Source: Sumner County Archives Will
Note: This will has been carefully proof read and is faithful to the original spelling.
In the name of God Amen. I Thornton Stark, being in in feeble health but in sound mind and
memory do make and ordain this to be my last will and Testament As follows to wit: After
paying all my Just debts my will & desire is that my beloved Wife Sarah Stark shall have all my
money Notes & Accts that may be on hand at my Decease to do with and dispose of as she may
think proper. Also, all my land & Negroes and property of every description during her life and at
her Decease My will is that Susan Sample shall have two Hundred & twenty acres of land
including the tract I now live on which is one Hundred and ten Acres and one Hundred and ten
more off of the Southern side of the Lyndsey tract running from East to west through the said
tract. Also the following Negroes namely Jacob, Cupid, Lydia, James, Dilly, Margaret and Faney,
three children Elizabeth Smith & Jordan & their increase. Also two Beds two Bedsteads and
furniture one cupboard and all the cupboard ware.
Item 2. My old Negro woman named Suky my will and desire is that she shall have her liberty & remain on the plantation on which I now live & have a support thereon as long as she lives.
Item 3. I give to my step son Smith Sample his wife and children a tract of Land I purchased from the Lisnay [Lindsey?] cash money two Hundred & forty seven acres to them and their heirs forever Also I give the following Negroes Namly Ned, Milly, Bill, Indy, Wilson, Nathan, Charles, Stokly, Izabel, George, Jim, and John and their increase in the same way I give the land.
Item 4th I give Nancy the wife of Jerrard Sample my step son In law and her children one hundred and fifty acres of land off of the tract I bought of Thos Stark Heirs and fifty five more off of the Lyndsey tract. Also Charlot and her two chidren, Reuben and Andrew, Mahaly Lyrus and Manuel.
Item 5th I give to my step son in law Martin Shelton & his wife Elizabeth one hundred five acres of land fifty off of the Thos Stark tract and fifty five off of the Lyndsey tract. Also the following named Negroes Phill, ____, Mary And Sarah which ____ I give to Elizabeth Shelton to dispose off as she may think proper.
Item 6th I will that at the Decease of my wife Sarah Stark that the above named Susan Sample
shall have off of the Place a choice of two Horses two cows & calves fifteen head of sheep fifteen
head of hogs. The balance of property not herein disposed of shall be equally divided between
Susan Sample, Smith Sample, Martin Shelton and Nancy Sample.
Given under my hand and seal this 28th Dec 1853.
Thornton Stark {Seal}
Test Robert Harper
Jno. J. Wherry