They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Will — John Spears


Will Summary (published 1964)

John Spears. Last Will and Testament dated December 4, 1803; probated January 2, 1804. Says he is very sick. Devises to his wife (unnamed) certain property and remainder of his estate to his sisters Martha and Dolly with the condition that they maintain and educate Mary and Charles Mills. Executors: Brother, Charles Spears, Samuel Jones, John Bacon, Andrew Walthour. Witnesses: James McGirt, Thomas Ard, Andrew Walthour.

Slave names left out of the original summary:

Additions: To his wife: “…”eight Negroes, to wit, Cato, Nancy, Bunch, Scippio, Jane, Cyrus, and Deliah…” [sic, only seven names listed]

Rest of estate “consisting of negroes and stock” bequeathed to his sisters Martha and Dolly in order to maintain and school Mary and Charles Mills, who each will get “one negro” when they become 21.

Find the original (complete) will online at:

Ancestry.com:

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8635/005759431_00001?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fdbid%3d8635%26path%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnBrowsing#?imageId=005759431_00082

FamilySearch.org:

“Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93L-P9RZ?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B > image 82 of 689; county probate courthouses, Georgia.

1964 Summaries From: “Georgia Court-House Records – Liberty County,” 1964 quarterly issues of The Georgia Genealogical Magazine, Folks Huxford, Editor. Published Under the Auspices of The Wiregrass Georgia Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.