Person:Elizabeth Maclin (1)

Will of Elizabeth (Maclin) Carter

Last Will & Testament of Elizabeth Carter

This is the will of Elizabeth MacLin Carter, widow of Landon C. Carter.

   I Elizabeth Carter of the County of Carter & State of Tennessee, being of 

sound mind & memory but weak of body, knowing that it is appointed for all once to die, do make ordain & establish this as my last will and Testament, namely:

   I give my soul to God who gave it, to be disposed of according to his good 

will & pleasure: My body I require my Executors herein after named, to have decently buried; and such wordly Estate as it has pleased God to favor me with, I dispose of in the following manner, viz

   First: I require my Executors to pay all my just debts.

   Secondly: Being desirous to provide for the support & maintenance of my 

daughter Sally S. Brewer, seperate & apart from her husband Benjamin Brewer, I give & bequeath to George A. Duffield, in trust for the benefit & use of his mother Sally S. Brewer during her life, the following Negroes, namely, my negro woman Celia - commonly called Sealy - and her three children, namely, Annette, James & Harriet & the future increase of the said Celia - aka Sealy - Annette & Harriet, & at the death of said Sally S. Brewer, it is my will that the before mentioned negroes & their increase may be equally divided between my three grand children namely, George A. Duffield, William P. Brewer, & Evelina M. Brewer, the children of the said Sally S. Brewer.

   Thirdly: I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary C. Taylor, my negro girl 

Betsy, daughter of my negro woman Charlotte; I do also give & bequeath to the said Mary my negro girl Martha, daughter of Eady, provided however, that if this said Mary C. Taylor accept of my donation to her of the said Martha, she shall, within two years after my death, pay to Evelina E.C. Gillespie Three hundred Dollars in Tennessee Bank notes, without interest.

   Fourthly: I give & bequeath to my granddaughter Elizabeth Rhea, formerly 

Elizabeth Carter, daughter of A. M. Carter, my negro girl Sabre.

   I give & bequeath to my daughter Eliza Gillespie my negro girl Fanny & her 

children, now in the possession of the said Eliza. I do likewise give & bequeath to the said Eliza my negro boy Nelson, the son of my negro woman Charlotte and now in the possession of Alfred M. Carter.

   Fifthly: I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary C. Taylor, my Bureau; & to 

my granddaughter Mary C. P. Taylor, daughter of Mary C. Taylor, I give my bed & the furniture to said bed: my other bed clothes, it is my will, shall be equally divided between my three daughters Sally S. Brewer, Eliza Gillespie, and Mary C. Taylor.

   Sixthly: it is my will that my negro woman Eady be emancipated, if the 

laws of the land will permit it, & I do hereby require my Executors hereinafter named, to carry the same - my will respecting said Eady - into effect, but if they cannot, then I give the said Eady to my daughter Mary C. Taylor, & wish the said Mary to let her work for herself the ballance of her life - i.e. the life of Eady, & to have and enjoy the proceeds of all such her labor.

   Seventhly: I give & bequeath my negro boy Nathaniel, the son of my negro 

woman Charlotte to my son Alfred M. Carter.

   Eightly: I do give & bequeath, to Alfred W. Taylor, the husband of my 

grand-daughter Elizabeth Taylor, daughter of Sally S. Brewer, my negro woman Charlotte & also her two sons Landon & George, & also her future increase. I do also give & bequeath to the said Alfred W. Taylor, my negro boy Noah the son of negro woman Eady, provided however, that if the said A. W. Taylor, accept of my donation to him of the above named negroes, he shall pay to my son William B. Carter the sum of Two Hundred Dollars in Tennessee Bank Notes without interest.

   Ninthly: I give & bequeath to my son George W. Carter, my large looking 

glass now in the possession of Mary C. Taylor; I do also give to the said George, one half dozzen windsor chairs, one half dozzen silver tea spoons, my carpet, my teaboard, & shovel & tongs now in the possession of Sally S. Brewer.

   Should I owe anything at my death - have any debts due me or any money on 

hands over & above what may be necessary to pay my debts & not herein-before devised, it is my will that the said property money & debts due me, if any, shall be equally divided between all my children vis: Sally S. Brewer, A. M. Carter, W. B. Carter, G.W. Carter, Eliza Gillespie & Mary C. Taylor.

   Lastly: I do constitute & appoint Alfred M. Carter and Alfred W. Taylor 

Executors of this my last will and Testament, & I wish the court not to require them to give bond & security for the Execution thereof. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hard & seal this 22ond day of March 1841.

           her
                 Elizabeth X Carter (Seal)
              mark 
        

Signed, sealed and acknowledged in our presence: 
David Nelson
William Stover.

Source: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~javan/carter/records/elizcarterwill.htm