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State of Georgia, Liberty County } This is the last will and testament of Mr. Joseph Quarterman of said county and state[,] planter.
1st. I give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Harriet E. Quarterman as a home for herself and my minor children my house and lot in Walthourville on which I am now residing containing ten acres more or less also my Interest being one sixth part of an undivided tract of prime land containing four hundred acres more or less situated on the road leading to McGowens mill and about one & a half miles from the village of Walthourville to have and to hold the said house and lot and said one sixth of the undivided tract of four hundred acres for her own use and as a home for my minor children as aforesaid for and during the term of her natural life and at her death to be equally divided between my children living at the time of her death, or if any of my children be dead leaving children such children to stand in place of their deceased parents. I also give and bequeath to my said wife for and during the term of her natural life my negro man Marshall and his wife Mary also my carpenter boy Tyrone about thirty years old also my carriage & horses & household & kitchen furniture and at the death of my wife to be equally divided between my children as above.
2nd. I give and bequeath to my oldest son Augustus S. Quarterman the following named slaves whom I loaned to him at the time of his marriage, said negroes and their increase to be appraised by my executors as part of my estate and their value deducted from the distribution share to my estate of my said son Augustus S.: big Marlborough and his wife Betty and Fancy the mother of Betty Edward Sam Peter and little Mary who is crippled in one foot whereas I am security for my son Augustus S. to a considerable amount and he is also indebted to me for monies advanced him and as I wish all my children to be placed upon an equal footing it is therefore my will and I do hereby direct that the amount of cash he may be due me be deducted from his distributive share of my estate and it is also my will that the amount for which I am security or rather so much thereof as may be unpaid by him at the time of the division of my estate be also deducted from his distributive share of my estate unless he shall relieve my estate from all liability for or on account of such securityship.
3rd. I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann Caroline one negro girl named Lucy about nineteen years old value to be deducted from her distributive share of my estate.
4th. I give and bequeath to my daughter Corenne [or Corinne] A. one negro girl named Nancy about nineteen years old value to be deducted from her distributive share of my estate.
5th. I give and bequeath to my daughter Harriet Elizabeth one negro girl named Susan value to be deducted from her distributive share of my estate.
Sixth. I give and bequeath to my daughter Josephine Lecounte one negro girl named Fanny value to be deducted from her distributive share of my estate.
Seventh. All the rest and residue of my property both real and personal I give devise and bequeath to my wife Harriet E. Quarterman and my children Augustus S. Ann Caroline Corinne A. Harriet Elizabeth Joseph H. William H. Charles Munroe Josephine Lecounte to be equally divided between them, share & share alike subject to the deductions provided for in this my will nothing to be deducted from the distributive share of my wife on account of what is given her in the first item of this will.
Eighth. I do hereby constitute and appoint my friends S. A. Fraser & Thos. [Thomas] W. Fleming and my son Joseph Henry Quarterman executors of this my last will & testament.
Signed by the above named Joseph Quarterman as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as attesting witnesses.
Jas. S. McCollough
O. W. Stevens
W. B. Fleming
Judge E.D. Geo.
Recorded this the 15th May 1863
Wm. P. Girardeau Ordinary Liberty County
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[NOTE: No date seen on will.]
Probated by O.W. Stevens on 2 March 1863 before Liberty County Ordinary W.P. Girardeau. Witnesses named as James McCollough, William B. Fleming.
S.A. Fraser took oath to fulfill duties of executor on 2 March 1863.
For original copy of will, see: “Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93T-XYR3?cc=1999178&wc=9SB7-6T5%3A267679901%2C268014801 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Miscellaneous probate records 1850-1863 vol C and L > image 306 of 703; county probate courthouses, Georgia.