Parish: St. John
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Tirah, Nars [alt: Naro, Nero?], Will, Caine, Rose, Nanny, Peter, Bellow, Jane, Toney [alt: Tony]
Slaveholder: Bacon, Joseph
Date: 1764-07-09
[Begin transcription]
In the name of God, Amen. I Joseph Bacon of the Parish of St. Johns and province of Georgia being weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, and calling to mind the mortality of my body, and that it is appointed for all men [blurred] to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say first and principally I commend my soul to God that gave it, and my body to the Dust to be buried in a decent Christian manner at the direction of my Executors hereafter mentioned and so touching my worldly interests will and dispose of in manner and form following:
Imprimis: My will and desire in all my just debts and funeral charges be paid first after my decease.
Item: I give to my loving wife Mary Bacon during her natural life the use of this plantation I now live on dwelling house and other buildings one hundred and fifty acres of land adjoining most profitable and convenient there unto, and five of my Negroes namely Tirah, Nars [or Naro, alt: Nero], Will, Caine and Rose, and at her death I give them to my children then living to be equally divided amongst them all for them and their hiers [sic] forever.
Item: I give to my loving wife and her hiers [sic] forever, one half of my Neat cattle a horse Jack and one half of my household furniture.
Item: I give to my grandchild John Golden at the age of twenty one years, seventy one pounds sterling for him and his hiers [sic] forever.
Item: I give to my three grandchildren Peter, William & Abel Golden at the age of twenty one years, the sum of seventy one pounds sterling to be equally divided amongst them and their hiers [sic] forever.
My will and desire is that my Executors deliver to my children after my demise all such cattle described in my Deed of Gift to each of them as they [blurred] be found for them and their hiers [sic] forever.
I give to my son John and his hiers [sic] forever the plantation he now lives on, with two hundred and eighty acres of land adjoining , most profitable and convenient thereunto.
I impower [sic] my Executors hereafter mentioned to sell at the best advantage my tract of one hundred and forty acres and three quarters of land near Dochester [sic, presumably Dorchester] in South Carolina and the money they obtain for the same, to apply as required towards the payment of my debts, but if at the time of such sale it should not be required for that purpose to divide it equally amongst all my children then alive for them and their hiers [sic] forever.
All the remainder of my lands or real estate, my will and desire is shall be equally divided into three parts. The use of one third I give to my son Joseph during his natural life and at his death I give it to my surviving children to be equally divided amongst them all for them and their hiers [sic] forever and the remaining two thirds I give to my two sons Thomas and William to be equally divided between them at the age of twenty one years for them and their hiers [sic] forever.
All the residue and remainder of my Estate I give to be equally divided amongst all my children namely John, Joseph, Rebekah, Thomas and William. That is to say the dividend or shares of my son Joseph, I leave in the hands of my Executors trust for his use during his life discretionally by them to be managed as they think best for the improvement of the same, and to apply for his support as they see his needs require and at his death I give it to be divided equally amongst all my children then living for them and their hiers [sic] forever. My sons Thomas and William to receive and be possessed of their part, or proportion, of my Estate with the improvement thereon may remain ?about there? maintainence at the age of twenty one years, and my son John and daughter Rebekah Quarterman their part as soon after my decease as my Executors can conveniently make a division for them and their hiers [sic] forever.
My will and desire is that the Negro children Nanny and Peter born of wench Bellon [NOTE: Looks like Bellon or Bellow, maybe old spelling for Bellah?] with my daughter Rebekah may not be decending property but the property of my daughter and her hiers [sic] forever and that my said daughter Rebekah Quartermanshall have if she thinks ?best in? her dividend of my Estate the wench Bellow and girl Jane at what may be computed their value at the time she had them of me to dwell with her and my son John if he thinks ?best? the fellow Toney in his dividend.
I constitute and appoint my loving brothers Samuel Bacon and William Baker my sons John Bacon and Thomas Quarterman and my trusted friend John Winn Executors of this my Last will and testament and do revoke and ?disavow? every will by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Twelfth day of July in the year of our Lord 1764.
Sign’d, Seal’d, and Acknowledged in presence of
James Andrew
R. Baker
[End transcription]
Probated by James Andrews on February 20, 1765, at which time William Baker, Thomas Quarterman, and John Bacon were all named executors of the will by James Wright, Governor of the Georgia Province.
Source: “Wills, Colony of Georgia, RG 49-1-2, Georgia Archives”, Colonial Estate Records, held by Georgia Archives Virtual Vault; accessed online at: https://vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/cw/id/1232/rec/11.