DENT-Madison County, TN- 1833-4 Will Book I (December 1825 - May 1835) page 534 Vicksburg, State of Mississippi, Feby 25 1833 In The name of God Amen, I William Dent of Madison County & the State of Tennessee being at this time and at the above mentioned place sick do make this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made. ... 1st I give and bequeath to my son John W Dent two hundred and two and one half acres of land situated in Houston County & state of Georgia on Indian Creek ... 2ndly I give and bequeath the store house and lot situated in the town of Madisonville in the county of Madison and State of Tennessee to James M Skelton for his own use & benefit forever by his paying to my administrator or Administrators the sum of one hundred Dollars. ... 3rdly I give and bequeath unto Hepsaby Gartman the woman who has lived with me as my wife for some years and by whom I have three Children viz: Francis Louisa, Martha Elizabeth & Nancy Rebecca I give the sum of one thousand dollars to paid out of the proceeds of the sale of my property I also give her one bed & bedstid and furniture for the same; she has the right of choise of all my beds bedstids and furniture & for the same. ... 4thly I will and bequeath to my children both those I had by my first wife & those I have by the woman living with me at this time viz. Hepsoby Gartman all the residue of my property both real and personal to be equally divided among them all except three negroes and other property which I have let my daughter Polly Caroline May have that property is to be considered a part of her legacy and is considered to be worth and is to be charged to her at eight hundred Dollars ... 5thly The property I have given to those three children which I had by Hepsoby Gartman I intend that the said Hepsoby Gartman is to have a competency therefrom as a support for her so long as she page 535 remains single or my widdow by This I intend that she shall have a decent support from the property belonging to my three children which I have had by Hepsoby Gartman viz: Francis Louisa, Martha Elizabeth and Nancy Rebecca but it is not intended that the said Hepsoby Gartman is to have any part of the property or the use thereof any longer than she remains unmarried ... 6thly I shall leave it optional with my administrator to sell all of my Lands in Tennessee or somuch of them as will pay my debts, or to sell any part of my property so that my debts may be paid The residue of my property my administrator will lease or hire out to the best advantage for my heirs ... 7thly I appoint as my administrator Major Middleton Bradford of Madison County Tennessee In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal W Dent (SEAL) Witnesses present R H Byrn O Byrn Thomas Rawlings State of Tennessee} Madison County } I Roderick McIver Clerk of of the Court of Pleas and quartersessions for the county aforesaid do certify that the forgoing is a true copy of the last will and testament of Wm Dent now on file in my office Witness my hand and my office the 31st Decr 1834 R. McIver Clk ---------------------------------------------------------- In pursuance of an order of the County Court of Madison County at the November Term 1834 and in accordance with of the will of William Dent Decd late of said county we have proceeded to divide the negroes belonging to the estate of said decd. The names and estimated valuation as follows, to wit, 1 Stephen about thirty years old valued @ $ 550.00 2 Randol " 26 " " " " 650.00 3 Sam " 26 " " " " 600.00 4 Frank " 21 " " " " 650.00 page 536 years old $ 5 Old Ben " 45 years old 500 6 Young Ben 21 650 7 John 37 550 8 Young Sam 13 550 9 Harrison 12 400 10 Lee 13 500 11 Peter 13 500 12 Charles 9 400 13 Maria 35 375 14 Cherry 10 325 15 Martha Ann 7 275 16 Andrew 4 225 17 Louisa 2 150 18 Franky 35 375 19 Sarah 10 325 20 Armstid 4 200 21 William 3 175 22 Hannah 30 375 23 Chany 3 150 24 Sampson 9 months old 75 25 Nancy 48 years old Diseased estimated at 100 dollars less than nothing 26 Anna about 7 years old valued at 275 27 Pheoby 7 175 28 Young Nancy about 25 years old 400 29 Eliza 5 years old 175 30 Darcas 45 years old 250 31 Malindy 17 years old 350 ________ $ 11,950 Deduct from the Lot drawing 100 dollars old Nancy 100 ________ divide by 7 $ 11,850 The proportion of each heir 1692 6/7 Polly Caroline May's part heretofore recd 800 Negros John about 37 years old 550 Malinda 17 years old 350 $1700 6/7 This much over her proportion 7 1/7 The balance 1672 6/7 her proportion after of setting apart the above two negros to Polly C May, we Threw into six lots and drew for the other six heirs as follows lot no 1 was drawn for Jane White Stephen valued 550 Franky 375 Sarah 325 Armistid 200 William 175 This much under her proportion 67 6/7 ________ 1692 6/7 Lot No 2 was drawn for Nancy R Dent (Towit) Randol 650 Maria 375 Martha 275 Andrew 225 Louisa 150 ________ 1675 This amt under her proportion 17 6/7 ________ 1692 6/7 Lot No 3 was drawn for John Dent (Towit) Sam 600 Young Nancy 400 Eliza 175 Peter 500 ________ 1675 This much under his part 17 6/7 ________ 1692 6/7 Page 537 Lot No 4 was drawn for Francis L Dent (Towit) Frank $650 & Cherry $375 975 Lee "500 & Darcas 250 750 ________ 1725 This much over her proportion 32 6/7 ________ 1692 6/7 Lot No 5 was drawn for Martha E Dent (To wit) Old Ben $500 & Hannah $375 875 Chany "150 & Sampson " 75 and young Sam $550 775 ________ 1650 This much under her proportion 42 6/7 ________ 1692 6/7 Lot no 6 was drawn for Mary A Dent (To wit) Young Ben $650, Harrison $400 Charles $400 1450 Ann "275, Phoeby "175 450 ________ 1900 Old Nancy for her deduct 100 ________ 1800 This much over her proportion 107 6/7 ________ Given under our hands 1692 6/7 This 2nd day of January 1835 James Vaulik A H Herron Martin Cartnell Lots Nos 2, 4 & 5 was drawn for Nancy R Dent Francis L Dent & Martha E Dent The three youngest children and as the will provides that their mother shall be supported out of the said 3 children's property we recomend to the Court to imalgimate The property drawn by the said 3 children and be held in common by them Jas Vaulik Martin Cartnell A H Herron South Carolina - Lexington district Recd March the 5th 1827 of Epsey Gartman Three hundred Dollars in full for a negroe Girl Kesian about ten years old, which negroe I for was warrant & defend the right and title to sd Epsey her heirs & assigns Given under my hand and seal this day William Dent the hand writing of Wm Dent proven by the oath of A Patton in open court the 2nd Feby 1835 R McIver Clerk ---------------------------------------------------------- Madison County TN Minute Book 4 (August 5, 1833 - September 9, 1840) page 35 Monday 4th November 1833 Ordered by the Court that James S Lyons be & is hereby appointed Guardian of the children of William Dent deceased to wit: Francis Louisa, Martha Elizabeth, & Nancy Rebecca.