Margaret Scantling who married John J. Nichols was my fourth great grandmother.  Her ancestors are unknown and almost certainly unknowable.  She was adopted by Judge Scantling and his wife after being discovered orphaned as a little girl.  There was a poisoning called the Black Tongue (deer who died had a black tongue), cause unknown.  Both people and animals died from the poisoning.  A party looking for survivors found the little girl who was adopted by Judge Scantling and named Margaret.
 
 
 

I Margaret Nichols do make and constitute this my last will and testament.  First it is my will that my daughter Clarissa Duggan have one half of my town lot which is lying in Sevierville South of Main Street and West of Crop Street where I formerly live to have the use and benefit of during her natural life and at her death to decend to her children.  It is my will that my daughter Sallie Nichols have the other half of the above named town lot during her natural life and at her death to decend to her children.  It is my will that the division line of said town lot between my two said daughters shall be as follows beginning on a plum tree on the street between the two houses and running directly through the lot to a plum tree below the stable at the fence and that my daughter Clarissa Duggan have the East Side and my daughter Sallie the West Side.

It is my will that the debts owing to me by W. F. Nichols and B. U. Chandler be equally divided between my two daughters Sally Nichols and Clarissa Duggan after all my just debts are paid out of the proceeds of said debts.  It is my will that the debt owing to me by John McMahan as the proceeds of said debt be equally devided between all my children to wit Elijah Nichols, P.B. Nichols, Sally Nichols,  and Clarissa Duggan and if it should appear that my son Elijah Nichols is dead or should not appear within five years from my death to receive his share of said debt then in that event I will that the share intended for him shall go to my other two sons W. F. Nichols and P. B. Nichols.  I will and bequeth the following property to wit my cow and calf, cooking stove and utentials, side saddle, clock one bead, head stead and furniture to may daughter Sally Nichols, I will and bequeath to my daughter Clarissa Duggan the following property to wit one bead, head stead and furniture my bureau, wash bowl pitcher, and looking glass.  It is my will that my son P.B. Nichols have the use and benefit of during has natural life my entry of land of about eleven acres lying on the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River adjoining the lands of the heirs of Wm. Henderson dec. and Elijah Brown and at his death it is my will that said land decend to his children.  It is my will that the remaining portion of my bead clothing and property be devided out between my four children to wit:; Sally Nichols, Clarissa Duggan, P. B. Nichols and W. F. Nichols.  It is my will that my son W. F. Nichols be my executor to carry out this my last will and testament witness my hand and seal this 20th day of April, 1859.

                                                                                     her
                                                                       Margaret  X  Nichols (S.Z.)
                                                                                   Mark
Witness
M.W. McCown
Bill Chandler

STATE OF TENNESSEE
COUNTY OF SEVIER

  I, RAY MILLER, COUNTY COURT CLERK FOR SEVIER COUNTY COURT DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THE FOREGOING IS A FULL, TRUE AND PERFECT OF THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF A MARGARET NICHOLS WILL, AS APPEARS OF RECORD IN MY OFFICE IN WILL BOOK NO. 1, PAGES 47-48, THIS THE 28 DAY OF AUGUST, 1857.

                                                                                                   RAY MILLER
                                                                                             COUNTY COURT CLERK
BY J.T.