contributed by Jack London, December, 2003

Transcription of Document from Giles County Chancery Court 1830-1900
File Box L – 1, Case 1586 The Estate of Amos London, Jr., Deceased

Deposition of D. G. Bills at Marshall Co., Tennessee, 4 March 1861

D G Bills, aged about seventy years who answers and says – I knew Amos London late of Giles County, Tennessee for some fifty years before his death. I knew him first in North Carolina then in Tennessee. He never had any child or children born in wedlock and died leaving neither child or children or the representatives of such. He had one brother only, his name was John London who died in Marshall County, Tennessee. He left a good many children & among them was Sarah, who intermarried with Thomas Parks. They are both dead and have two living children, viz. John L and James M Park. One daughter of said Thomas and Sarah Park married Nicholas Tomblinson & she is dead and has left one child, I believe. Amos London had three sisters. One of them married Brice Jackson – Jackson & wife as I understand are both dead. They left some children, but the number I can not tell. One other of his sisters married a man by the name of Johnson Summers. He died and she married a man by the name of Abner Rose. They are both long since dead and she died without child or children or the representatives of such. The other of Amos’ sisters married a man by the name of Palmer. As to Palmer and wife I speak principally from information and family reputation, but as to the children if any I can not speak from my own information but I am well satisfied that these four are the only brothers and sisters of the said Amos London and further this deponent says not.

D G Bills

Subscribed and sworn to before me on the 4th of March 1861

W B Holden (Seal)
JP for Marshall County

Transcriber’s Note: The London and Bills families were intermarried and moved together from Monmouth Co., New Jersey, to Surry Co., North Carolina, and then to Marshall and Giles Counties, Tennessee.

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contributed by Jack London, March, 2004

Amos London, Sr., Will (1805)

State of North Carolina
Surry County

In the name of God Amen, I Amos LONDON Sr. of the county aforesaid being weak in body but of sound sense and memory and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament,

1st I give and recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it and Secondly my body to be burried in a decent Christian manner, and as touching such worldly estate with which it has pleased god to bless me with I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form viz.

I give to my daughter Sally SUMMERS all my moveable estate of every kind whatever to her and heirs forever.

I give and bequeath unto Thomas W. LESTER at tract of two hundred acres land joining my old line and John SUMMERS to him and his heirs forever, provided when he come of age he gives his sisters, Polly and Sally two dollars each –

Hereby revoking all former wills and acknowledging this to be my last will, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of May AD 1805

Amos LONDON {Seal}

Signed, Sealed, published and pronounced in the presence of

Jesse LESTER } Jurat
M ARMSTRONG}

To my friends and acquaintances of Surry County –

I am in the 68th year of my age and the forepart of my life was agreeable and pleasant and as on did I live in my family with utmost content and satisfaction until about twenty years ago my old woman began to incur my displeasure and she together with her friends and children, to wit, my two sons and some of the BILLS has in hundreds of ways too tedious and too delicate to describe has impaired my feelings and fretted me to distraction. I am left without consort, I am reduced to almost poverty, and in particular abused and beaten by Amos, spit upon, frowned upon by him and his family and treated in the most ungrateful manner almost unheard of by a son to his father, so much repeated illusage that my poor old gray hairs are almost brought down with sorrow to the ground

I know my friends I am _____ and always was as all men are to human frailties from impulse of passion which has been in a great manner occasioned by the illtreatment of my two sons and their mother continually joining together to disturb my peace and happiness at home, and as my intentions were always for to support of my children by my industry and labor in a decent manner and receiving nothing in turn but abuse ridicule that would irritate any man of spirit this as I before mentioned being the desires of my heart such as the great and good will known to contribute to my familys welfare and not being received with kindness and tenderness that a father has a right to expect from his sons has made such a deep impression on my heart as to crave death rather than to live in a world where I no more expect any content, I therefore bid farewell to my aquaintences and in particular to my children and their mother with a request that Amos deliver to his sister Sally SUMMERS all my moveable effects, I shall endeavor to travel to some distant part where I hope receive happiness in and thus a blessed return to Jesus Christ.

Amos LONDON

Test Jesse LESTER } Jurat

M ARMSTRONG}

Will and Codicil recorded and examined Surry County North Carolina Will Book 3, p. 77

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contributed by Dick Wood

Marshall County Will Book C, page 569

STATE OF TENNESSEE)

MARSHALL COUNTY )

March 21st 1911. I Hannah London (col) being of sound mind and memory doe make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, to wit:

First

All my jost debts and funeral expenses shall be first fully paid.

Second

I give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to my Husband, George London (col) to have , to hold, to him, my said Husband and to his heirs and assigns forever.

Third

I nominate and appoint my Said Husband, George London, to be the executor of this my last will and testament without Bond, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 21 day of March 1911.

her
Hannah X London
mark

Signed, sealed, published and declared as and for her last will & testament by the above named testator in our presence who have at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other Signed our names as witnesses thereto.

Witnesses:

W. R. Woodward

L. A. Woodward

STATE OF TENNESSEE)

MARSHALL COUNTY )

County Court, January Term 1912.

This day came W. R. Woodward, one of the subscribing witnesses to the forgoing will, who, after first being duly sworn, proved the due execution of the same by the Testatrix therein named and upon the day and date therein mentioned. Whereupon the Court ordered the same certified and the Will recorded.

Witness my hand at office in Lewisburg, Tennessee this January 23, 1912.

E. M. Miller Clerk