In
the name of God Amen. I Nathaniel Howcott of Memphis being now in feeble health
but of sound mind so make, ordain & publish this my last will &
testament hereby revoking all others.
Item
1st I cheerfully resign my soul into the hands of Him who created it & my
body into the hands of my family & friends for Christian Sepulture.
Item
2nd I desire & direct the executrix of my will to make as speedy
provision as may properly be done for the payment of my funeral expenses &
debts of all kinds.
Item
3rd I will and bequeath unto my nephew Benjamin Howcott my set of
dental instruments including extracting scaling, excavating & plugging
instruments, my backshop or laboratory instruments, my apparatus for grinding
teeth, my writing desk, my set of oak chairs in the laboratory my office mantle
mirror, the operating chair in the front room of my office, my office carpet
& centre table.
Item
4th I will, bequeath & devise all the rest & residue of my
Estate real & personal, debts and choses in action, wherever situated
whether in the county of Shelby & state of Tennessee or elsewhere unto my
well beloved wife Adeline Howcott for her sole, separate & exclusive use for
& during the term of her natural life (subject to any disposition she may
desire to make of the same by sale, exchange, mortgage or otherwise) with power
& authority to her the said Adeline to devise the same or the proceeds
thereof at her decease by will to whomsoever she may will to whomsoever she may
will & in case of her death without having such disposition by will it is my
wish & desire & I do bequeath and devise the same or the proceeds
thereof with its increase unto my daughters Estelle Howcott & Emma Howcott
share & share alike their heirs assigns forever.
Lastly,
I nominate and appoint my said wife Adeline Howcott Executrix of this my will,
clothing her with full power to sell, convey, exchange or in any otherwise
dispose of my Estate real or personal and desire that no bond be required of her
as such executrix or any other compliance with the statutory provisions of
Tennessee.
In
testimony whereof I have signed & sealed these presents containing on the
three pages hereof my will this 8th day of October A.D. 1856
N.
Howcott (seal)
In
presence of Wm. K Poston, Geo. F. Jones.
Proven
at the December term 1856 and ordered to be recorded. Recorded December 6th
1856. John P Trezevant Clerk. By A A Thomas D.C.
Transcribed
From
a typescript copy at Memphis Public Library.