Book 2, Page 37
Proven: September Term, 1867

In the name of God, Amen

I William Crew a citizen of the County of Hawkins State of Tennessee being of sound and disposing mind and memory, for which I am thankful to Almighty God, do hereby make and publish this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all others wills which may have heretofore at any time been made by me.

First – I will and bequeath that my Executors hereinafter to be named as soon after my death as convenient and as convenient with a due respect to the time which may elapse shall expend at public sale in manner and form as provided by the statutes laws of Tennessee is case of administration for cash in hand or on a credit with good and approved viewing as in the judgment of my said executors will be most conducive to the interest of my said estate, all and every the personal property belonging to my said estate at the time of my decease excepting so much and such of my personal property as may by law be exempt in the hands of my wife as my widow in the event she shall survive me for her benefit and that out of the first moneys or effects belonging to my said estate coming into the hands of my said executors, I desire my funeral expenses and all my just debts to be paid said funeral expenses to be paid first.

Second – I will and bequeath to each of my three daughters in Texas, viz: Mary A. Ward, Nancy Ripley and Sarah Horton and each to their separate use and benefit, the sum of twelve hundred dollars that is the say twelve hundred dollars to my said daughter Mary A. Ward and twelve hundred dollars to my said daughter Nancy Ripley, and twelve hundred dollars to my said daughter Sarah Horton, each to their separate use and benefit as aforesaid free from any claim whatsoever that may be set upon rights of their respective husbands, said twelve hundred dollars to the same Mary, Nancy and Sarah as aforesaid is designed to make them equal with the balance of my children to whom instead of money, I have given interests in my lands in Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Third – I will and bequeath to my son William H. Crew, my ‘Home Place’ laying in Hawkins County, Tennessee being that portion of the tract of land lying west of a line running from Carter Valley Road at a point on said road about one half mile east of my present residence to the back boundary line of said tract, and included in the boundaries of a grant issued by one Henry Lee Governor of Virginia to Jacob Wills dated August 17, 1792 and being the dame tract of land upon which the dwelling house in which I now reside is situated and containing one hundred and sixty acres be the same more of less.

I furthermore will and bequeath to my son William H. Crew an additional tract of land adjoining the tract abovementioned lying in said County of Hawkins State of Tennessee and bounded as follows to wit; beginning at two chestnut oaks and a hickory, at the conditional corner between John Wills and myself; thence with Wills line north 81 degrees east, 125 poles to a white [missing word ?] on the bank of the North Fork river, Wills corner, thence up the river bank north 26 degrees west, 34 poles to a clack oak and ending on the river bank on the Virginia line, then south 86 degrees west 110 poles to a stake on David Wills line near the top of a high ridge thence south forty poles to the beginning being the same tract of land contained in a grant from the State of Tennessee to William Crew Sr. dated to 7th day of February 1848, containing 27 acres be the same more or less.

I furthermore will and bequeath to my said son, William H. Crew an additional tract of said land lying in Hawkins County, Tennessee and bounded as follows to wit: beginning at a black oak, white oak and black walnut Crews old corner on the north side of Carter Valley road and on M Minus line; thence with the same north 73 degrees 200 poles to a stake on said line thence 17 degrees west 20 poles to a stake on the top of a knob, thence with the ___ south 74 degrees west 25.3 poles to a stake on the top of a knob thence down south 23 degrees west 36 poles to the beginning being the same tract of land included in the boundary described in a grant from the State of Tennessee to William Crew dated 6th day of November 1837 and containing forty acres be the same more or less.

I do furthermore will and bequeath to my said son William H. Crew an additional tract of land lying in Hawkins county, Tennessee on the south side first mentioned tract adjoining the same, and the lands of John Bellamy, David Sensabaugh and Widow Click containing about 37 acres by the same ore or less and being the same included in the boundaries of a deed from Thomas Bradshaw to me which said four tracts of land abovementioned, I will and bequeath as aforesaid to my said son William H. Crew in fee simple and as part and parcel of this provision in order that my precious wife, Sarah may be comfortable provided for, during her natural life providing she shall survive me.

I further will and bequeath that my said son William H. Crew in the event of said wife Sarah shall survive me shall permit my said wife Sarah to occupy the house in which I now reside along with himself and that he to provide for her in food, clothing, medical attention as will be necessary for her comfort or if my said wife Sarah shall prefer it, that she have dowry assigned her from said ‘Home Place’ abovementioned to consist of one third thereof including the dwelling house, outhouse to hold during her natural life and at the death, her dais dower interest abovementioned to revert to my said son William H. Crew in fee simple and if my said wife Sarah shall prefer the assignment of dower as aforesaid to the support which my said son William H. Crew is required herein to give her in that event she shall further have such portion of my personal estate as she as my widow shall by law be entitled.

Fourth – I will and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Francisco and her husband Jackson Francisco for the separate use of my said daughter Elizabeth Francisco the following tract or boundary of land lying in Hawkins County, Tennessee and being a part of the tract known as the ‘Upper Place’ and adjoining the north side of the tract of land on which the said Jackson Francisco now resides and bounded as follows to wit: beginning at a white oak on Kinkead‘s line at the edge of the Carters Valley Road; thence south 17 degrees east 174 poles to a stake in the middle of a gap near two poplar saplings marked as pointers thence through the gap due east 68 poles to two black oaks on the south side of a ridge; thence due south 34 poles to a stake on the back line; thence north 73 degrees east 63 poles to a chuqupin oak; thence due north 102 poles to a white corner of Bellamy‘s peach orchard on line running between John Bellamy and myself; thence with said Bellamy‘s line around the mouth of a ___ to a stake; thence with said Bellamy‘s line to a red oak and ___ to a rock, thence north 39 degrees west 32 poles to a stake in the Carters Valley Road thence 58 degrees west 44 poles to a stake in the road on the top of a hill thence north 87 degrees west 46 poles to a ___ Kinkeads corner, then south 60 degrees west 38 poles to the beginning and containing by estimation 147 acres.

Fifth – I will and bequeath to my daughter Lucinda Crew in fee simple for her own separate use and benefit the following tract of land lying in said County of Hawkins and State of Tennessee, being the residue of the tract of land known as the ‘Upper Place’ after taking off the parcel hereinbefore given to Elizabeth Francisco and her husband Jackson Francisco, and bounded as follow to wit: beginning at a white oak on Kinkeads line at the edge of the Carters Valley Road thence south 17 degrees east 174 poles to a stake in the middle of a gap near two poplar saplings marked as pointers; thence through the gap due east 68 poles to two black oaks on the south side of a ridge; thence due south 34 poles to a stake on the back line; thence south 75 degrees west 197 poles to a stake on the line of an old tract; thence Kinkeads line north 21 degrees west 193 poles to a white oak on a dwelling corner between David Kinkead and myself; thence north 60 degrees east 14 poles to the beginning containing two hundred and ten acres.

Sixth – I furthermore will and bequeath that as much as the parcels of land herein given to my son William H Crew are more valuable than the parcel of land herein given to my daughter Lucinda Crew and in as much as the parcel of land herein given to my daughter Elizabeth Francisco and her said husband Jackson Francisco is more valuable that the parcel herein given to my daughter Lucinda Crew and in order that the said William H. Crew and the said Elizabeth Francisco and her said husband Jackson Francisco and the said Lucinda Crew may all be as near equal as possible, the said Elizabeth Francisco and her husband Jackson Francisco taking one interest as aforesaid and that my said children may share and share alike in the divisions of my said lands, I ___ as a part and parcel of the grants and bequests herein made that my said daughter Elizabeth Francisco and her said husband Jackson Francisco pay to my said daughter Lucinda the sum of one hundred dollars and that my said son William H. Crew pay to my said daughter Lucinda the sum of three hundred dollars.

Seventh – I will and bequeath that my said executors as soon as possible after my decease shall collect all debts, monies due my estate and after having collect the same and gathered together all the residue of my estate that may remain after satisfying the foregoing legacies and bequests that is to say out of said the sum of five hundred dollars to my said daughter Lucinda which amount I desire her to have as a separate legacy and as a recompense to her for her care attention and labor she has undergone for many years in and about the comfort and welfare of my wife and myself and after the paying to her the said five hundred dollars, I direst that my said executors divide all the residue of my said estate not heretofore disposed of equally among all my children, my said daughter Lucinda included.

Eighth – I hereby nominate and appoint William H. Crew, Jackson Francisco and William Click as my Executors.

William Crew (Seal)

Signed, Sealed and Published in our presence this the 10th of June AD 1867 and we have hereto signed our names as witnesses in presence of the testator and by his direction.

James W. Davidson
Robert Click
Hiram K. Wills (his mark)

Transcribed by Betty Mize