MARSHALL COUNTY, TN - WILLS - Christopher Houston, 21 May 1836
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The Will of Christopher HOUSTON
Marshall County Will Book A
Pg 16
In the name of God amen.  Hallowed be his name let men and angels respect the 
sound Hallowed be his name.  I Christopher Houston of Marshall County 
Tennessee being aged and Infirm of body but of sound mind and memory (blessed 
be God) do this Twenty first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand 
eight hundred thirty six make constitute and ordain this my last will and 
testament in manner and form following.  that is to say I will that all my 
moveable property (my black people my library and such other things as may be 
particularly mentioned hereafter as givin to any particular person excepted) 
be sold by publish vendue I give to my beloved wife Elizabeth the use of the 
farm on which I now live containing two hundred acres during the term of her 
natural life to cultivate as she may think fit & to have full power to cut 
timber for firewood and repairing fences of buildings but not to sell or 
dispose of otherwise with all the houses and outhouses priviledges & profits 
belonging to the same.  I also give her my beloved one house or more choice of 
my stock, together with her saddle & bridle and if she chooses a mare with her 
colt not weaned  it must go with  its dam & also two cows and their calves if 
sucking all these are to be her choice of my stock.  I give her also the 
Spectacles which I now use.  I give her also the service of any two of Meleys 
children which she may choose the one a male the other a female belonging to 
me, during her widowhood and also the service of any two of Meleys 
grandchildren belonging to me during the term of her natural life. provided 
however that she relinguish her claim of two hundred dollars promised in our 
marriage contract, and upon her sodoing I give her also one hundred dollars.  
And as I have now in my hands Two hundred and thirty two dollars with Interest 
from the beginning of the year 1834 I will that she be paid principal & 
interest from the date afforesaid as the principal was her money.  And I do 
hereby quit claim to all the property she brought with her to me and all or 
any property which she may acquire hereafter by gift Legacy or bequest.  I 
also give her my beloved wife one year provision.  I will that the tract of 
land on which I now live be sold after the death of my widow and the money 
thence arising be equally divided between my daughter Martha London and my 
daughter Sarah Young.  I give bequeth & devise to my daughter Lilias Bills a 
tract of land on Elk ridge containing sixty three acres but with this reserve. 
Viz. that my Executors have the use and contract of the same until all my 
debts and the legacies herein mentioned and all expences of administration be 
paid or payment provided for exceptinhowever the of Martha London and Sarah 
Young which can not perhaps be called for.  within many years with all the 
appurtenances and emolumerts thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining 
to her heirs and assigns forever- I give bequeath & devise to my son James 
Houston the tract of land which I bought of him containing fifty seven & a 
half acres with however the reservation as that above mentioned as that of 
Lilias Bills to him his heirs and assigns forever, and where as I have some 
land in the County of Iredell North Carolina which perhaps may not all be sold 
before my decease I give bequeath & divise the whole of it, if any remains 
unsold to my daughter Sara Young her heirs and assigns forever with its 
appertenances privileges and emoluments what ever I give to my daughter Sara 
Young Scott family biblw and also five volums of his theologicil works.  I 
give to my son Placebo the whole price of the land which he sold (all that the 
reainder unpaid) to John Wooten for the purpose of procuring books for the use 
of his family and my daughter Sara Young equally.  And if any more of my land 
in Iredell is sold or can be here after whether before my decease or not I 
will the price thereof to my daughter in law Patience Houston Venns complete 
duty of man and all the rest of my Library  I will to be equally divided into 
four shares one of which sall belong to my widow and the other three to my 
three children in this State, namely Martha Londaon, Lilias Bills and James 
Houston.  I give to my Executors Executrix hereafter named all the Right that 
the laws of our State give to me to dispose of my black people as other 
property (in trust for the benefit of the black people themselves)  It is 
however my will that my Executors and Executrix hold said slaves in their 
hands until all my debts be paid & legacies and all necessary expences be paid 
or payment provided and that they then, or as soon after as may be practicable 
send them to Liberia in Africa there to be emoncipated excepting thoses that 
may have to seve my widow which cannot be done untill their time of servitude 
expires.  And as I have given into the hands of my son Placeba the whole price 
of the land he sold to John Wooten it is not to understood as giving him back 
what has been paid to me but only what reamis unpaid and if I should hereafter 
see fit to give a deed of Gift to any other person with an intention to make 
the afor the liberation of my Black people more certain it is not to overthrow 
anything herein contained but to accelerate & insure the freedom of my black 
people And I mention it here to prevent collission and to satify my Executors 
& Executrix.  that if those to whom the deed is made shall succeed in sending 
my black people to Liberia afreeably to the intention of the deed of Gift then 
in that case my Executors & Executrix are exonerated from attending to the 
disposition of them but lest difficulties should be thrown in the way of 
Executors by making a deed of Gift I make it to my Executors In addition to 
what I have givin to my widow I also give her the the cupboard together with 
its contents And if any of my heirs shall by or any means interfere with 
design to counter act my will, he she or they so doing shall thereby forfeit 
all right title or interest in or to any property which I may leave on earth 
The names of my black people are as follows.  To wit.  Meley, Austin, Juna, 
Limas, Maria, Violet, Malinda, Nelson, Van, henderson, Rosanna, Louisa, 
Lucinda, Charles, Jefferson, Jacob, M, Gusta, James, Chelsey, Ralph, Madison, 
Joel, Bolicar - If any of my heirs herein mentioned shall died before the 
Execution of this will leaving Issue.  the part alloted to the deceased shall 
be givin to such heir or heirs equally And all if any increase of the black 
people by the birth of same shall be liable to be sent to Africa with their 
parrents who choose to go there, as all the minors must. but not before all my 
debts or legacies are paid excepting Martha Londaon and Sally Young which 
perhaps cannot be done during several years as it depends on circumstances - I 
do hereby make constitute & ordain Col. John Orr John Ramsey, William Cowden. 
Esqr. James Houston, James S. Haynes Esqr, Executors and my beloved wife 
Elizabeth S Executrix of this my last will and testament - I do hereby revoke 
and disannul any and every will by me made heretofore and established this my 
last will and testament.  And now wishing peace on earth & good will to all 
upon it I resign my body to the dust and my Spirit to God who gave it, hoping 
and trusting that he will not with standing my great unworthiness. prepar me 
for that Blessed abode where peace forever reigns.
In Testimony of all which I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day and 
date above written.                           Christopher Houston (Seal)

Test
Elijah Alexander
James Osburn
J. C. Osburn

State of Tennessee   }
Marshall County.     }   County Court March term 1844
I Martin W. Oakley clerk of the county court certify that the foregoing will 
was duly proven in open court by the oath of James S. Haynes and John 
Alexander.  and on motion was ordered to be recorded.  
                  M. W. Oakley Clk