DICKSON, TENNESSEE
Will of Jesse Beck, Jr. Born: April 01, 1795, Albemarle County, Virginia, Died: August 19, 1858, Dickson County, TennesseeI, Jesse Beck of the County of Dickson and State of Tennessee, being in perfect and sound mind, but in an infirm state of health, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament; and at the same time revoking all former wills by me at any time made –
Item 1 I wish for my funeral expenses to be paid out of the first moneys that may come into the hands of my executors.
Item 2 I wish all my just debts to be paid as soon after my death as possible.
Item 3 I wish for my Negro woman Matilda and her youngest child; a boy, by name Armstead, and the increase of said Negroes if any, after the date of this will, to be valued jointly to my two granddaughters, Alice and Jerusha B. Beck, at the time of the death of my wife Judith Beck as part of their legacies of my estate.
Item 4 I will to my son Jesse W. Beck my Negro boy, by name, Anderson, to be delivered to him at my death, if not done previously by myself; for which boy, he is to be charged six hundred dollars, which is to come in as a portion of his legacy of my estate.
Item 5 I will and bequeath to my daughter Lucy Ann Edwards, my Negro girl Dafney to her and to the heirs of her body, for their own use and benefit and for no other purpose; For which girl she is to be charged six hundred dollars, which is to come in as a portion of her legacy of my estate; which girl is to be delivered to her at my death, if not previously done by myself.
Item 6 I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Johnson, and to the heirs of her body, for their own use and benefit, and for no other, my Negro girl Moriah, which she has now in possession; and for the said girl to remain when she marries; for which girl she is to be charged six hundred dollars to come in as a portion of the legacy of my estate.
Item 7 I give and bequeath to my son David C. Beck my Negro girl Fanny to be delivered to him at my death if not previously done by myself; for which he is to be charged four hundred dollars; which is to come in as a portion of his legacy of my estate.
Item 8 I give and bequeath to my son John T. Beck my Negro boy Leroy, to be delivered to him at my death, if not previously done by myself; for which boy he is to be charged four hundred dollars, to come in as a portion of his legacy of my estate.
Item 9 I wish it to be understood that in case either of the before mentioned Negroes should die before they are delivered to my children respectfully as I have given them, then I wish for that child or children; as the case might be, to be made whole, out of the remainder of my estate, to the amount the Negro or Negroes were valued to.
Item 10 I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Judith T. Beck, the tract of land, on which I now live, together with all the household and kitchen furniture; also all my farming utensils and plantation implements; also the following named Negroes, to wit: Simon and Jane, his wife, and two children, Cally and Julia and all the increases of said Negroes, if any, after the date of this will: also a mulatto boy named Richard; also I give her my four head of horses; that I have on hand, after giving to my children, such ones as I wanted them to have; also ten head of choice cattle; all my sheep; and all of my hogs. All the balance of my cattle to be sold by my Executors on a twelve months credit. The land and other named property I have willed my wife in this item, I wish for her to have the full use and benefit of during her natural life time or widowhood – Also I leave in the hands of my wife five hundred dollars in money, for the purpose of paying Mr. H.R. Johnson for a contract he has taken to build and repair for me; which job of work I want completed should I live or die; and to defray her other necessary expenses.
Item 11 I also will that my son David C. Beck be charged with an additional five hundred dollars, without interest, to come in against him, as a portion of his legacy of my estate.
Item 12 I also give to my wife before named, the present growing crop of every description, that is on my premises, is to have the full use and benefit of, as soon as is named in the 10th item. I also will and wish that all the property that I have given my wife in this will, both real and personal, at the death of my wife to be sold on a one and two years credit; and the proceeds to be divided so as to make all my heirs equal.
Item 13 Lastly I hereby nominate and appoint Jesse W. Beck and William L. White my true and lawful Executors, to carry out this my last will and testament – and I don’t wish the court to exact security of my executors.
In testimony whereof I have hereon to set my hand and affixed my seal. This the 3 day of July 1858.
Signed sealed and delivered Jesse (mark) Beck "seal"
In our presence
John A. Ladd
W.C. Stuart
Charlotte, Dickson County Tennessee Records, Will Book B., p 12
This information is transcribed and donated by Dickson's friend, and the Great Great Great Grandaughter of Jesse Beck Jr., Janis Beck-Taylor
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