Will Book __, Page 53
July 26, 1840

In the Name of God, Amen.

I, Nicholas Baldwin of the County of Hawkins in the State of Tennessee, being in great bodily affliction and believing my corporeal existance near an end, yet being in my mind pure, do hereby make this my land Will and Testament in words and figures as follows:

To my dear wife, Ailcy Baldwin, I do bequeath all my land and stock and household furniture to raise her children on that she has now and to have full power to sell and apply any personal property to the use and maintenance of the children during her natural life or widowhood, to give to each and every one as they come of age what she may think a reasonable portion, and when they all come of age for her if she yet lives, to have the land for her maintenance.

But should she marry again, the property to be sold on a twelve months’ credit by my Executors that I shall hereafter name — all but one bed and furniture which she shall have and all the land I want in that case to be rented by my Executors for cash or other property, and if property, to be sold for cash and the money kept at usury, and at the youngest coming of age, the money and land to be equally divided among the children, taking into consideration what the older ones have got as they grew up.

And should the children want any money for schooling in the case my wife Ailcy Baldwin married, the Executors shall advance what they think reasonable for their schooling and should she marry a sober, pious man that the children would be willing to live with, in that case, if she choose to live on the land, she shall have half the cleared land to stay on till the youngest child comes of age, then a division as before stated take place and the other half of the land be rented, and but so long as she remains single, she is to have the sole control of the tendings of the land, and the right of the personal property till the youngest child comes of age, then to have a third of the land during her life or widowhood.

And, I do hereby appoint my friends Richard Mitchell and Henry Byrd my true and lawful executors to this my last Will and Testament, and I do hereby make this my last will, revoking all former wills by me.

And in full testimony of the above…will, I have set my name and affixed my seal on the 26th day of July in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and forty. In presence of Joseph Brooks and John Byrd who are subscribing witnesses hereto.

Nicholas x Baldwin (seal)

Witnesses:

Joseph Brooks
John Byrd

This Hawkins County Will was transcribed by one of the following volunteers:  Audrae Mathis; Gary Fletcher; Betty Mize; Diana Arney; Karen Negron, Kathey Welder.