502 John Thompson's Will - (From Book P, page 25) A Paper writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of John Thompson was this day produced in Open Court and the execution three of duly proven by J.N. McDaniel and Dr A. N. Stephenson the subscribing witnesses thereto, who being duly sworn in open court made oath that the said John Thompson who was of sound mind ??, announced and declared before his death that the instruments of writing now produced in open court, was his last Will and testament, and called upon them to bear witness to the same, and that the said instruments was ?eely signed by the Testator in their presence and that they by his request bore witness to the same and (by his request) in his prescence and in the presence of each other sub scribed there names thereto as witnesses afore????, this therefore ordered a??ed and decried By the ???? that the said Instrument of writing be admitted to probate and the same s??? suly probated and that the same be recorded with this probate as the last will and testament of John Thompson, deceased and theres???? Mrs Nancy Thompson the wife of said testator, being present in Court, having been duly nominated and appointed Executrix by the testator accepted said trust and was duly qualified by taking the oath perscribed by law, the ???epity of giving bond being exp???ly waived by the provisions of said will and it is further ordered that letters testamentary issue be to said testatrix. (Will) In the name of God, Amen! I John Thompson of the State of Tennessee and Gibson County, being of sound mind do make and publish this my last will & Testament thereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at anytime made. First - I commit my Body to the Earth and my Soul to God who gave it. Second - I desire that my body be decently interred. 3d - I give grant and bequeth to my beloved wife Nancy M. Thompson All my household and kitchen furniture and all my farming tools except my interest in a Reaper and my steel rake and all other personal property exempt by law from Execution and One year support to be set apart to her by commissioners appointed by the County Court. 4th - I give grant and bequeath by my beloved wife after paying all my just debts One third of all my money and currency on hand and one third of all the proceeds of the personal property reserved above one third of the proceeds of all my Notes accounts due bills and charges? in action. 6th I give grant and bequeath to my beloved Wife during her natural life the farm where I now reside there being about 142 acres to the same ore or less and bounded described as follows on the North by W. ?. Crenshaw, on the South by Henry Thompson, East by B. H. Whitehall West by the Robb heirs and being in the State of Tennessee, Gibson County Gibson County Court June Term 1882 503 Civil District No 21 on the banks of Mud Creek 6th, I give grant and bequeath to my Son and only child Luther A. Thompson to hold during his natural life the afore described tract of land, his interest to begin with his mothers death. At the death of my Son I bequeath the above described tract of land to his issue if he leaves any to hold forever in fee simple but if my said son should have no issue, I bequeath said land to my relative Viola Bell Crenshaw the daughter of Suither & Nancy Chrenshaw to hold for life and at her death I bequeath said land to her issue if she leaves any to hold in fee simple forever. I wish the above Legators each to receive and hold his or her interest as above bequeathed if living at the time he or she would be entitled to possession but in the case of the death of any of them, it is my intention that the next in order shall enter into possession as soon as his or her deceased prodecessin would have been entitled to possession if living but in case my Son S???? and Viola Bills Crenshaw should neither of them leave any issue, after them to inherit this above bequests I bequeath the said land to the heirs of my blood to be distributed according to law. 7th - In addition to the above bequests to my son Luther I further bequeath to him the folowing described Real Estate, a tract of land being in Gibson County & State of Tennessee Civil District No. 21 and bounded as follows, North by the heris of A.B. Flowers South by the Robb heirs East by (the) heirs of Elizabeth ?asley De- ceased & West by Leowaa?, Containing about one hundred acres to hold for life and at his death I bequeath the said land to his issue if he leaves any but if he leaves none I bequeath said land to my nephew and Niece Thomas J. Thompson and his wife Mary S. Thomp- son to hold forever. 8th - I furthermore bequeath to my son the tow thirds of the proceeds of the Sale of all my personal property and collection of debts and money, the other one third having been bequeathed above to his mother. 9th I hereby Nominate and appoint my wife Nancy M. Thompson my executrix to carry into effect and execute this my last will and testament and the necessity of giving Bond is hereby waived. In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name on this the 23rd day of April 1882 Test J. N. McDaniel § John Thompson S. W. Stephenson § A true Copy of the Will probated and on file in Package of Bonded Reports & Settlements June Term 1882 Attest A. S. Currey D. ????