MARY SMITH WARD

b. ca 1754 VA – d. 1816 TN

Maury County Tennessee – Will Book B-1, page 26-27

16 January 1816

In the name of god, Amen, I, MARY WARD of the State of Tennessee and County of Maury being sound in mind and memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament as follows to wit:

First – I give and bequeath to my brother JAMES SMITH one Negro man named ASA, one feather bed, and one bay horse.

Second – I give and bequeath unto my brother, CHARLES SMITH, one Negro man, TOM, also half my stock of cattle and hogs and half my silver and half my kitchen furniture. I give and bequeath to my brother, BENJAMIN SMITH, one feather bed, half my silver, also two Negro men, one named STEPHEN and one named NED whom he now has possession.

Third – It is also my will that MARY I. NAPIER, my niece, and SAMUEL I. NAPIER, my nephew be under the government and direction of my brother, BENJAMIN SMITH until they become of full age.

Fourth – My sister, SARAH M. NAPIER, being now separated from her husband, JOHN M. NAPIER, and seeking to obtain a divorce, from him and never hereafter if therefore she should obtain a divorce from him that in that case and on that condition, I give and bequeath to her the following property (viz) one Negro woman named, MILLY with her children NED, STEPHEN, AMY, ARON, and MOSES, also three feather beds, and furniture, two sorrel mares, also half my stock of cattle and hogs and half my kitchen furniture but if she, the said SARAH M. NAPIER should not obtain a divorce from the said JOHN M. NAPIER, then and in that case it is my will that the above named property in this case shall be placed or deposited in the hands of my brother, JAMES SMITH, and BENJAMIN SMITH for the use and benefit of her, the said SARA M. NAPIER during her life and after her death. The said property to be equally divided between all her children that may then be living but if she should then have no child living at her death, in that case the above named property to be equally divided between my brothers JAMES, CHARLES, and BENJAMIN [SMITH].

Fifth – I give and bequeath to my friend SILVESTOR CHUNN one Negro boy named LITTLE CAESAR during the lifetime of the said SILVESTER and also the said SILVESTOR is to take charge of and support one Negro man named OLD CAESAR. It is also my will that the said LITTLE CAESAR shall not be sold or hired during the lifetime of the said SILVESTOR but after her death the said LITTLE CAESAR shall be the property of my brother JAMES [SMITH].

Lastly – I do appoint and constitute my brother, JAMES SMITH [P.27] and BENJAMIN SMITH also my trusty friend JAMES T. SANFORD and DUNCAN BROWN, executors of this my last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Sixteenth day of January, Eighteen Hundred and Sixteen. Signed: Mary Ward In presence of; DUNCAN BROWN, WILLIAM CHUNN, ELIZABETH STRATTON. [From typed transcript, see original.]

 [Additional information on Mary Ward’s family including her brother, James Smith (d. 1818 Anson CoNC) may be found in Elise Greenup Jourdan’s Early Families of Southern Maryland, Vols. VII and VIII (1998-99).]

Source: Bennie Lou Hook Altom Bennie Lou Hook Altom