Hawkins County records include a document from the probate file entitled In re Estate of William Klepper.  The document reads as follows:

“This agreement witnesseth;

“We the undersigned heirs at law of William Klepper deceased, who was a citizen of Hawkins County, Tennessee, do hereby agree that W. F. Phipps county surveyor of Hawkins County togather with J. G. Lawson, John M. Klepper, and W. N. Johnson, citizens and freeholders of Hawkins County, Tenn. shall go upon the lands of the said William Klepper dec’d and make partition of same among the six children heirs at law of said William Klepper, dec’d and his widow Nancy J. Klepper who agrees to take a child’s share.

[…goes on to commission the four men to divide the land and give a report to the clerk of the county court who would give a decree and issue title to the heirs. The land is described as 336 acres in the 17th District, and gives the adjoining landowners’ names.]

“Given under our hands and seals this 22nd day of August A.D. 1894.”

Attest to marks: T. J. Parrott

Nancy X Klepper (her mark)
[widow of William Klepper]

Arthur Shanks

Benjamin X Klepper (his mark)
[husband of Mary Ann]

Mary Ann X Klepper (her mark)
[wife of Benjamin]

Isaac R Courtney
[husband of Martha Jane Klepper]

Martha J. Courtney
[née Klepper]

Perry Klepper
[son]

P. T. Klepper
[Peter Thomas Klepper – son]

Mary Klepper
[? could this have been the widow of William S., who died in 1883]

Gaines Klepper
[son]

Sarah J. Klepper
[née Delp – wife of Gaines]

Sarah C. X Sizemore (her mark)
[married to E. D. Sizemore]

“Personally appeared before me, T. J. Parrott, clerk of the County court in and for the State & county aforesaid, Nancy Klepper, Benjamin Klepper & wife Mary Ann Klepper, Isaac R. Courtney & wife Martha Klepper, Perry Klepper, P.T. Klepper, and Sarah C. Sizemore, the bargainers with whom I am personally acquainted and who acknowledged the execution of the within instrument for the purposes therein contained. And Mary Ann Klepper, Martha J. Courtney and Sarah C. Sizemore, wives of the said Benjamin Klepper, Isaac R. Courtney, and E. D. Sizemore having appeared before me personally and privately and apart from their said husbands, the said Mary Ann Klepper, Martha J. Courtney and Sarah C. Sizemore acknowledged the execution of the within instrument to have been done by them freely, voluntarily, and understandingly, without compulsion of constraint from their husbands and for the purposes therein contained.

“Witness my hand at office in Rogersville, Tennessee. This 22nd day of August A.D. 1894.
T. J. Parrott, Clerk of Court”

Filed: January Term, Saturday, Jan 19, 1895

Submitted by Lowell Klepper.  Annotations in brackets are his.