COPY OF WILL OF GEORGE THOMAS I George Thomas of the County of Cocke and the State of Tennessee being of sound mind and disposing memory, but in a precarious and dangerous condition of bodily health do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking any and all--------------- me that is to say: Item first I have heretofore put my Son-in_law and daughter James and Luraney Netherton in possession of a tract of land upon which they now reside lying in the County aforesaid purchased by me from Nicholas B. Gann, and in that deed more fully described, which was intended by me as an advancement to the said Luraney for the term of her natural life and at the term of her natural life and at her death to her children towit, George L., Catherine, Nancy, Jane and Levicy, and Rhonda and any other children who may be hereafter born of the body of the said Luraney Netherton. Said advancement to be valued at eight hundred dollars. Item 2nd I have heretofore divided my home place consisting of seven hundred and thirty four acres by actual survey into four lots among my four sons, George I, Jeremiah, James and Jacob and have executed deeds of conveyance to the said George I. and Jacob and the said Jeremiah having bargained and sold his share to my son James, I have executed a deed of conveyance to the said James for the share of the said Jeremiah, but the courses and distances of the remaining fourth part of my said home place not being at hand I have not executed a deed of conveyance to the said James but I do hereby give and bequeath the said remaining one fourth part to the said James Thomas and his heirs forever and I direct any executor to make to him a deed of conveyance according to the butts ? and bounds of the same it being all the balance of my home place not conveyed by the said deeds to the said George I. Jacob and to the said James under his purchase from the said Jeremiah. And the said George I. , Jeremiah , James and Jacob shall be charged with the sum of eight hundred dollars each in the distribution of my estate, the said Jeremiah has been paid that amount by the said James. Item 3rd I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Catherine----------unreadable line---- for and during his natural life together with their increase, but a I require my son Jacob to have the control and management and to make them work to support my Widow and to pay for her support and at the death of my said wife it is my will and desire that my sons George I., Jeremiah, James, and Jacob shall have said slaves, and their increase, to them and heirs forever to be divided among them equally by agreement among themselves----- ----unreadable line-------event they should be unable to agree they shall each select one man and the four men shall have the power to select a fifth who shall make said division equally by valuation. Item 4 It is my will and desire and I do require of my sons George I., Jeremiah, James and Jacob and my son-in-law James Netherton upon the death of my wife to pay to my son Henry Thomas of the State of Iowa, my daughter Nancy Netherton wife of James N. Netherton of Missouri and my son John of Cocke County Tennessee the sum of five hundred dollars. Item 5th It is also my will and desire that my sons George I. Jeremiah, James and Jacob shall pay to each of the other four of my children a sum equal to the one eighth of the value of the said slaves at the death of my wife Catherine. It being my desire that they shall be made equal in the said negroes with my said sons George, Jeremiah , James and Jacob, but they shall not be bound to pay the same in money, but may if they prefer it pay the same in one or more negroes which shall be accepted in -----------------2 lines unreadable-------------my children cannot agree among themselves. Item 6th What money I have on hand, I desire after the payment of my funeral expenses to be loaned out by my executors and my said wife to enjoy the interest thereon annually, the principal to be divided equally among all my children at her death. Item 7th It is my will and desire that my son Jacob shall have two complete beds and furniture and that my wife shall have my smith tools, Waggon and harness during her natural life to be sold and equally distributed at her death. My wife also set apart whatever she may think is necessary to her support and comfort from my livestock and household and kitchen furniture and keep the same during her natural life all the balance of my personal property, I desire to be sold by my executors pubicly or privately as they may see proper. the proceeds of which they shall apply to the payment of the five hundred dollars herein before directed to be paid to my son John. debts due to to me are to be collected and ---------------in the same way. Lastly I appoint my sons George I. and James Thomas executors of this my last will and Testament in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of January 1855. Signed sealed and published in our presence George Thomas seal A. J. Fletcher Isaac Haskins Juliet Williams State of Tennessee Cocke County county Court February Term 1855 then was the foregoing Last Will and Testament of George Thomas proven in open Court by the oaths of A. J. Fletcher, Isaac Haskins and Juliet Williams the suscribing witnesses thereunto Attest A. McMahan Clk I Allen McMahan certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the last will and Testament of George Thomas, dec. on file in my office Given under my hand at office in Newport the 25th day of April 1855 A. McMahan clk B. L. D. Porter D Copied by William D. Thomas March 9, 2000