Will of Jackson Tatom 
10-MAR-1862 Lafayette County, AR
[transcribed by Dave Holiday (holiday@tyler.net), with commentary 
in square brackets]:

In the name of God Amen. I, Jackson Tatom of the County of Lafayette 
and State of Arkansas, being in good body health and of sound and 
disposing mind and memory and being desirous of settling my worldly 
affairs and directing how the Estates with which it has pleased God 
to bless me shall be disposed of after my decease while I have strength 
and capacity to do so do make and publish this my last will and testament 
hereby my making and making null and void all other last wills and 
testaments by me heretofore made. And first I commend my immortal 
being to him who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried with 
little expense or ostentation by my executrix herein after named. 
And as to my worldly estate and all the property real, personal, 
mixed or choses in action of which I shall die seized and possessed 
or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I devise, 
bequeath, and dispose of in the manner following to wit. 

FIRST my will is that all my just debts and funeral charges shall by 
my executrix herein after named be paid out of my estate as soon after 
my decease as shall by her be found convenient---

SECOND after the payment of my said debts and funeral expenses I 
give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Martha Jane Tatom 
[Martha Jane Holliday, married 11-SEP-1847 in Fayette County, TN] 
for and during her natural life all my property or estate real 
personal mixed or choses in action of which I shall die seized and 
possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease 
and after the death of my said wife I give devise and bequeath the 
remainder of my estate of every description or kind whatsoever to 
my sister Amanda Jane Tatom and my said wife's niece Martha Ann 
Murry a little girl now about four years old and whom I have takin 
to raise and is now a member of my family. I having no children 
my self, to be equally divided between them the said Amanda Jane 
Tatom & Martha Ann Murray share and share alike to have and to 
hold the same after the decease my said wife to them the said 
Amanda Jane Tatom and Martha Ann Murray share and share alike 
as a aforesaid to their respective heirs executors administrators 
and assigns to their the said Amanda Jane Tatom and Martha Ann 
Murray and their the said executrix administrators and assigns use 
benefit and behalf forever. I hereby nominate constitute and appoint 
my wife Martha Jane Tatom to be the sole executrix of this my last 
will and testament. [This will and testament is interlined on the 
first page in two places first in the fourth line with the word 
health and second in the tenth line with the word have.] In Testimony 
whereof I the said Jackson Tatom her unto put my hand and seal 
and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament 
in the presence of the witnesses named below this Tenth day of 
March in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty two. 
Jackson Tatom (seal)

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Jackson Tatom as 
for his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his 
presence and in the presence of each other and at his request have 
subscribed our names as witnesses hereto. J. M. Montgomery F. M. 
Waldrip

The will was probated as follows:

State of Arkansas, County of Lafayette: In the Probate Court of 
Lafayette County January Term January 12th 1863. In the matter 
of the Probate of the Last will and Testament of Jackson Tatom 
deceased. Now on this day a paper writing was laid before the 
Court here purporting to be the last will and testament of Jackson 
Tatom deceased for probate and there soon came James M. Montgomery 
and Francis M. Waldrip subscribing witnesses to said last will and 
testament who being duly sworn made and subscribed the following 
affidavit to wit. That on the 10th day of March A.D. 1862 the day 
of the date of the last will and testament of
Jackson Tatom here produced the said Jackson Tatom being a resident 
of the County of Lafayette in the State of Arkansas and on the age 
of Twenty one years and then and there being of sound and disposing 
mind and memory and the said Jackson Tatom so being of sound and 
disposing mind and memory at the County of Lafayette and State of 
Arkansas aforesaid subscribed signed and sealed said last will and 
testament at the end thereof and said affiants further dispose and 
say that such signature was made by the said Jackson Tatom and in 
his own proper handwriting and that such subscription and signature 
was so made by the said Jackson Tatom in the presence of affiants 
and that the said Jackson Tatom at the time of making such 
subscription declared and published the said instrument of writing 
so published and subscribed to be his last will and Testament and 
these affiants then and there in the presence of the said Jackson 
Tatom and in the presence of each other signed their names as 
witnesses at the end of said last will and testament at the request 
of the said Jackson Tatom the Testator therein named and that the 
respective signatures of these affiants to the said last will and 
testament are genuine and in their own proper handwriting respectively. 

(signed, J. M. Montgomery, F. M. Waldrip)

Wherefore it is considered and adjudged by the Court here that said 
last will and testament be committed to Probate and that a copy of 
this entry and order duly certified be endorsed on said will and 
that the same be recorded and certified according to law. State of 
Arkansas, County of Lafayette. I James M. Montgomery Clerk of the 
Circuit Court and ex-officio clerk of the Probate Court in and for 
the County and State aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing 
order of Probate and record of said Probate Court. In Testimony 
whereof I hereunto put my hand as clerk and affix the seal of said 
Probate Court at office this 12th day of January 1863. J. M. 
Montgomery Clk [Note: I previously thought the date was 1873 and 
now believe it to be 1863]

Here is the last known census record for Jackson Tatom, including 
several other families living in his household:

C1860-AR-Lafayette (Lewisville area)
Jackson Tatom 30 TN
Martha J. 32 TN Martha Jane Holliday, daughter of John below?
John W. Holaday 67 GA chairmaker; John Wesley?, probably 
father-in-law Matilda M. Murry 50 IL could be sister or 
half-sister of Martha Jane??
B. F. Holliday 17 IL son of John above? (note different spelling)

Martha A. Murry 2 AR Martha Ann, niece of Martha J., legatee of 
Jackson Tatom

Please send all additional information on any of these families 
and other inquiries to Dave Holiday (holiday@tyler.net).

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