Amanuensis Monday Will of Thomas Taliaferro

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF THOMAS TALIAFERRO

I, Thomas Taliaferro, being of lawful age and of sound and disposing mind hereby make and declare this my last will and testament.

Item first. It is my will that my beloved wife, Bertha Taliaferro, have the horse and mule named Tobe which I now own.

Item Second. I give to my son Thomas Taliaferro, Junior, the horse mule named Mack together with the double wagon, harness, plow tools and all other farm tools and implements on the place which I reside and all such tools and implements of which I may die seized and possessed.

It is my will that my land be divided equally between my six children to-wit: Thomas Taliaferro, Junior, Henry Taliaferro, Vernon Taliaferro, Rosa Belle Taliaferro, Annie Thomas, Mattie Taliaferro, Fred Taliaferro, Rocksie Harris and my wife Bertha Taliaferro, share and share alike, except I give to my said wife her share in the said land on which the residence in which I now live stands, together with the out houses, barnes(sp) on this land.

It is my will that the said land be kept together and not sold or disposed of by my said children or either of them for a period of ten years from my death, and this provision also applies to my wife.

It is my will that my wife and my son Thomas Taliaferro pay my funeral expenses out of their respective shares, equally, and any other debts that I may owe at the time of my death

I nominate and appoint my son, Thomas Taliaferro, my executor of this my will and I direct that he be not required to make any bond as such executor or to make application to any court or to account to any court.

Thomas Taliaferro his X mark, Sr.

Witness my signature this the 16 day of February, 1917.

Witnesses
J. M. Scott
W. H. Wilson

Thomas Taliaferro shared the same slave owner, Peachy R Taliaferro, as members of my paternal family.

Thomas wrote in a 1915 letter that he no longer wanted Bertha as a wife. I guess he changed his mind about a divorce since he includes her in his will.

Thomas died 04 May 1917.

Source: Copiah County Will Book A
Page 335