MAURY COUNTY, TN - WILLS - William Sims, 14 March 1812 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Anna Young dsyoung@mstar2.net ==================================================================== William Sims Last Will and Testament Be it remembered that I William Sims ...for and inconsideration of the good will and esteem that I have unto my wife Judith Sims and my unmarried children do this day hereby Give and bequeath, Grant and convey unto them respectively all my Right title and interest in and to one hundred and fifty acres of land it being part of a tract of a two hundred and fifty acre tract of land conveyed to myself, John Sims and John P. Elliot by Alexander M. Rogers the 20th day of July 1812 and originally of a tract of 2000 acres Granted to Alexander Martin Esq. by the state of North arolina preserving an acre however for the purpose of a graveyard during their unmarried state but in ...they marry, each marrying must give up their interest in the said land to the unmarried children ...when they are all dead the said land is to revert back into my estate to be sold Equally divided among my living heirs- But it is however to be observed that William Sims Jun. Now lives on the said one hundred and fifty acres of land and if he wishes to continue on the so land by paying into my estate what 50 acres cost me he must have 50 acres of so land deeded to him by my executors and in that case my wife and unmarried children will by this interested in only 100 acres and the monies to be appropriated to the use of procuring land for my wife and unmarried children in my last will is hereby null and said the gift ... the very purpose for which that was intended and unto such of my children as may have been ... hereafter be unfortunate in the negros that I give them in my last will meaning that one has died and others may die I do hereby give ... so much money out of my estate as may make their legacies equal to those children which have not lost Negro provided there be money in hand sufficient thereto in testimony whereof I have hereinto set my land and affixed my seal the 3rd day of February 1813. William Sims (Seal) Attest Harrison Blagrave Thomas F. Greinfield John Simms The Last Will and Testament of William Sims In the name of God amen I William Sims of the County of Maury and state of Tennessee being of sound mind and memory do make this my last will and testament in ...following. ... it is my will and desire that all my just debts be paid out of the money arising from the sale of all my lands in Hanover County and state of Virginia, and also the ... arising from the sale of our Negro man Greigo now living in the said county of Hanover and state aforesaid, and after any debts are paid it is my desire that the balance of said money be converted to and hereafter mentioned In turn I do leave unto my wife Judith for hers and my children's support or maintenance during her life or widowhood the following slaves Flowil, Jack, Ned, Sally, Lucy, Ben, Chavis, and their increase. In turn, I do leave unto my Daughter Jinny Winn a Negro woman named Cats also Hilly and Dabney and at her death I give them to her offspring with their increase. In turn I do leave unto my Son John Sims a Negro man named Edmund and at my said son John's death I so give the said Negro to the lawful wife ... of my said son I having given him previous to this a full proportional share of my estate born equally he can expect no more until the death of his mother of her marriage after my death. In turn, I do leave unto my Daughter Elizabeth Harlin one Negro woman named Alla and her children Vina, Suck, Billy, Tamon, Abram, and Phillis and at her death, I do give the said Negros and their increase to the lawful offspring of my Daughter to be equally divided among such offspring. In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Polly Sims, Charlotte, Anderson and Elisha and at her death I do give this and their increase to the lawful spouse of my said daughter also I give her a saddle and bridle and bureau. In turn I do leave unto my Son William Simms Jun. one Negro man named David, and Aggy, also five hundred dollars in cash which he is to receive as soon as it can be arranged from the sale of my lands already mentioned lying in the state of Virginia also one sorrel mare now in the possession of my said son and that Jun at his death I give said Negros to his lawful spouse with their increase. In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Milly Grimshaw, two Negros Tims and Martin and also the first child that shall be born of the Negro woman let unto my wife and at my said Daughter's death I do give the said Negros and their increase to the lawful spouse of my said daughter. In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Nancy Simms the Negros Pats, Ciller and Fancy, and also one yearling horse colt, saddle, bridle, and bureau and at the death of my said Daughter Nancy I do give the said Negros and their increase to the lawful spouse of my said daughter. In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Patsy Simms three Negros Moll, Sephia, and Lucy also a colt, Saddle and bridle and walnut chest and at the death of my said Daughter, I do give the said Negros to the lawful spouse of my said daughter. In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Suckey (Susan) McCallister three Negros Amy, Sarah and Sepee and at her death I give the said Negros ant their increase to the lawful spouse of my said daughter. In turn I do leave unto my son Thomas Sims two Negros Abraham and Betsy, A sorrel mare, saddle, and bridle a ... brindle cow and her increase ( the man and cow is now called his) also a walnut chest and Rifles, Gun which are now called his-and I do further give unto my said son Thomas five hundred dollars in cash so soon as it can be made arranged from the sale of my lands already mentioned lying in the state of Virginia and at the death of my so son I give said Negros to his lawful spouse with their increase. In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Sarah Gilasby two likely Negro boys, Lamos and Nelson and at the death of my said daughter I give said Negros to her lawful spouse with their increase.In turn I do leave unto my Daughter Frances Simms, three Negros Kitty, Rose and Frank also a colt, saddle and bridle also a walnut chest and at my said Daughters death I give said Negros and their increase to her lawful spouse. In turn I do in addition to what I have lent and given to my Daughters, Polly, Nancy, Patsey, and Frances give unto each of them the respective beds and furniture by each of them claimed also to each of then a cow by each of them now respectively claimed and the increase of said cows forever. Should any of my children loose their Negros or any of them before they marry then it is my advise that such... shall be made up to them out of the increase of the Negro woman, but my wife the first ... to be supplied with the first child that may be born and so on as such...may happen and children may be born but should their not be a sufficient increase of Negros to supply... --then and in that case it is my will and desire that whichever of my children that may be unsupplied shall have this made up before any division of the ... of my Negros takes place in this in money or a Negro or Negros as near to the value of such ... as possible Negros given to supply ... an to be in the same situation as those were when ... they supply that is they are to go to the lawful spouse of such child or children that they belong to. It is further my will and desire that all my property that I have not given to my children shall remain with my wife for her use and the use of my children (if any these be which may not get married) during his life or widowhood and that when my wife dies or marries these be an equal division made of all the property which I have ... an this among my children, and that then be no appraisement or inventory made at my death and that after my just debts be paid all money that may remain not here given away be by my Executors appropriated to the purchasing of land and that my wife to get this with such of my children as may not be married have quiet and possible portion of said land to live on during the life or widowhood of my wife. And it is my will and desire that if any of my children remain unmarried at the death of marriage of my wife thin and in that case I wish my Executors to lay off for such unmarried child so much land as they my Executors may think ... for the support of such unmarried child and then divide the balance of the land among my children that are married equally. And lastly I do hereby constitute appoint my sons John Sims, William Sims and Thomas Sims Executors of this my last will and testament In witness whereof I have ... set my hand and affined my seal this 14th day of March One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twelve. Signed Sealed published and disclosed in Presence of us. Harrison Blagrave William Sims (SEAL) John Wilson Oliver Crenshaw Transcribed by Anna Young a direct descendent of William Sims. (...) means the word was illegible. Copy of this was obtained on microfilm from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. #549,227 Will of William Sims Page 85 Volume 1 Nov 1806-September 1815.