Parish: St. John
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Jack, Peter, Cuffee [alt: Cuffy], Willibey [alt: Willoughby, Willowby, Willowby], Jane, Nelly, Affe [alt: Affy, Affee], Dian [alt: Diana, Dianna], Venus
Slaveholder: Simpson, William
Date: 1772-03-21
[Begin transcription]
In the name of God Amen. I William Simpson of the Parish of Saint John in the Province of Georgia Planter, being of perfect and sound mind and memory, and calling to mind the mortality of my Body that is appointed for all Men once to Die, do hereby make my Last Will and Testament, in manner and form following. That is to say.
Imprimis First and principally I commend my Soul to God that gave it in hopes of his acceptance of the same thru the Merits of his only Son Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer, and my Body to the Earthto be buried in a Decent Christian manner, and as to my Worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to endow me with in this Life I will and dispose of the same in manner and form following. That is to say.
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Loving Wife Elizabeth Simpson, the use of all my Estate Real and Personal during her natural Life, consisting of 350 Acres of Land on Conoochee [sic, commonly spelled Canoochee]] in the Parish of Saint John in the Province of Georgia aforesaid, and hath such Boundaries and Marks as here Express’d [sic] and delineated by the Grants duly Recorded in the Registers Office of the said Province [word] being thereunto had may more fully appear. Also one Lott [sic] of Land in Sunbury, the Parish and Province aforesaid and [word] by the number 233. Also Eight Negroes Viz. Jack, Peter, Cuffee [alt: Cuffy], Willibey [alt: Willoughby, Willoby, Willowby], Jane, Nelly, Affe [alt: Affee, Affy] and Dian [page torn, probably Diana or Diannah]. Also one Lott [sic] of Land in George Town on Sassafrass River in Hart County in [unknown] and known by the number of either 62 or 63 first the property of my Grand Father [page torn] ?Jonas? Simpson, and one Negroe Woman named Venus in the same place in the care of William Woodland, Esquire, But in case my Wife the said Elizabeth Simpson should be with Child and be safely delivered either of Male or Female then and in such case my Will is, that the whole of my Estate Real and Personal shall be equally divided between them, my Wife to have the use of her part during her natural Life, and in case of her Death, and my said Child should live, then and in such case, I Give and bequeath the whole of my Estate Real and Personal above mentioned to my said Child to him or her, And his or her heirs/lawfully begotten of his or her Body/for Ever. But in case of the Death of my said Child before he or She arrives at Age and without lawfull [sic] Issue/my Will is that my said Wife, should She survive, shall enjoy the use of the whole during her natural Life, and in case of her Death I give and bequeath the use of the said Estate unto Thomas Burnley/Son of my said Wife Elizabeth Simpson/during his natural Life, and at his Death I Give and bequeath the whole of the said Estate above mentioned unto William Carson on the Wax Haws in Craven County in the Province of South Carolina, to him the said William Carson and his heirs for Ever.
Item Lastly, I constitute and appoint my Loving Wife Elizabeth Simpson Executrix and my Trusty Friends William Carson of South Carolina aforesaid, and Roger Kelsall of Sunbury Merchant Executors of this my last Will and Testament, whom I appoint to pay my Just debts and funeral Charges out of the above Estate. Ratifying and [page torn] this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this Twenty first day of March, One thousand seven hundred and seventy two.
Signed Sealed and Acknowledged by the Testator as his last Will and Testament, in the Presence of us, who in his Presence and in the Presence of each other have hereunto as Evidence Signed and Names the above day and year.
William Simpson
Simon Munro
John McLeod
Thomas Billney
[End transcription]
Probated by Simon Munro on March 25, 1774.
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/1294/rec/247.