April 29, 1821
In the name of God, Amen!
I, Abraham Tennison in the County of Rutherford, and State of Tennessee, being of perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die. Do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say, principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it, hoping through the merits, death and passion of my saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of sins, and inherit everlasting life, and my body I commit to earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executor hereinafter named. Nothing doubting but at the General ressurection, I shall receive the same again, by the Mightly power of God. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life. I give, devise, and dispose of the same in the following manner, and that is to say, I first will that all those debts and buties that I owe to any manner of persons whatsoever shall be well and truly paid ordained to be paid in convenient time after my decease, by my executors hereinafter names.
2nd. I give and bequeath unto my wife JANE my plantation with all the property that I have, to hold during her life or widowhood, except such as shall hereafter name to my children.
3rd. I give to my wife JANE her bed and furniture and two cows to her to dispose of as she pleases and my Nell mare. And my children that have left me, I have given them their share, which is CORNELIUS BRANDONS's wife and SAMUEL FULK's wife and HUGH CARNAHAN's wife and SOLOMON and EDMUND TENNISON and JAMES HILTON's wife, I have given her share. And I give to my daughter Rebecca her bed and furniture and one mare named Trusty and one cow and calf. And I give to my daughter NANCY ADAMS one bay horse called Peter and one cow and calf and her bed and furniture. And my plantation I now live on I allow to be equally divided between my sons HIRAM and ARCHIBALD and to cast lots for choice, and I give unto my son HIRAM one Sorrel mare called Stockings, and one stud colt called Rinard and what he make on plantation, to be his own except what goes to the support of my wife and family. And I give to my son ARCHIBALD one gray mare called Dull and one cow and calf and one bed and furniture, and at my wife's death, I allow my son HIRAM to have all the property that I have not named, to do with as he pleases. And lastly I ordain my son SOLOMON TENNISON and ALEXANDER LORANCE, Executor of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disavoual all and every other former testatments, will, legacies and bequeaths and executions by me in any way before named, willed, and bequeathed. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written. Singed, sealed, published and pronounced and declared by the said ABRAHAM TENNISON as his last will and testament, in the presence of us the subscribers.
ABRAHAM TENNISON
Britton Pace
John Wilson
James King
Recorded Dec. 1, 1825, Rutherford County, State of Tennessee