LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
OF
JOHN MATHEWS
WILL BOOK I (1808- 1847)
Pages 97-99
John MATHEWS
In the name of God Amen. I John MATHEWS of FCT
... First my will is that all my debts be paid by me Executors ... Item I
give and bequeath unto Hannah MATHEWS and her children Elizabeth Fidelia
Mary & Emily MATHEWS and such other children as she may have at the time of
my decease the following real and personal estate to wit two tracts of land
Situate in FC in the Barrens adjoining the lands of George GRAY Esq. and
James BROWN each of said tracts adjoining one hundred acres and known by the
name of the MALONE tract and the other by the Name of the THURMAN tract with
all appurtances to them and their heirs forever subject to the Condition
following that is to say that the said Hannah MATHEWS is to have the use and
possession only of said tract of land for and during her life & after her
death the fee Simple Estate in said land to vest in her said children now
living or which she may hereafter have and the representatives of such as
may be dead hereby vesting said Hannah with power to present each of her
said children to enjoy such part thereof during her life as she may think
proper not exceeding the first and equal portion of such child. Item I give
and bequeath unto the said Hannah MATHEWS and her children aforesaid and
such other child as she may have at the time of my decease the following
negro slaves and their property to wit, one negro man named Duke and his wife
Rachel and their six children namely Cyntha Austin Francis George Richard
and Alford negro man James and his wife Merme & the issue or descendants of
the females subject to the same Conditions as in the last clause that is to
say that the said Hannah is to have the use and possession of such slaves
only during her life and after her death the same to be equally divided
between her children to them & their heirs forever vesting the said Hannah
with the same power of distribution amongst her children in her life time as
she may think proper. I also give and bequeath to the said Hannah MATHEWS
and her children one half of my stock of horses cattle sheep and hogs
household furniture and the one half of all other personal estate negros
excepted and not have otherwise disposed of upon the same condition and
under the same restriction & limitation ... Item I give to my Son Nicholas
Williams MATHEWS and Lunsford Long MATHEWS and their heirs forever the
several tracts of land in the County of Franklin on which I at present
reside containing about 435a being the whole of the balance of my land in
the barrens not before disposed of also the following negro slaves towit
One man named Galloway & his wife Lucy one man named George and his wife
Daphney & their five children Penney James Caroline Daniel & Solomon
one man
named Gilbert one man named Lewis one man named Harry one negro man named
Ned one girl named Moriah and the issue of the females and the balance of my
personal estate not herein before disposed of the whole of said land slaves
and other property herein and hereby devised to my said two sons to be
equally divided between them as tenants in Common. Item I give unto my son
Nicholas Williams MATHEWS and his heirs forever 50a of land in FC on Paint
Rock Creek immediately below the Confluence of Martins & Estill fork. Item
I
give unto my dau. Luraney L. TARNER [sic TURNER] wife of John C. TONNER [sic
TURNER] and to my son John MATHEWS 150a of land in FC on Turkey Creek a
branch of paintrock to them and their heirs forever ... Lastly I do hereby
constitute and appoint George GRAY Esquire John TURNER and James ROBINSON
Executors of this my last W&T ... 10 Feb. 1831. /S/ John
MATHEWS. Wits.: M.
TAUL. Aug. Term the will brought into court by George GRAY and Micah TAUL
and will witnessed by John TURNER George GRAY and James ROBINSON....22
October 1831, E. RUSSELL Clk.
Transcribed
by Judy H. Phillips
Return to Wills & Proofs Index
Return to Southern Roots
Home Page
Last Updated Saturday, August 24, 2002 1:21:57 PM CST
