CLAIBORNE COUNTY, TENNESSEE Will Book, Volume 1Will of THOMAS DAVIS, deceased In the name of God, Amen. I, Thomas Davis, of the county of Claiborne, and state of Tennessee, being very weak in body, but of sound mind and disposing memory, do make this my last will and testament.
1st, I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it; and my body to a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my friends.
2nd, my will and desire is that all my just debts, together with my funeral expenses, be punctually paid as early as are practicable after my departure.
3rd, I will and bequeath unto my beloved wife Parky Davis, all of my estate, both real and personal, that I am seized or possessed of, during her natural life or widowhood, that is to say, if she should intermarry with any man, my desire is that she only receive a child’s part of my estate, and that my land be cultivate in a way that my children lawfully begotten of my body, may receive the benefit thereof, equally.
4th, my will and desire are that my little son Prior Davis, be allowed one horse beast when he attains to lawful age, out of my estate, equal in value to the horse beast my eldest son has had that I gave him.
5th, my will and desire are that whereas I have some children that are near grown, and should they become married and go to themselves, that my said wife, if she should think or believe she can have as much in value for each of the children when they shall get marriage or go to themselves as the case may be, she give to each one of them as much as one feather bed and furniture, together with a cow and calf.
6th, my will and desire are that my said wife and children live and continue on the plantation during her life or widowhood, that I am seized of and living on at this time. And at her death, I wish and order all of my effects be sold on a reasonable credit for cash, and be equally divided among my children lawfully begotten of my body, that is, all of the perishable goods and effects.
7th, my will and desire are that whereas I have but two sons, Isaac and Pryor Davis, at the death of my beloved wife, I wish my two sons to take the land at its value and pay to the balance of the children their portion, and keep the same between them two selves.
All of the above I make as my last will and testament, and appoint my stepson Erwin B. Yoakum, my Executor, and my wife Parky Davis, my Executrix, to carry this my last will and testament into effect, revoking all former will or wills that have heretofore been made. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 16th day of November 1848. Test: Thomas C. Norvell Lucy (X) Davis Thomas (X) Davis
Sale of the Estate of THOMAS DAVIS, deceased Buyers were: Robert Yoakum – bar plough and gears $2.00; one heifer and one steer $8.12 ¼; 150 dozen oats $15.00; mare $29.50; mare $40.50; field of corn $69.00
Jefferson Treece – 30 head of hogs $91.00
Parkey Davis – man’s saddle $1.32; six sheep $6.06 ½; coverlid $10.00
James B. Smith – cow $10.00
Isaac C. Vanbebber – cow and calf $15.62; six sheep $6.27
J. M. Vanbebber – 22 yards of jaynes $11.00
Elijah Jones – cow and calf $10.26
William Jones – cow and calf $12.52
William Rogers – two steers $15.00
Note of hand on John Merrit for $57.50 Note on John Crews for $17.50
E. B. Yoakum, Executor
Settlement with EWING B. YOAKUM, Executor of the Estate of THOMAS DAVIS, deceased Amount received from sale $428.08 Paid Huffaker & White $9.54; one for $83.81; one for $20.64 ½; one for $3.75 Paid Thomas C. Norvell account $26.00 Paid Sarah McCrary account $.75 Paid William T. Moss account $14.81 Paid William Kincaid note $33.35; one for $1.00 Paid William Houston receipt $11.35; one for $10.87; one for $3.18; one for $18.47 Paid Isaac Vanbebber account $9.23 Paid William Neil account $5.60 Paid Daniel Marcum account $3.00 Paid Timothy Norvell account $2.00 Paid James P. Evans account $13.30 Paid E. Jones receipt for crying sale $1.00 Paid Clerk’s fee $5.00 Paid Executor charges $18.00
Leaves a balance of $127.23 remaining in the hands of the Executor, this 5th day of August 1851.
Thomas J. Johnson, Clerk
3rd Settlement with EWING B. YOAKUM, Executor of the Estate of THOMAS DAVIS, deceased Amount of former settlement $77.03 Paid of note which could not be collected $26.50 Paid C. Y. Rice receipt $21.87 Paid L. L. Herrell’s receipt for taxes $3.50 Paid D. F. Rogers receipt $1.50 Paid clerk’s fee for making and recording this settlement $2.50
Leaves a balance of $19.26 remaining in the hands of the Executor this 7th day of June 1853.
Thomas J. Johnson, Clerk
