LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ELIZABETH DAVIS

In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I, Elizabeth Davis of Knox County do make and publish this, my last Will and Testament, as follows:

Item 1st: I will and devise that my son John W. Davis the north half of the farm formerly own by George Downs and by him willed to William Downs and the south half of said farm I hereby will to James W. Davis, also my son. Said farm is situate in the first quarter of the 7th township and range 12 of lands in said Knox County, the division line between the north half and the south half of said farm is to be the centre of the new road running east and west through said farm.

Item 2nd: I will and devise to my son Henry Davis, during his life, and at his death, to his children, fifty acres off the north end of a one hundred and two acre tract, also in the 1st quarter of the seventh township and range twelve aforesaid, bounded on the west by lands of William Vian, bounded on the south by lands of Allison Adams, the heir of John Adams, deceased, on the east by lands owned by Catherine Young and Lucy Ellen Berrington and on the north by lands of Caroline V. Fletcher, said fifty acres to be taken of the north end in a square piece.

Item 3rd: I give and devise to my son, George Davis, and my daughters Harriet and Mary Davis the farm in Monroe Township, Knox County, this one on which I now reside, estimated to contain one hundred and thirteen acres, share and share alike.

Item 4th: I will and devise to John W. Davis ten acres south of the fifty acres above willed to Henry Davis, the balance of said lot of 102 acres I will to George Davis and Harriet and Mary Davis, share and share alike.

Item 5th: It is my will that my sons John W. Davis and James W. Davis, out of the property I give them in this will pay to my daughters Catherine Young, Margaret Young and Christian W. Ardell, each the sum of five hundred dollars to be paid as follows, to wit.: Two hundred and fiftey dollars to each in one year after my decease and two hundred and fifty dollars in two years after my decease, no interest on either of these payments to be paid.

Item 6th: I give to my son John W. Davis one bed and one eight day clock; to my son James W. Davis one bed, the secretary or writing desk, and bookcase; John and James are each to have one double coverlet got by their father Jacob Davis in their lifetime for them. All the rest of my property of every kind of which I may die possessed I give to my son George Davis and my daughters Harriet and Mary Davis to be equally divided between them, share and share alike.

Item 7: I hereby appoint John W. Davis and James W. Davis executors of this, my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

Witness my hand this 29th day of May, A. D. 1871

Elizabeth Davis (signed)


CODICIL

Whereas I, Elizabeth Davis, on the 29th of May, in the year 1871, made my last Will and Testament of that day, do hereby declase the following to be a codicil of the same:

I do hereby give and bequeath to James W. Davis and my daughter Christian McArdle all the land willed to by son John W. Davis, now deceased. To wit.: It is my will that James W. Davis is to have the east half of the 101 acre tract of land willed and described in the will; also the undivided half of 10 acres of land willed and described to my son John W. Davis. It is my will that Christian McArdle is to have the west half of the 101 acre tract of land, also the undivided half of the [two? ten?] acres will and described to John W. Davis in my will; at her death it is to go to her children. It is my will that James W. Davis is to pay as provided in my will to Catherine Young five hundred dollars and Margaret Young five hundred dollars. The money that John and James were to pay Christian McArdel is not to be paid; the land I will to her is in lieu of it.

In testimony hereof I hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of August, A.D. 1873

Elizabeth Davis (signed)

Signed and acknowledged by said Elizabeth Davis as her last Will and Testament in our presence and signed by us in her presence.

Allison Adams
J. L. Black



Transcribed and submitted by Sheryl McClure

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