LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF RICHARD TATOM  Lafayette County, Arkansas 
Signed 21 February 1866 Probated 6 October 1866  
[Transcribed by Charles Baker (cbaker@sprhill.net) 
with commentary in square brackets]  

Know all men by these presents, that, I Richard Tatom, Sr. of 
Lafayette County in the State of Arkansas, being of sound and 
disserning mind and memory, while I have strength and capacity 
so to do, do make, publish, and declare, the following to be 
my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking, and making null and 
void, all other last Wills and Testaments, by me at any time 
heretofore made.  First. I direct that all my just debts and 
funeral expenses be paid by my Executor, hereinafter named, as 
soon after my passing as may be practicable.  Second. I give, 
devise, and bequeath, to my beloved daughter Nancy L. Tatom, 
the following personal property, to wit, - (2) Two Beds, 
(1) Bedstead - clothing for (2) Two beds, (1) Bureau, one wheel 
(1) one sheet (1) one cow and calf, and one sow and pigs, 
to be delivered to her by my Executor, hereinafter named, as 
soon after my decease as may be found convenient and practicable.  
Third. I give, devise, and bequeath, to my beloved Son James M. Tatom, 
all the remainder of my property (after the payment of my debts 
and funeral expenses, and the legacy above stated) real, personal, 
or mixed, to which I may die seized and possessed, or to which I 
may be entitled at the time of my decease, also including chases 
in action.  Fourth. To my daughters: Rebecca C. Ham, wife of James 
Ham, Martha E. Baker, wife of Absalom Baker, Henny Ann Jackson, 
wife of Samuel Jackson, Tennessee Williams, widow, and my sons 
William W. Tatom & Stephen W. Tatom, I give and bequeath nothing.  
Fifth. I hereby nominate and appoint my said son James M. Tatom, 
Executor, of this, My last Will and Testament, with full power 
and authority to execute the same.  In witness thereof, I have 
hereunto set my hand and seal in presence of the witnesses named 
below, this 21st day of February, A.D., 1866. Richard Tatom, Sr. 

{Seal}  Subscribed, and sealed, and by the said Richard Tatom, Sr., 
declared to be his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, 
who, at his request, in his presence, and in the presence of each 
other, have, subscribed our names, as witnesses, hereto, this 21st 
day of February, 1866. W. P. Parks F. M. Waldrip  The affiants being 
first duly sworn, state on oath that, on the 21st of February, A.D., 
the day of the date of the annexed and foregoing last Will and Testament 
of Richard Tatom, Sr., since then deceased, the said Richard Tatom 
being a resident of the county of Lafayette, in the State of Arkansas 
and over the age of Twenty-one years, and, then and there being of 
sound mind and memory, the said Richard Tatom, Sr., so being of sound 
and disposing mind and memory, at the County of Lafayette, and State 
of Arkansas, aforesaid, Subscribed, Signed, and Sealed the foregoing 
last Will and Testament, at the end thereof, and said affiants further 
depose and say , that, such signature, was so made by the said Richard 
Tatom, Sr., in his own proper hand writing, and that such signature 
and subscription was so made, by the said Richard Tatom, Sr., in the 
presence of these affiants; and that the said Richard Tatom, Sr., at 
the time of making such subscription, declared and published the 
annexed and foregoing instrument, so published and subscribed, to be 
his last Will and Testament; And, that, these affiants, then and there, 
in the presence of the said Richard Tatom, Sr., and in the presence 
of each other, signed their names, as witnesses thereto, at the
request of the said Richard Tatum, Sr., the testator therein named, 
and that the respective signatures of these affiants, to the said 
foregoing last Will and Testament, are genuine, and in their own 
proper handwriting.  W. P. Parks F. M. Waldrip  In Testimony,that the 
foregoing affidavit was taken, sworn to, and subscribed, before me, as 
Clerk of the Circuit Court, and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Court of Probate, 
of Lafayette County, State of Arkansas, on this 6th Day of October, A.D., 
1866. I have, as such Clerk, hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal 
of my office, at the town of Lewisville, County and State aforesaid. 

{L.S.} J. M. Montgomery, Clerk of the Circuit Court, and Ex-Officio Clerk 
of the Court of Probate, for the County of Lafayette  and State of Arkansas.  
State of Arkansas County of Lafayette I, James M. Montgomery, Clerk of the 
Circuit Court, and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Court of Probate, in and for the 
County of Lafayette in the State of Arkansas, do hereby certify, that the 
foregoing instrument of writing has been, duly and in due form of law, 
proven and established as the last Will and Testament of Richard Tatom, Sr., 
deceased, and that the same, together with the proof and certificate thereto 
attached, is duly recorded in "Record Book C", of Wills, in my office, on 
pages 8, 9, & 10.  
In Testimony Whereof, I hereto set my hand,as such Clerk, and affix the 
Seal of My Office, this 6th Day of October, A.D., 1866.  
{L.S.} J. M. Montgomery, Clerk By W. P. Parks, Dep. Clerk  


[Nancy L. Tatom, above, was Nancy Elizabeth Tatom, called "Lizzie", and 
Henny Ann Jackson was Mary Ann Tatom, called "Henny", who had married 
Samuel Jackson. For some reason, Richard failed to mention his wife,
Elizabeth (Richardson) Tatom, or two other children, Sarah Elizabeth, 
who was listed on the 1850 Fayette County, Tennessee, Census, born 
about 1838, and Richard H., listed in the Graves Family Bible, 
born in 1841.They all might have been deceased by 1866.c.e.b.]

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