In the name of God Amen. April 15th, 1799. I Robert TAYLOR of Sumner County being sick and weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this Testament to contain my last will and Testament in a manner and form following that is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recommand my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it to me and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my executor hereafter named.and and _ such worldly estate as it has been pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give, devise, and dispose of the same in manner following to wit.
Item:
I leave to my beloved wife Ann the place and the my plantation whereon I now live including the
upper part of this tract of land. beginning in the middle of the south line running north of the bank,
then up the creek as the creek runs - also all my household furniture and all my money that I have
on hand - also my stock cattle and horses during her widowhood.
Item:
My desire is that my son Henning/Henry TAYLOR have all my land lying on the north side of the
upper _ include _ _ ,au _ where Jesse KEEN now lives.
Item:
My desire is that my sons Robert and Manoah have my lower tract of land to be divided equally as
the two may think most convenient.
Item:
My desire is that my son Benjamin, have the lower part of the south side of the creek of this tract
I now live on Beginning in the middle of the south line as is mentioned in my wife's part to a north
line to the creek and then up the creek as it runs.
Item:
My desire is that my son John have the land I live on excepting my wife's part. Beginning on the
south line as is mentioned in Benjamin's part and runs north course to the Creek, thence up the
Creek as it runs - My desire is that my son John have privilige to improve what part of the land
he may see cause to as not to interrupt his mother in her _ , that is I mean that he may improve
convenient to either of the springs lying above.
Item:
My desire is that my Daughter Lucy JOINER have five dollars.
Item:
My desire is that my Daughter Keziah KEEN have one hundred acres of land including where she
now lives. Beginning on the lower corner on the creek, running up the creek as far as will take in
one hundred acres running across the land.
Item:
My desire is that my Daughters Elizabeth, Nancy, and Polly have all my property that I have not
mentioned. Also all my wife's property after her death except the lower tract I give to my son
John, to be equally divided between them as is mentioned above to each of my children and to
their heirs forever. And lastly I constitute nominate and appoint my loving wife Executor and my
son Robert TAYLOR executors of this my last will and Testament and voiding and revoking and
making all other wills and Testaments by me made. ratifying and confirming this and no other
to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have ___ my hand and affixed my seal, the
day first within written.
Robert TAYLOR (seal)
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us
_ Daniel TAYLOR
Agness MAGLOHOM (her mark)