tract of land be sold on a Twelve months C redit and the money applied to making up to those which have drawn negros of last value (Explanation) It is my wish and will that the four first named negro women given to four of my daughters be valued only as aforesaid and not drawn for,

Item 11th

It is my will and wish that a portion of the Tract of land on which I live be Sold on twelve months credit Say the portion where Washington Bane now live Running round with the old lines on the west and on the east running to the top of the rig e Including said Banes Improvement

Item 12th

I will and bequeath unto the heirs of my Daughter Temperance (towit) Parale, William and Temperance Fite the Sum of five hundred dollars, say, to Parale & William, two hundred and fifty dollars, and to Temperance two hundred and fifty dollars, to them their heirs and assigns forever (Explanation) My son James Monroe has a coalt which I gave him, the coalt unaltered now if said coalt should die from being altered it is my will that the said James monroe should be made whole for the loss of said coalt.

Item 13th

It is my will and wish that all my Stock of horses, cattle, Sheep hogs with all my farming untenteals Corn wheat oats and fodder And all Kitchen, and household furniture not willed or given to my beloved wife or otherwise disposed of in this will be sold on twelve months credit and the proceeds thereof to go to making my children Equal in Value or as near so as may be wright

Item the 14th

I will and bequeath to my grand daughter Temperance one horse sadle and bridle for her her heirs and assigns forever provided nevertheless If it can be done without interfering with the provisions heretofore made in making my own children equal in the division of the negros

Item the 15th

It is my will and desire that my two oldes Sons Matthew and John Williams be the executors of this my last will and testament and that they execute the same agreeable to the provision thereof

Signed and sealed in the presents of the subscribing witnesses this 9th day of January 1850

William Williams

Test
John W. Williams,
Leroy Williams,
T.J. Williams,

State of Tennessee. DeKalb County
On motion a paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of William Williams deceased, late a resident citizen of DeKalb County Tennessee, which will or paper writing was presented in open court by Thomas Durham sealed up, which will or paper writing was broken open in open court by the said Thomas Durham Said will or paper writing was then presented in open court for probate, and was duly proven in open Court by the oaths of John W. Williams and T.J. Willi ams two of the subscribing witnesses to Said will or paper writing who being first duly Sworn in open court depose and Say that they were acquainted with William Williams the testator who died in DeKalb County, Tennessee and that the said Wi lliam Williams was a resident citizen of said County at the time of his death and that they signed said will or paper writing as such witnesses in his presence and by his request and that he acknowledged the same in their presence to be his last will and desires, at his own dwelling house and that he was in his right mind and capable of making this his last will and Testament, when it was further ordered by the Court That Thomas Durham be sworn whereupon the said Thomas Durham being duly swo rn in open court depose and say that he was acquainted with Williams the testator and that he wrote the will or paper writing of the said William Williams at his request at his own dwelling house in the county of DeKalb and by the said William W illiams request and that he saw him Sign said will or paper writing and at the same time he spoke and said to his family that said will or paper writing was his will and request and that he the said Testator requested John W Williams and T. J. Williams to sign their names to said will or paper writing as witnesses which they did in my presence and that he was in his right mind at the time of making and signing said will or paper writing and that he requested me to take said wil l or paper writing into my possession which I did and it is the Same that I have here presented in open court, whereupon it was ordered by the court that said will or paper writing be recorded When on motion Matthew Williams and John W Williams the executors named in said will or paper writing of the said William Williams deceased came into open court a nd was duly qualified in open court as such executors by taking the oath as the law directs and entering into bond together with William B. Stokes, John Robinson and Edward Robinson their securities appointed by the court in the penal sum of fifteen Thousand Dollars conditions as the law directs which law Decrees duly acknowledged in open court and ordered to be filed and that letters testamentary Issue to them the said executors,

Test a true copy W.J. Isbell Ck
of DeKalb County court
State of Tennessee DeKalb County

To Matthew Williams and J.W. Williams of DeKalb County, It appearing to the courts that William Williams has died leaving a written will in which you are appointed executors which has been duly proven in open court and you have given bond and quallified according to law and it having been ordered by the said court that letters testamentary Issue to you these are therefore to empower you the said Matthew Williams & John W. Williams to enter upon the execution of said will and take into your possession all the property and to make to the next Court a perfect Inventory thereof and make due collection of all debts and after paying all Just demands aganst the testator and settling up the business according to law and pay over and deliver the property and affects that may remain in your hands and do all other things that may be required according to the provisions of sai d will and the laws of the land witness W.J. Isbell clerk of office the 4th day of March 1850 and the year of American Independence the 74 year W.J. Isbell Clk of DeKalb County court


Leonard J. McCown
217 West 14th Street
Irving, Texas 75060-5903
972-254-7952
E-Mail:Leorard J. McCown

MY LINE OF DESCENT

William Williams Jr.
Elizabeth Williams and John Simpson
Emma Emeline Simpson and Archibald Hunt Sr.
Archibald Hunt and Manasa Emma Lee Skates
Geneva Eveline Hunt and John Mitchell Turner
Hazel Lee Turner and Clarence Eugene McCown
Leonard Joe McCown


Return to top of page.

Return to the Wills page

Return to the Dekalb County Page