In the name of God Amen! I Reuben DOUGLASS of the County of Sumner and State of Tennessee being in a low state of health and knowing the uncertainty of life do make and ordain, publish and declare the following as my last Will and Testament, as touching a disposition of the worldly estates(?) on property with which I am possessed. In the first place, It is my will and desire that all my just debts be punctually paid out of the money on hand and the debts owing to me. Secondly, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Elizabeth DOUGLASS the following six negroes to-wit: Lotty, Jim, Dick, Old Jinny, Mier(?) and Jack to be at her entire disposal forever. Thirdly, I give and bequeath to my son Willie J. DOUGLASS two negroes, Big Jane and child Henry also my interest, it being the one half of the distillery and everything appertaining thereto situated on the land of my said son Willie and owned by him and myself. 4thly I give and bequeath to my daughter Evaline FRANKLIN, wife of William FRANKLIN a negro girl named Louisa to her and her heirs forever. 5thly I give and bequeath to each of my five single daughters Sophia, Malisa, Patsey, Emma and Elizabeth four negroes each, a horse, saddle and bridle, two beds and furniture and a bureau and one hundred and fifty dollars in money each to-wit to Sophia ESAW(?) Lady and her two children Vina and Matilda, To Malissa, Ned, Polly and her child Judy and Charles, To Patsey, Comadore, Little Tia, Jane and Elmira, To Emma, Minerva, Marcellus, Cornelia and Mary, To Elizabeth, George, Delia, Magdalina and Harry each of my said daughters are now in possession of the saddles and bridles which I intend them to have, except Elizabeth for whom one is to be forwarded immediately after my decease if not done before and it is my will and desire that each of my said five last above mentioned daughters have the increase of any of the negroes above bequeathed to them from and after this date and that my beloved wife Elizabeth, my son Willie J. and my daughter Evaline FRANKLIN each have the increase of the negroes if any bequeath to them as above. 6thly I give and bequeath to my son Bennett E. DOUGLASS four negroes, Lorenzo, Caroline, Dave and Sam and their increase from this time to him and his heirs forever. 7thly It is my will and desire that my wife and my five single daughters and my son Bennett should all continue to live together in the house and on the farm whereon I now live and that my said wife and son bennett should have the joint controll management and possession of said farm stock of every description household kitchen furniture and farming utinsils and also of the negroes above bequeathed to my said five mentioned single daughters for the purpose of enabling them to support themselves and my said five daughters genteely and comfortably for and during their natural lives or until they or any of them marry, in that event my said wife and son Bennett are to deliver over to them the property above bequeathed to them or should any of my said daughters wish to withdraw their property from the possession of my wife and son before marriage for the purpose of living elsewhere, it is my will that they be permitted to do so but prefer this all remaining together and in consideration of the dual(?) management and attention of my said son Bennett, to the farm, negroes jointly with my said wife during her life and after her death for the support of my said daughters as aforesaid. It is my will and desire and I do give and bequeath to him my said son Bennett the tract of land whereon I now live containing two hundred and sixty acres, also the stock of every description, household and kitchen furniture, farming utinsils except the property heretofore bequeathed to my said daughters, but it is distinctly understood by me that in the event of any of my daughters now single marrying during the lifetime of my wife, that my said wife shall have the power of giving them any small portion of stock or household furniture that she may think proper and whereas I have heretofore give to my son Bennett a tract of land which he has since sold now it ( ) my will and desire and he is hereby advised to pay to each of my said five daughters the legacy of one hundred and fifty dollars bequeathed to them as aforesaid and that he also pay to his co-executor hereafter named in cash out of the proceeds of said land or otherwise the further sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to be appropriated by said Ex'or toward the education of the three youngest children of my deceased daughter Peggy GREEN to wit: Sophia, Edward and Peggy, the money above bequeathed to my five single daughters aforesaid, my son Bennett is to pay them within twelve months after my decease and that for the education of my three grand-children aforesaid is to be paid over as above directed by him whenever it may be necessary for the purpose aforesaid. It is my intention and will that after the death of my wife that the whole and sole management direction and controll of the farm property of every description hereby given to my said wife and said Bennett jointly during his natural life should then disolve on him entirely for the support of my said five daughters as aforesaid and it is my will and desire that in the event of my son Bennett marrying during his mother's life, that he is to cease to occupy the dwelling house in which I now live but is at liberty to build him a house on any part of the land he chooses so as to be convenient to attend to the duties enjoined on him as aforesaid. Lastly I do nominate, constitute and appoint my two sons Willie J. DOUGLASS and Bennett E. DOUGLASS Ex'rs of this my last will and Testament revoking all former wills by me made and ratifying this and no other as my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of April in the year of Our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty.
| R. Douglass | Seal |
State of Tennessee
Sumner County Court November Term 1832.
The last
Will and Testament of Reuben DOUGLASS was exhibited in open Court for probate
and proved agreeable to Law by the oath of Reuben CAGE and A.H. DOUGLASS two of
the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and thereupon
Willie J. DOUGLASS and Bennett E. DOUGLASS the Executors therein mentioned
appeared in open Court and together with James S. DOUGLASS and Reuben CAGE their
securities entered into and acknowledged their bond to William CARROL Governor
of the State of Tennessee and his successors in office in the sum of Twenty Five
Thousand Dollars conditioned as the Law directs and took the oath of Ex'or
prescribed by Law.
| A Copy Test-- | A. H. Douglass Clerk of Court |