Parish: St. John (Sunbury)
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Willoby [Alt: Willoughby], George, Lucy, Jean, Rose, Gershorn
Slaveholder: Burnley, Samuel
Date: 1767-08-17
[Begin transcription]
Georgia St. John’s Parish
In the name of God Amen: I Samuel Burnley, being in a low estate of body, but of sound mind and memory, calling to mind my mortality and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and appoint my last Will and Testament in manner and form following: that is to say, first of all willing that my lawful debts and funeral charges be paid, I commit my body to the Earth to be buried in a decent and christian like burial at the direction of my Executors, and my soul unto the hands of God that gave it.
Imprimus: I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Elizabeth Burnley a Negro wench called Willaby [alt: Willoby, Willoughby, Willowby], one lot of land in the town Sunbury known by the number two hundred and thirty three, one riding mare called Fly, her saddle and bridle, one feather bed and furniture; to her and her heirs and assigns.
Item: I further give to my said Wife, the use of one room at her choice in my present dwelling House, and the use of one third part of the planting land of the Plantation on which I now live now under fence, and liberty to cut and make use of as much timber as shall be necesarry [sic] to keep the same in repaire and for firewood during the time she shall remain my Widdow [sic, widow].
Item: It is my will that if any of my herein aftermentioned children shall die under age, that whatever is herein aftermentioned as given to said children, so dying, shall be equally divided amongst the survivors and that every following [blurred] shall be understood with the above said condition and explanation.
Item: I give to my beloved son Samuel Burnley one tract of land at Newport containing about three hundred acres joining lands surveyed to Josiah Powell and Phillipa Fenny one Negro Fellow called George, one riding horse called [blurred] with a saddle and bridle; one feather bed and furniture, and all my carpenter and joiners [blurred] to him his heirs and assigns to be delivered to him at the age of twenty years.
Item: I give to my well beloved daughter Sarah Burnley, one young Negro Wench called Lucy, my riding horse called Wanton, with a saddle and bridle, one feather bed and furniture, and one lot of land in the town of Sunbury known by the number [blurred, possibly two] hundred and thirty four, to her, her heirs and assigns, to be delivered to her at the age of eighteen years or at marriage.
Item: I give to my well beloved daughter Elizabeth Burnley, one Negro girl called Jean, one horse called Derick, with a saddle and bridle, one feather bed and furniture, and one lot of land in Sunbury known by the number two hundred and thirty five, to be delivered to her at marriage or eighteen years of age, to her, her heirs and assigns.
Item: I give to my beloved daughter Mary Burnley, one Negro girl called Rose, one mare called Pleasant, with a saddle and bridle, one feather bed and furniture, and one lot of land in Sunbury numbered two hundred and thirty six, to her, her heirs and assigns, to be delivered her at marriage, or eighteen years of age.
Item: I give to my beloved son Thomas Burnley, one Negro boy called Gershorn [or Gerfhorn], one young horse called Crickett, and four hundred and thirty three acres and one half of [blurred] being part of this tract of land on which I now live and one adjoining small tract, to him his heirs and assigns to be delivered to him at the age of twenty years.
Item: The remainder of my lands of the last mentioned tract or tracts I give to my son Samuel Burnley, to be run off to him by my Executors, in such manner as they shall think least prejudicial to the Plantation given to my son Thomas.
Item: All the rest and remainder of my Estate real or perforial, I leave to be equally divided amongst my wife and children.
I constitute nominate and appoint, my beloved wife Elizabeth Burnley Executrix, and my beloved son Samuel Burnley, and my trusty friends Robert Quarterman and William Quarterman Executors, of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking disallowing anulling and making void all other bequests wills testaments legacies by me heretofore made or mentioned, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.
Signed sealed published pronounced and declared this 17 day of August Anno Domini 1767 in presence of
Thomas Way
Samuel Stevens
John Winn Junor [sic]
Samuel B
[End transcription]
In attached documents: Thomas Way, saying he was of Saint John Parish, probated the will on November 24, 1767.
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/840/rec/35.