Will of Alexander Donelson, 1826
Will of Alexander Donelson
In the name of God amen.
I Alexander Donelson of the County of Davidson and State of Tennessee being of sound mind and disposing memory, and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous to dispose of all such worldly substance as it hath pleased God to bless me, do make and publish this my last will and testament in the manner and form following towit:
1st It is my will and desire that I be buried in a decent and Christian like manner, recommending my soul to God who gave it.And whereas my relatives being numerous so that if my estate were divided among them it would not be an object to any, and if given to a few would occasion complaints with those who might receive no part, I do therefore,
2ndly Desire unto my nephew Alexander Donelson, son of my deceased brother Savern Donelson and Elizabeth Donelson, widow, the tract of land on which I at presentreside, situated in Davidson County and containing about four hundred and four acres be the same more or less, to have and to hold to the said Alexander and his heirs forever.And whereas I am possessed ofsundry Negro slaves and have acquired said slaves as well as al the property I possess solely by my own individual exertion and industry and whereas I do believe it to be the duty of a Christian to deal with his fellow man in a state of bondage, with humanity and kindness and as I have never married and consequently am without children of my body and I do believe my happiness hereafter does in a measure depend upon the disposition I shall make of my said slaves.I do therefore in conformity with the duty which I consider as a Christian I owe to God.
3rdlyDirect that all the slaves of which I am possessed be emancipated except one, a Negro man named Jim and my executors herein after named are particularly charged and required to take such measures as will effect that object in conformity with the existing laws of the State of Tennessee, and if my executors shall fail in effecting that object by reason of the refusal of the County Court to emancipate said slaves, in this state it is my will and desire and my executors are hereby directed and required to remove them to some other state at their discretion and there emancipate them, and my executors are hereby invested with full powers., and are hereby required to take such measures as will effectively procure the freedom of said slaves with the exception above named.
4thIt is my will and desire that my said executors after my death and after paying my financial expenses do pay all just debt and demand of and issue out of the residue of my estate and after the payment of all just demands against me that they divide the residue of my estate of what ______ it be, among my Negroes, including the stock on the farm, said distribution to be made at the sound discretion of my executors they having due regard to the age and situation of said Negroes, and it is further my will and desire that my said executors procure for my Negroes (to be emancipated) small parcels of land in Davidson County of practicable or elsewhere at the discretion of my said executors or at the desire of said Negroes or any of them and settle them on the same in families apportioning the quantity of land and stock and money according to the size of each family respectively as far as practicable.
5thIt is my will and desire that my said Negroes remain on the plantation on which I now live until my said executors shall fully execute this my last will and testament or until my said executors shall remove them to some other place and so soon as said Negroes are emancipated my said executors are hereby required to put my said nephew Alexander Donelson in possession of said tract of land.
6thMy said executors are hereby authorized to use any part of the residue of my estate not herein particularly devised or bequeathed to procure said slaves to be emancipated either in this state or elsewhere.
7thI do hereby appoint William Carroll and Nicholas B. Pryor both of Davidson County executors of this my last will and testament.In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the 9th day of September 1826.
Alexander Donelson
Signed, sealed and published
In presence of E. Talbot
Lain B. Pryor
More Replies:
-
Re: Will of Alexander Donelson, 1826
delores west 11/25/06
-
Re: Will of Alexander Donelson, 1826
Deborah Parks 11/25/06
-
Re: Will of Alexander Donelson, 1826