They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Will — Samuel Spencer


Will Summary (published 1964)

Samuel Spencer of Liberty County. Last Will and Testament dated January 9, 1805; probated and recorded January 24, 1805. Gives to wife Ann certain property. Residue of estate to his children unnamed, to be equally divided between them. Executors: Joseph Way, Sr., William Norman Way, and sons Samuel Spencer and William Spencer and wife Ann Spencer. Witnesses: Liberty Holmes, Richard Gireadeau [sic, Girardeau], Susannah Holmes. Postscript to will, updated, says “as Mr. Joseph Way Jr., and my son (unnamed) are dead,” he appoints his friend William Fleming as another executor in their place.

Slave names left out of the original summary:

To wife Ann: “the wench Venus and her children to her, her heirs and assigns and should they not make her equal with my children of what they shall heir of my personal estate it is my will that she shall receive as much of my personal estate as will make her equal with my children.”

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_00086

FamilySearch.org:

“Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-P9GV?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B > image 86 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.