Sometime shortly before 17 May 1861, William Davis, son of Samuel Davis, Sr. and Lucinda R. Munsey passed away in Attala County, Mississippi. William Davis was born about 1809 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. He was the youngest of 10 children born to this union. Between 1818 & 1819, his parents Samuel and Lucinda Davis moved the family to Warren County, Tennessee. William and his 5 brothers were farmers just like their father, Samuel.
William didn't stay put in Warren County, Tennessee; by 1835 he had wander south to Jackson Country, Alabama. After a while in Jackson County, he married Priscilla Bryant and moved to Pickens County and then about 1855 to Attala County, Mississippi where he was living when he died in 1861.
William Davis wrote his Will on 28 March 1861 and died before 17 May 1861. His tombstone's bears the dates 1809-1861. His FindAGrave Memorial bears the death date of 1 May 1861. The administrative bond for his estate bears the date 17 May 1861. Unless someone has a Family Bible he died before 17 May 1861.
William and Lucinda had 6 known children none of which are named in his Last Will and Testament. However, the 1860 Population Census for Township 13 Range 6, Attala, Mississippi does name his wife and all of his known children.
Transcription:
Last Will & Testament William Davis
Will
Estate of William Davis, Deceased
In the name of God, Amen;
I make this my last Will and testament, First, I resign my soul to Almighty God hopeing and believing in the remission of my Sins by the merits of Jesus Christ, my body I commit to the earth to be buried, with as little expense as possible.- I appoint my wife Priscilla Davis, my Sole Executrix, the 1st duties to pay all debts, which is unpaid. My Goods of every kind to remain in her possession, and under her control, and management So long as she remains unmarried for the purpose of raising and educating my children, Should any of my children get married my will is that my Executrix, give each one a negro and such an outfit as she may think proper, at a fair valuation of Eight per cent Interest, until the final division, at which time each one to have an equal share, no deduction for Board or Education. Should my lands prove insufficient for the benefit of the Heirs, my Executrix may sell or purchase more as she may think proper. No division of the property is to take place until my youngest arrives at the age of eighteen or married. At that time, I want each one to have these Shares.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this the 28th March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred & Sixty one.
Signed, sealed and declared} William Davis {L.S.}
By the said testor in the}
Presents <sic> of us, who at his}
request and in his presence} Harrison P. Donald
have subscribed our names} Robert S. Clark
as witnesses thereto. March 28, 1861} Edwd. Davis
The State of Mississippi} In the Probate Court of said County
Attala County} At the May Term A,D, 1861
Probate of Will
In the matter of a certain instrument of writing purporting to be the last Will and testament of William Davis Deceased) Be it remembered that at a term of the Probate Court of the county of Attala in the State aforesaid begun and held at the Court House in and for said County on the third Monday (20th) in May in the year of our Lord, one thousand Eight Hundred and sixty one personally appeared in open Court Edward Davis, Harrison Donald and Robert Clark, Subscribing Witnesses to a certain instrument of (pg 603) writing purporting to be the Last Will and testament of William Davis late of Said County deceased, bearing date the 28th March 1861, who having first been duly sworn, deposes and Said that Said William Davis, Signed sealed published and declared said instrument as his last will and testament in the presence of these deponents, on the day of the date thereof. That said testator was then in Sound mind and memory and more than twenty one years of age and that these deponents Subscribed said instruments as Witnesses thereto at the instance and request of said Testator, in his presence and also in the presence of each other on the day and year aforesaid.
Sworn to and Subscribed before]
Me in open Court this} Edw. Davis
20 day May A.D. 1861.} H. P. Donald
Sam Young} R. S. Clark
Judge}
Examined and ordered to be recorded May 20th,1861.
Sam Young, Judge
Recorder June 4th A.D. 1861
T. D. Sallis Clk
By S. E. Wilson Deputy
William Davis is my 1st Cousin 5X Removed.
___________________________
1. Last Will & testament > https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4909405:8995
2. 1850 U. S. Census, Pickens County,
Alabama, population schedule, Southern District, Pickens, Alabama, Page
49A(Stamped), Lines 42+1-5, Dwelling #560; Family #582, Household of William
DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 6
June 2020); citing National Archives
Microfilm M432.
3. 1860 U. S. Census, Attala County, Mississippi,
population schedule, Township 13 Range 6, Attala, Mississippi; Page 217/477
(Penciled), Lines 6-13, Dwelling #1564; Family #1492, Household of Wm. DAVIS;
digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 6 June
2020); citing NARA publication Roll: M653.
4. Attala County Chancery Court, MS, Mississippi, Probate
Court Estates, Volume A: page 602-603, Images 333 of 701, William Davis; LDS
FHL Film#877889.
5. Attala County Chancery Court, MS, Mississippi, Probate
Court Estates Volume C: 45: page 355, Images 714.
6. Attala County Chancery Court, MS, Mississippi, Probate
Court Estates Bonds and Letters of Administrators, Executors, Guardians,
1858-1895: page 235, Images 160.
7. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A
Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com: accessed 6
June 2020); Memorial page for William Davis; (1809–1 May 1861); Find a Grave
memorial # 48067565, Citing Yockanookany Baptist Church Cemetery; McVille,
Attala County, Mississippi, USA.
8. 1880 U. S. Census, Freestone County, Texas, population
schedule, Freestone, Texas, enumeration district (ED) 056, Page#594 (Stamped),
Line 6, Dwelling#533, Family#533, Household of Priscilla DAVIS; digital images,
Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed` 6 June 2020); citing
National Archives Microfilm T9_1304.
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