Will Book No. 1, Lake County, Tennessee, is the only Will Book the County has. It is still in use. The following submitted by Abigail Rice Hyde and Roxie Patterson, both of Ridgely, Tennessee.

Will of SAMUEL FREY proved at April Term of the County Court of Lake County.

            I SAMUEL FREY being of sound mind do hereby make and I publish my last will and testaumnt and the following desposition made of my property "to wit,"

            After all my debts are paid I wish my wife to have a life time interest in all my land or until my children shall arrive to the ages of Twenty One or shall marry for the purpose of educating and maintaining them. When my children shall have reached the age of Twenty One or marries as aforesaid then he or her shall be entitled to an Equal portion with my wife Amanda Frey, of said land. All or any money left after paying my debts I will to my wife and children I also wish my cotton Gin sold and the money approprated as aforesaid I also wish my personal property sold and applied as above I do hereby appoint W H ADAMS as my Executor of this my last will and testaumnt in witness whereof I here to subscribed my name this 14th day. of March 1871.

Presented in open Court at April Term on 3rd day of April 1871 and proved by the subscrebing Witnesses.

The Will of STEPHEN BURRUS, Deceased, Proven at July Term of the County Court 1871.

State of Tennessee
County of Lake
February 27Th 1871

            In the name of God Amen I STEPHEN BURRUS of the State and County aforesaid being sound of body and rational of mind do hereby Acknowledge this to be my last will and testament That I do hereby give will and bequeth unto my blood children W. H. BURRUS J. F. BURRUS and MARY FLEMING BURRUS my entire intrest in what is known as the home stead together with the stock of Horses mules Hogs and cattle also the farming impliments This property to be held Jointly and Each Equally interested in the property The aforesaid real Estate to be valued at Four Thousand 4000 00/00 Dollars The above mentioned parties are to give unto HALE and CHEEK BURRUS one horse and saddle (each) provided the said HALE and CHEEK BURRUS remain with the said W H J F or MARY F until each obtains his majority Also bequeth to my following children Mrs. LUCINDA HOPPER Mrs. ANN WATSON JAS. N. BURRUS Mrs. ELIZA KEEFE CATHERINE NUOTION and the heirs of THOMAS BURRUS HALE CHEEK MARY RUSH MARTHA all the moneys notes or obligations now in my favor These to be shared equally between the above mentioned Children with the provision that the said MARTHA (one of the THOMAS BURRUS heirs) have one hundred 100.00 Dollars more than and above her proportionate share. Would request that the Wagon drawn by oxen be sold and the money equally divided between the heirs Also hereby appoint and request that my son W. H. BURRUS and my soninlaw ROBT. WATSON to become the Executors of this my last will and Testament and would also request that settlement of the Estate should never never go into a Court of Civil law if it can be amicably settled without I also request that the money in hand or not out at interest they the Executors must not be charged interest on said while it remains in their possission.

            This the day and date above mentioned (signed) STEPHEN BURRUS

Attest: JO G. TIPTON

The above will was presented and proved in open Court at the July Term 1871 and ordered to be put on record.

STEPHEN BURRUS moved to Lake County from Madison County, Tennessee. The following data is from the 1870 Census of Lake County, Tennessee, Dist. #2, House #26:

STEPHEN BURRUS, age 69, born N.C.
WM. H. BURRUS, age 31, born Tenn.
JAMES F. BURRUS, age 22, born Tenn.
CATHERINE BURRIS, age 23, born Tenn.
MARY BURRUS, age 20, born Tenn.
HALE BURRUS, age 13, born Tenn.
SILAS BURRUS, age 11, born Tenn.
MARY BURRUS, age 9, born Tenn.
MAY BURRIS, age 6, born Tenn.

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