State of Tennessee)
Carroll County) In the name of God, Amen.
I Seletha C. Mc Mahan of the State and County aforesaid being of sound mind do make constitute & appoint this my last will & Testament (viz) in the first place I wish my friends to bury me in a plain decent manner without parrade. 2nd. I give and bequeath to my only son & Child Richard Mc Mahan and his bodily heirs (born in wedlock) a certain negro girl slave by the name of Maria (now about seventeen years old) and her increase forever. I also give to my only son and heir my bed and bedstead and bed furniture, also all my livestock consisting of one Cow & yearling and one ewe & lamb & it is my desire that Richard and the property above devised shall remain with my Parents during their natural life & after their death I wish Brother A. A. Mc Kenzie to take Richard and the property to Educate him & raise him in the best possible way he can consistant with the property he may have in his having a prudent care to the saveing of something for a beginning for him when he arrives to manhood should he live by way of explication of the last named sentence. I wish him not to sell any of the property but to manage it in such a manner that he may be raised clothed and educated in a plain but usefull & substantial manner by the labour & increase of the property above mentioned. In the event of Richard dying without lawfull Issue then in that case I want the property above devised & its increase to be equally divided among all my surviving Brothers & sisters, except Brother Jeremiah Hall Mc Kenzie who is already rich enough without anything more.
In testimony of the above I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixted my seal this 23rd day of August 1836.
Interlined between the seventh & Eighteeth
lined before signaturing.
Seletha C. Mc Mahan (Seal)
Signed and sealed in presents of
Samuel Winn - Jno. Mc Kenzie
Calloway Hardin
Carroll County Court) July Term 1836
This day was produced in open Court the last will & testament of Seletha C. Mc Mahan which was proven to be her act and deed for the purposes herein contained by the oaths of James M Mc Kenzie & J. Mc Kenzie two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
A Copy Test
G. Hern Clerk
By J. R. Smith D.C.