Source: Sumner County Tennessee, Will Book Vol. 4, pages 470 - 472
In the name of God, amen. Being sound in Mind, And Perfect in Memory: Knowing the uncertainty of life & Certainty of death; not being Persuaded by Any One, And knowing the Absolute Necessity for Me to make This My last Will & Testament, except I live long enough to see that tis (sic) necessary for the well being of the whole Family to change It.
1st. I wish all My just debts to be paid: which I hope will be none, for I expect to Close All My Business Myself, which is about all that I expect to do from now on.
2nd. That All My Property, Personal, Mixed & Real be equally Divided between C.H.Bell's Bell Heirs & Dr. E.W. Davis: a life time Estate belonging to the Bell Heirs: & the interest of Any Money that may be going to Them at Her Death. The J.C.Bell have rec'd now by land Horse Mull balance of Note Bonds etc & interest to date $ 5250.00 which I want taken out of Her Bell Heirs Part. I give Dr. E.W. Davis half I possess; not because I like him any better than the rest of the children; but because I think he will not spend it foolislly as I the (sic) Bell's will.
3rd. My dearly beloved Wife has a right to one of the best Farms in the County that I bought &
will pay for which is enough for her. Now children I earnestly request you to take good care of
what We have spent a lifetime to acquire for you. Bring up your children to know what labour it
takes to earn a dollar, even if you have 1,000,000 to give them. This 30th. of June 1876, From
book A. page 21 which was written that very day & this is a true copy.
J. L. Davis
This is a codicil to the above Will. In it I [pg 471] sat out with the intention to make C.H. Bell & Dr. E.W. Davis equal in what they receive from me, which Harriett (now dead) was willing should be done, and I intended to carry it out as far as I can.
1st. In the 6 years & about 5 months last past J.C.Bell & Family have received by rent of Gillespie place interest, timber, what I have paid & what I believe I will have to pay for them that I was not consulted about $ 3595.00 which is now more than will be left for Dr. E.W. Davis. So that paragraph 2nd. Of Will instead of reading "be equally divided between C.H. Bell's Bell heirs & Dr. E.W. Davis, I want it to say "all my property personal, mixed & real to be given to Dr. E.W. Davis for reasons given in Will.
2nd. The Hill place now consisting of 218 acres was contracted to my wife in part pay & J.C. Bell's note for $ 1005.21 for balance for half of Gillespie lands Bell paid none, tis (sic) all out of date C.H. Bell did not make a deed, I bought it for Tax long ago. I hereby give & bequeath said 218 acres of land to Laura L., Sir Charles, and Kora Jane Bell. I have done too much for my brother F.M. Davis & sister M.L. McDole & Folks, now I have nothing I want either of them to have & same to J.C. Bell. I hereby appoint Dr. E.W. Davis my Executor to go on & carry out my Will without any Administration for giving any Bond. I also request him to take good care of his Grandma, Brother & sisters that all of you do as your Mother requested you live religious. If any person should try to break this Will. I now Will that he, she or they pay the cost of suit. And if I have [pg 472] Willed them anything that It be taken from them and given to the others: for I know that I am as capable of making a Will now as I ever have been. This 2nd. Of Nov. 1882.
J. L. Davis
State of Tennessee
Sumner County Court Nov. Term Nov. 16th. 1889.
A paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of J.L. Davis deceased, was this
day produced in open Court for probate when David Gilliam, Thomas Hodge and James Durham
personally came and being duly sworn depose and say that the handwriting of J.L. Davis is
generally known by his acquaintances and that they verily believe the paper writing dated June
30th. 1876 purporting to be the last Will and Testament of J.L. Davis deceased, also a codicil to
same dated the 2nd. Day of Nov. 1882 and every part of said Will and Codicil thereto is in the
handwriting of J.L. Davis and E.W. Davis being duly sworn depose and says that said paper
writing was placed in his hands for safe keeping by said J. L. Davis during his lifetime. It is
therefore ordered by the Court that said Will and Codicil be recorded as the last Will and
Testament of J.L. Davis, deceased.
A true copy.
Attest
Harris Brown Clerk