Parish: St. John
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Bernice, Billy, Little Abram, Cuffee
Slaveholder: Stewart, John
Date: 1765-09-04
[Begin transcription]
In the Name of God Amen I John Stewart of St. John’s Parish and Province of Georgia Planter being sick and weak of Body but of Sound Mind and Memory: calling to mind my Mortality and knowing that this appointed for all Men once to die, commiting [sic] my Soul unto the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body to the Earth to be buried with a decent and Christian like Burial at the Discretion of my Executors not doubting but I shall receive the same again in the Resurrection at the last Day. Do make ordain and appoint this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following that is to say.
I Will that all my lawful Debts and Funeral Charges be paid.
I Will that my well beloved Wife Hannah Stewart shall pay no part of my said Debts and Funeral Charges, but that what I give her shall be entirely clear of all Charges and Incumbrances.
I Give and Bequeath to my well beloved Wife Hannah Stewart her riding Horse and Saddle with my Horse Chaire [sic], one half of my Horses and Household Goods, and one third of my Negroes and the rest of my Personal Estate not before mentioned; Viz one third of the said rest of my personal Estate, and I will that in her third of the Negroes shall be included these by name Bernice, Billy, Little Abram and Cuffee. The above mentioned I give to my said beloved Wife and to her Heir and assigns forever. And I further give to my said beloved Wife Hannah the Use of the House Plantation and Tract of Land on which I now live containing five hundred and sixty seven Acres which was surveyed in Two Tracts during her natural Life with Liberty of cutting down and clearing Land only below the two large Damms [sic], one on Midway Swamp and the other on Newport Swamp.
I Give and Bequeath to my well beloved Son James Stewart All the rest of my Lands and Estate [blurred] all my Debts, and after the Decease of my said Wife all the Lands which I have given her the use of to him his Heirs and assigns forever.
It is my Will that all my wearing Appearall [sic] shall be given to my Son James Stewart and not be appraized [sic].
I constitute and appoint my loving Wife Hannah Stewart Executrix, her Brother John Stewart and my beloved Son James Stewart Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and impower [sic] them for avoiding Difficulties to explain the same. In Testomony [sic] whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this fourth Day of September Anno Domino one thousand seven hundred and sixty five.
John Stewart
Published pronounced and Delivered in presence of
John Winn
John Quarterman
Benjamin Baker
[End transcription]
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/31/rec/265.