Sullivan County
State of Tennessee
"In the name of God Amen;
Be it remembered that I, Matthew Rhea, of Sullivan County, in the State of Tennessee, being through the mercy of God of sound mind and disposing mind and memory, calling to mind the uncertainty of life and that it is appointed for all men to die, do make, ordain, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament as follows, that is to say:
I commit myself to God the merciful Father of all, trusting on Him for salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior and I do direct that this earthly body of mine shall be decently interred and returned to earth, trusting that at the resurrection it will, by Almighty Power be restored, a glorious body to me.
In respect to the things of this world wherewith it has pleased Almighty God to bless me, I do devise and bequeath them in the manner following, that is to say;
It is my desire and I do direct that all my just debts shall be paid by my executors, hereinafter named, out of my personal estate and I do give and bequeath to my son, Joseph Rhea, the sum of ten dollars. I do bequeath and give to my son, Robert Rhea, the sum of ten dollars. I do bequeath and give to my daughter, Margaret Rhea, ten dollars and one walnut cupboard now in my house. And I do devise and direct that my tract of land of 478 acres more or less in the State of Ohio, be sold and conveyed by my executors and the moneys arising therefrom be divided as follows hereinafter specified. I do give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Martha, my dwelling house and the use of one-third part of all my outhouses, and one-third part of my orchards and one-third part of my cleared lands that are on my tract of land where on I now live in Sullivan County aforesaid for and during her natural life. And I do give and bequeath to my said wife, Martha, for and during her natural life, my negro man Sam and negro girl Jude and the negro child Sophe to be to my said wife during her natural life. And I do give and bequeath to my said wife Martha one-half of all my household and kitchen furniture and one-third part of all my horses excepting my gray riding horse and one-third part of all my cattle and sheep and hogs together with all her wearing apparel to be to her sole use and behalf and I do give, bequeath and devise to my son, Matthew Rhea, all my tract of land with the appurtenances where on I now live in Sullivan County, subject nevertheless to the reservation and disposition made as above set forth to and on behalf of my wife, Martha, during her natural life, to be to him, his heirs, and assigns forever. And I do give, bequeath and devise to my said son, Matthew Rhea, my negro man Dominic and negro woman Poll and Nana and Hannah with their increase to him and his heirs and assigns forever. And I also do bequeath, devise and give to my said son, Matthew Rhea, my said negro man Sam, and negro girl Jude and the negro child Sophe after the decease of my wife, Martha, to be with their increase to him, his heirs, and assigns. And I do further give, devise and bequeath to my son, Matthew Rhea, my gray riding horse and watch and all my books and all the residue and remainder of all my real and personal estate of what nature and kind (?) to him, his heirs and assigns forever. In regard to my tract of land in the State of Ohio before mentioned, it is my will and desire that when the same is sold my said wife, Martha, shall receive from the sale thereof, two hundred fifty dollars, my daughter, Margaret, also two hundred fifty dollars to be paid them as soon as may be after sale, also I will and bequeath unto my grandchildren, Jinny and Amy Rhea, two hundred dollars each to be paid from said sale when they arrive at full age with lawful interest thereon. It is further my will and desire that should my daughter Margaret be dissatisfied with what I have bequeathed her above, that she receive no part thereof by virtue of this my will. And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my son, Matthew Rhea, to be Executor of this my last will and testament hereby vesting him with full power for that purpose and I do hereby (?) all and any other last will and testament by me heretofore made and ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament to my interest and purpose. In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal this 8th day of March, 1816." Matthew Rhea Seal
Signed sealed, published and declared
by the said Matthew Rhea to be his last will and testament in presence of us.
William Rhea
Joseph Rhea
I, John C. Rutledge, Clerk of the County Court,
foresaid County, thereby certify the foregoing to
be a true full and perfect copy of the last will
and testament of Matthew Rhea, dec'd, which is proven
and appears of record in my office.
Witness my hand at office in
Blountville this 11th day of June 1856.
  John E. Rutledge, Clk.