The Last Will and Testament
of Thomas L. Young

 
I Thomas L Young do make and publish this is my last will and testament
hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at any time made
first I direct that my funeral expenses and all any debts be paid as soon
after my death as possible out of any moneys that I may died possessed
of or may first come into the hands of my executor secondly I bequeth
                                                                                            in Bedford County
to my wife Laticia C. Young one negro woman named Caroline ^ one negro boy
being of Giles County a negro boy name adam this boy adam is to be hired
out four years and half of the hire to be given to my sister Martha
to pay her tuition  the other half to my wife Laticia fifthly I do bequeth
to my wife seven hundred dollars more or less in notes that I hold in
my hands sixly I do bequeth to my beloved wife Laticia my Charly horse and
carriage and harness seventhly I do bequeth a certain bay mare and colt to Thom
L Young the son of my brother Joseph Young and that the mare and colt be sold
when thought the best and the money be put out on interest untill it can be
appropriated to pay his tuition by the executor of this will eighthly I do bequeth
to my beloved wife Laticia all my house hold and kitchen furniture ninthly
and lastly I do anominate and appoint John C. Young my executor. In witness whereof
I do to this my will set my hand and seal ... 20th of day of June 1843 [signed sealed
and published] signed sealed and published in	[Signed] Thos L Young {seal}
our presence and we have subscribed our names
here to in presence of the testator this the 20th of June 1843
	John H Birdsong
	Ira E Brown Jurat

[The above signature of Thomas L Young is a signature of an old or very weak man
� the will writer (was not Thomas) had lined out two words on that line, and two
more at the start of the next line. Whoever penned the will used very little
punctuation, and ran one sentence into the next. He also couldn't count: note
that he went from the "secondly" item to the "fifthly" item, skipping items #3
and #4 between.
Thomas L Young's wife's maiden name is yet unknown. Tom was born 8 July 1811 
and died 26 June 1843, and was buried at Center Point Cemetery at Bradshaw in 
Giles Co. He had no known children, assumed because Tom left everything to his 
wife, sister, and nephew, but not to any children he may have had.. Executor John 
C Young was probably Thomas' next older brother John Chumner Young.]

Submitted by John Young





The Last Will and Testament
of Sidney S. Young

 
In the name of God, Amen.
	I Sidney S Young, of the County
of Giles and the state of Tennessee, being of sound
mind and memory, and considering the incert
=ainty of this frail and transitory life, do Therefore
make, ordain, and publish, and declare this
to be my last will and testament,
that is to say, first, and after all my lawfull
debts are paid, and discharged,
the residue of my Estate both real and
personal, I give [give] bequeath & dispose
of as follows, towit.
In consequences of the faithfullness industry
and obedience of my Coloured servants I
bequeath to A M Wilson in trust for them
the small sums as follows to James, Leonah,
Jack, Lewis, and Areanah to each Fifty
dollars and to Mariah, Fanny, (and Nelson
a servant of my son John Williams) Twenty five
Each to be paid to them by A M Wilson as they
may need or require it
I give, bequeath, and devise all the rest of
residue and remainder of my Estate, real and
personal of Every Kind and character to my
only and above child John William Young
provided he attains the age of twenty one

[start second page]
years or marries and has children, but if he should
die childless before he is twenty one years of age
having been married and leaving no living [no living]
child to heir his Estate, then It is my will that my
Estate bequeathed to him the said John William
Young be devided between my three nieces as follows
I give to Eliza Jane daughter of Albert G Alexander
one half of my estate and the remaining
half to be Equally devided between Elizabeth
Ann and Mary Jane daughters of Madison
H Alexander this bequest is made to all of them
for their sole separate use, free from the controll
of any other person whatever and not liable to be
taken for the debts of their husbands if they
should marry or any other persons whatever
Likewise I make constitute and appoint 
A M Wilson to be Executor to this my 
last will and testament, hereby revoking
all other wills by me made
In Testimony I have hereunto subscribed
my name, and affixed my seal, the second
day of August one thousand Eight
hundred and sixty one
	Sidney S Young {seal}

The above written instrument was subscribed
by the said Sidney S Young in our presence
and acknolledged by her to be her last will
and Testament and we as the Testators

[page three begins]
request and in her presence have signed
our names as witnesses here unto and
written apposite our names our respective
places of Residence
	Joseph L Sherrell X Lincoln County Tenn

	A B Green X	          do	  do 	   do
	A M Wilson          Giles County Tenn

[Will was on lined paper. In the middle of page 1, 
the word "give" was written twice, and one was 
lined out; and line 3, Page 2, two words at the end 
of the line were written twice, then one set was 
lined out. Sidney was not the writer, and from the 
signatures of the witnesses, it appears that A M 
Wilson was. Sidney's signature was that of a very 
weak or inexperienced signer. Sidney was born in 
Virginia in 1807 and died in Giles Co on 27 January 
1862; She is buried near Bryson with her husband 
Hiram Young, in southeast Giles Co.]

{Editor's Note: The "do do do" after the A. B. Green
signature means "ditto ditto ditto."}



Submitted by John Young





The Last Will and Testament
of John Young

 
LAST WILL OF JOHN YOUNG Decd. ����� R Recorded Novr. Court 1838
[This is the receipt from the county court house which came with the will. The receipt is 3.5 inches wide X 6.5 inches tall.] In the Name of God Amen October the 22th one thousand Eight hundred & thirty seven I John Young of the county of Giles and State of Tennessee being in good health and calling to mind that it is appointed once for all men to die being in my Right mind and cences thanks be to god for the same I do make and ordain this my last will and Testiment that is to say & first of all I Recommend my soul to God that Give it my Body to the Earth to be Buried in a Deacent manner as to my Estate my will is all my just Debts to be paid as there has been agreement betwen me and my beloved wife Nancy that hir Daughter Frances I Carvin shold have hir property that she had before we was marr[...] and the part of hir fat[...] Estate all that she had When we were marrowed Frances I Carvin now has got hir part in procssion I will my Wife Nancy Young the part of the house that she now lives in and cleard land to suport hir hir lifetime at hir Death that part of the house and land to be long to Archebald S Young I will, the tract of land where I now live to my two sons Spencer Young and Archebald S Young to be divided as follows my son Spencer to two part and my son Arche[...] S Young one part taking the house where I now live Spencer {paper torn} Young to have his part in the East end of the tract he giting {" " } Best land Archebald must have the more the land [can't read] to be Divided agreable to file without improvements Runing from South to north a cross the tract I will that my beloved wife have my two hilyard and penelope oldest negros ^ her lifetime if she wishes to live in the house I ha[..] left hir but if she goes to live with hir Daughter Frances I Cravin the said hilyard and penelope to be Equelly Divided with all my children that is living and I Dont wish them parted I will my beloved wife one choice horse and cow and calf and hogs to Bed and furnature soport hir I will Fances Cravin hir mothers ^ at the Death of hir mother and nothing more heirs as she has all Redy got her mothers Estate the property left to wife at hir Death to be Equel ly Divided with all my children I will the land where John Cravin now lives to William A Young my Grand son begining on the south Bondry line and Runing north with said fence to the north Bondry line thence west to Buchannan corner thence south to Buchannan south East corner thence east to the begining I will my negros to be Equelly Divided with all my children Spencer Young has Recved one Boy Calleded Jeffison worth five hundred Dollors [Begin 2nd pg of will] the others to have one apease before he git any more my Daughter Dianna have to ^ hir choics of all the women at value my Will is for all my living children to have my negros that is to say Buckner Rebecca Dianna Spencer and Martha I Archebald Smith and Nancy the negros Dianna and Rebecca and Martha and Nancy git to belong to them there lifetime and then to go to the heirs of there body I will John W Fuller one Dollor I will the children of my Daughter Elizabeth Fuller to have one share to be paid in money to be Divided with them that is to say Martha Ann Dolfin and to no share in the land Ralph and Archebald and James fuller ^ I will the children of my son Nathaniel Young one share but no part of the land as Nathaniel Young has Recvied his part of the land to paid in money and to be Divided Equal with Caroline Robert and Nancy Margret and Felex Young I will that tract of land on Buchannan Creek containing acres fifty ^ to be sold and nine or ten acres joint entry made by me and Robert Smith to belong the land where I now live I will my Daughter Dianna hir Bed and Bed sted and furneture and one cow and calf I will William Young my grand son one share of my property in money I Do hereby utterly Disalow Revoke and Disannul every other for mer will and testaments legises by me any way before this tim named Willed and Bequith Ratiyng and conforming this paper}nd no other to be my last will and testament in witness where torn} I have here unto set myhand and seal the Day and year here} bove writen [Signed] John Young {seal} Test his Aaron | Smith Jurat mark Joseph Smith Jurat


Submitted by John Young





The Last Will and Testament
of Martha Williford

 
Know all men by these presence, I Martha
Williford I do this day make my last will & testament
as follows. After my death I will that James W
Wallord my youngest son shall have my entire
estate of Lands, which cosists of two lots out
of the Willy Williford estate (my desceased husba,
lot no 4 and 5 to be his to have and to 
	and not subject  to the ..?.. ... of any	
hold forever.   This I do in consideration of the
of his old conduct.
fact of his helpless condition
In testamony whereof I set my hand & seal
			                           her
this 15th of Dec 1877	Martha X Williford
Attest			                     mark
.. C H Hassell
.. Wm Y Willeford

[This will was very faint, and the writer could not spell, nor compose
a decent sentence. What I believe she was trying to say in lines 7 thru 
11 was "lot no 4 and 5 to be his to have and to hold 
forever, and not subject to the ..?.. ... of any of his old 
conduct. This I do in consideration of the fact of his 
helpless condition."
The above Martha was Martha Young, daughter of John Young (who 
wrote an 1837 will) and Nancy Smith. Martha's late husband was Wylie
Willis "Willie" Willeford, who died in 1871. The youngest son with 
the "helpless condition" was James W Willeford, born about 1850.
Martha was born 29 January 1812, died 18 December 1877, and was 
buried in Beach Hill Cemetery with her husband Willie.]



Submitted by John Young





The Last Will and Testament
of William Young, Senr.

 
State of Tennessee Giles County September 25th A.D. 1865
I William Young Senr. being of sound mind and memory
thanks be to God for the same, but being in feeble health,
and [calling to m] knowing that it is appointed unto all
men to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testa-
ment that is to say I commend my Soul to God who gave it
and my body to the dust as it was, to buried in a decent
manner, then it is my will that all my just debts be paid
and whatever may Remain, including my lands and all
other properties of every description, and all monies, I give
and bequeath to my beloved Wife Elizabeth for and
during her natural life or widowhood and at her death
or marriage I will that my entire estate be equally
divided between my children Martha A Erwin, Joseph
Young, Malissa Moor, Mary I Young, Alfred A Young
Nancy E Moore, Margaret K Burgess, Ann E Young, John
A Young, Amanda I Young, Elizabeth Young, and my
two grand daughters Sarah A Finley and Nancy E
Moore, after my wife shall have had her dowery [if she
shall marry after my death] under the law. My Daughter
Martha E Erwin, accounting for one hundred and ninety
five dollars furnished to her at her marriage, Joseph
Young accounting for eleven hundred and ninety five
dollars that being the amount that he has Received,
Nancy E Moore accounting for one hundred and ninety
five dollars her mother, my Daughter Malissa Moore
having Received that amount, Sarah A Finly accounting
for one hundred and thirty five dollars her mother, my
Daughter Sarah Finly having Received that amount, and my
 will further is then devised to my Daughters under this
testament be securred to them and after them to the children
of their bodies by then existing laws. Alfred A Young

[begins page 2]
accounting for eleven hundred and ninety five dollars he having
received that amount, my will is that those of my children
that have already received the amounts named shall
not be charged with interest. My will further is that
my Son John A Young, at his marriage or for his arriving
at his majority be furnished
out of my estate with one thousand dollars in money
without interest, and one hundred and ninety five dollars
in a horse, cow, beds, bedstead and furniture, and my
single daughters at their marriage be furnished with
one hundred and ninety five dollars in a horse cow
bed and bedstead and furniture and saddle.
My will further is when my property shall be sold for
distribution, twelve months credit to be given on all property
except my lands, which I direct to be sold on one two and 
three years with interest. It is to be understood that the
spocral devised to my son John A Young and my unmarried
daughters at the time of their marriage is intended only
to make them equal with those who have already received
                                with daughter
Son with Son and Daughter ^ and if on the final settlement
of my estate each shall not receive as much as my son Joseph
Young has already received, then and in that case, my Sons
are required to pay back to the estate such an amount
as shall make each and every one equal, share and share
alike, but in no event shall those having received, be charged
with interest. I also require my wife to raise my children
and my grand child Sarah A Finly and educate them out
of my general estate without charge. I hereby nominate and
appoint my Sons Joseph and Alfred A Young executors to this my
last will and testament. In witness whereof I have set my
hand and seal the date above written.
Attest
Willis Worley			            William Young {seal}
Samuel Sherrill

[This will was hand written by William. Some text on the first
page was written, then crossed out. And the strange word "spocral"
at the left side of a line on page 2 is probably sloppy writing for
"special," although it clearly looks like "spocral."]



Submitted by John Young





The Last Will and Testament
of Manerva Young


I Manerva Young Do make and Publish this as my
last will and testament hereby revoking and making
void all others by me at any time made first I
direct that my funeral expenses and all my debts be
paid as soon after my death as possible out of any
monies that I may die possessed of or may come into
the hands of my Executor ~
2nd secondly I give and bequeath to my grandson
E. F. Young A certain Lounge and bed & bed clothing
for one Bed Also one Book case provided he claimes them
	                      Thirdlly I state that my
Son J. Ca Young Receivid a good house his father
gave him more than any of the rest of the children
and being desireous that each child should have
Equal shairs she invesly heir.  Executor to sell all
heir personal property at public sale and give
Each heir their proportional part of the Estate
Fourthly   as to heir Real estate I hereby invest
my executor the wright to sell the land publicly
or Privately as he may Deam best for the heirs
and make Deed to the same
Lastly I do here by nominate and appoint W J Brown
	My executor in..witness  m  where of I do to this
my will set my hand this the 10th day of January
one thousand eight hundred & eighty seven
J.A. Stoltz (jurat)signed and published in ourManerva Young
& we havepresents and we have 
W. A. Owensubscribed our names here to in the presents of this
testaton this Jany this 10th - 1/87
[Manerva did not write the will herself, but she did sign it with the spelling shown in her signature. She was Manerva Abernathy, married to Spencer Young. Manerva was born in 1811 and probably died soon after January 1887.]

Submitted by John Young