Will of Jacob THOMPSON, deceased

I, Jacob THOMPSON of the county of Weakley and state of Tennessee, being sick and weak in body, but of sound mind and memory, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following.  

First, I recommend my soul to God who gave it me, and my body to the earth from whence it came, to be buried in Christianlike manner at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter mentioned, and as to the worldly estate it has been pleased upon to blessed with, i give and devise in the following manner. 

 Item, It is my will that all my just and lawful debts and funeral expenses be paid. 

 Item, I loan my wife Mary P. THOMPSON, my house, land and plantation during her natural life and no longer, then to return to my estate and be divided among the whole of my children.  I also loan her the whole of my property to raise and educate my younger children on the profits arising from the same, with this reserve that my Executors hereinafter named, shall have full power and authority to give to any of my children that is of age and as they may become of age, when they may require it or marries, a negro or negroes, not exceeding a child's part, agreeable to the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named, and when my youngest child marries or becomes of age, all my property not loaned my wife, shall be divided among the whole of my children, equally, my wife drawing two parts with the children, and at her decease, one part shall return to my estate, to be divided among the whole of my children and the other part I give to her own disposal to do as she pleases with, and as to the negroes which may children may receive before the division of my estate, that the said property so received shall be valued at the same prices.  Such property may be valued at in the division, only taking into consideration the age and quality of said property they may receive and not valued agreeable to the fluctuating prices of property, and if any of my negroes at any time should be difficult and not be profitable to my estate, my Executor is required to sell said negro or negroes and divide the money among my wife and children in the same way as the property is required to be divided.  And as my son, Jobe Chesley THOMPSON, has received a negro boy Simm, from the estate of his grandfather, Job ROGERS, which he is hereby required to account for the value of said negro in the estate before he should draw any part of the same if said negro be living.  

I constitute and appoint my beloved wife Mary P. THOMPSON, and my son John W. THOMPSON, my Executors of this my last will and testament, ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament.  Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us who were present at the signing and sealing of the same, this 13th day of June 1847.  Executors, I request the Court before whom this may be proven, not to require security for their performance.
Test:
Jubilee ROGERS
R.E. BERTHRIGHT
                                               Jacob THOMPSON

Recorded this 1st Monday in September 1857