Grundy County, Tennessee Will Book Volume 1, 1838-1874
W.P.A.
Compiled under the auspices of the Historical Records Project, this publication contains the full-text wills of Grundy County, Tennessee from 1838 through 1874.
Some of the wills are very lengthy, others very short. The name of deceased, heir(s), and relationship(s) - information researchers want and need to establish relationships of ancestors is included.
* WPA Workers
During the Great Depression in the early 1900s, many Americans were given a "job" by the United States Government to support their family. One such "job" was transcribing early court, family, Bible, and cemetery records as well as other local records. Original versions were typed on onion skin paper with "x" number of carbon copies. Although the State Archives owns the vast majority of 'first' or typed copy, carbons have circulated for years but are now scattered. Often the typing is not the best and is difficult to read but these valuable records still constitute one of the best sources of information for Tennessee Counties. In many cases, these are all that remain of the original as many county records have been lost. WPA records are generally full text transcription: much larger in scope than an abstraction or summary.
Example
p. 12: Will of Thomas Burrows, Decd.
I, Thomas Burrows ((usual legal language)) ... First it is my will and desire that all my just debts be paid and as to my worldly goods after the payment of my debts in manner following ... my wife Jane Burrows have one half of the tract of land on which I now reside for and during her natural life. Also, two negros ... Sam and Ceily and their increases and my farming utensils, household/kitchen furniture, and also which stock I may have or land consisting of horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, all of which I give and bequeath to her for and during her natural life for her use and maintenance but not be to disposed of in any other way and at her death to go in remainder to my adopted daughter Harriet Burrows. Will continues with bequeaths to daughter.
paper, 51 pp.
ISBN: 9780788476006
101E-TN0684
