Will Book __, Page 245
[Died 1830-34]

Although at present in tolerable health, thanks be to God, yet certain circumstances render it my duty to provide for the disposal of the little property I now possess or may hereafter possess, and while the blessing of health and sound mind offer, I John S. Hill of Hawkins County, State of Tenn., make this my last Will and Testament in the following manner:

1st. I request that all the debts I owe may be paid by my Executrix and Executor hereafter named as soon as may be convenient after my decease.

2nd. I give to my sons Charles Miller Hill and James Hill the sum of five dollars each only – as I consider they have already a full and equal share with what I have hereby to give my other children.

3rd. To my ever dear and respected wife Martha I give the whole and every part of the balance of my property – lands, negroes, stock of every kind, household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils &c during her life.

4th. At her decease, my will is that the whole of my property be divided among my children in the following manner: That all those of them who may be under sixteen years of age at the time of their mother’s death shall [?] to the amount of $200.00 worth of property each, over and above an equal share with those that may be at that time twenty one years of age or over, and likewise to all those at that time who may be between twenty one and sixteen years old, $100.00 worth of property each, more than those who may be then twenty one years of age or more.

5th. I give my children Betsy Hill, Levin Hill, Sally Hill, Martha Hill, Ketty Hill, Ann Augusta Hill & Thomas Robinson Hill at the death of their mother the whole of my land, also negroes Fred, Cherry, Dick, Eliza, Martha and all the children that Cherry, Eliza and Martha may hereafter have.

Also all the stock of every kind, the whole of the household and kitchen furniture, the farming utensils of every kind and the whole of the provisions that maybe on hand at that time, each to have an equal share to them and to each of their heirs.

6th. To Polly Moore, Benjamin Hill, John Stephen Hill, Peggy Hill, Jenny Boltzell and Joshua Hill I give all and every part of the balance of my property, to be equally divided amongst them (the following few articles next mentioned only excepted) to each of them and to their heirs, to wit:

[Note: bullets added below for ease of reading]

• To Polly Moore three silver table spoons marked “JBM”
• and to Peggy Hill the three other silver tablespoons marked in like manner with initials of the names of their great grandfather and great grandmother Joseph and Bathsheba Miller.
• To Jenny Boltzell five silver teaspoons marked “J.M.D.”, the initials of the names of her grandfather and granmother, James and Mary Deane, and likewise all the finger and ear rings, necklaces, locket, &c that formerly belonged to her deceased Mother.
• To Joshua Hill, six silver teaspoons marked “J.M.D.”
• and to Thomas Robinson Hill, he being the youngest and there not being a suf-ficiency worth dividing, I give six silver teaspoons, a large silver soup spoon and a pair of silver sugar tongs, all marked with the initials of his mother and my name, “J.M.H.”
• And to my son Levin Hill my watch, it being an uncommon one, therefore I request him to keep it for my sake.

7th. To provide as much as possible for my childrens’ welfare after my decease, and guard against the destructive power of a step-father, my will is that if my wife should take a second husband that she then directly be en-titled to no more of my property than the law will allow her, and in that case, hereby revoke all and every bequeath hereby made to her, and that, a division of it may take place as soon thereafter as may be convenient.

8th. And lastly, I appoint my dear wife Martha Hill and my old friend Andrew Galbraith to be the Executrix & Executor of this my last Will and Testament.

In witness of the above, I the said John S. Hill, have to this act set my hand and seal this twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord, One Thousand, Eight Hundred & Twenty-three.

John S. Hill (seal)

Signed, sealed and acknowledged by the said John S. Hill for his last Will and Testament in the presence of

John Buckhart
Aquilla Jones
Alexander M. Galbraith

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