They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Will — Catherine Feaster


Will Summary (published 1964)

Catherine Feaster of Liberty County. Last Will and Testament dated December 9, 1822, probated March 3, 1823. To her niece SarahAnn [Sarah Ann] Sanders she gives a slave boy but if she dies before she is 21, the slave is to go to testatrix’s sister, Mary Feaster; the latter is to have all the cattle. Testatrix gives to her sister, Elizabeth Fulton, all her household goods. Executors: Sister, Sarah Coleman, and friends Maj. John Coleman and Jesse Ham. Witnesses: Elijah Baker, J. Varnadoe [spelled Varnedeau in the original], Jesse Ham.

Slave names left out of the original summary:

To niece Sarah Ann Sanders: “my negro boy Adam, to her, her heirs and assigns forever; but if my said niece should die before arriving to lawful age, and without issue, the said negro boy Adam shall become the property of my sister Mary Feaster.”

To sister Mary Feaster: “…and a debt due on a promissory note, and secured by a mortgage of a negro man named Dick, executed by Mr. John Coleman to myself and my said sister…”

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_00146

FamilySearch.org:

“Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93L-P9SQ?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B > image 146 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.