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Under Tennessee law, the basic rule in construing a will is
that the court shall seek to discover the intention of the
testator and will give effect to it unless it contravenes some
rule of law or public policy. In re Walker, 849 S.W.2d 766
(Tenn. 1993); Daugherty v. Daugherty, 784 S.W.2d 650, 653 (Tenn.
1990); Harris v. Bittikofer, 541 S.W.2d 372, 384 (Tenn. 1976).
The testator's intention is to be ascertained from the particular
words used in the will itself, from the context in which those
words are used, and from the general scope and purposes of the
will, read in the light of the surrounding and attending
circumstances. Third Natl. Bank v. First American Natl. Bank,
596 S.W.2d 824, 828 (Tenn. 1980); Moore v. Neely, 370 S.W.2d 537,
540 (Tenn. 1963). In applying this cardinal rule, it is
necessary to look to the entire will, and the testator's intent
must be ascertained from what the testator has written into the
will and not from what some interested party supposes that the
testator intended to do. Burdick v. Gilpin, 325 S.W.2d 547, 551
(Tenn. 1959); Davis v. Price, 226 S.W.2d 290, 292 (Tenn. 1949).
Where a testator expresses a controlling or predominant purpose,
it is the duty of the court to effectuate that purpose and
construe all subsidiary clauses to bring them into alignment with
that purpose. Moore v. Neely, supra at 540. Moreover, a general
intent will prevail over a secondary intent. Jones v. Jones, 462
S.W.2d 872 (Tenn. 1971). A will should be so construed to speak
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