Parish: Christ Church Parish
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Toney, Ben, Quash, Sampson, Pompey, Jemmy, Peter, Phoebe, Judy
Slaveholder: Parker, Henry
Date: 1771-11-16
[Begin transcription]
Georgia in North America
In the name of God Amen This is the Last Will and Testament of me Henry Parker of the Parish of Christ Church in the province of Georgia Planter made the Sixteenth Day of November in the Your of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy one
first I will that all such Debts as I shall justly owe at the time of my decease together with my funeral Charges be paid by my Executors herein after named and as to my Estate I dispose thereof as follows
I give and bequeath unto my much beloved Wife Elizabeth Parker all my household Goods and Furniture together with all Debts which shall be due to me at the time of my decease of what nature or kind soever
Also I give and bequeath unto my Said Wife all those my Negroe Slaves named Toney, Ben, Quash, Sampson, Pompey, Jemmy, Peter, Phoebe, Judy, and her Child. To have and to hold use and employ the said Slaves for the Maintenance and Education of my Children William Henry Ann and Elizabeth until Such Time as they and each of them respectively continue unmarried and under the Age of twenty one years, and that my Wife remain my Widow But if my Wife is marry during the Single Life and nonage of any of my Children, my Will and meaning is that she shall only take and have as her own property two of the aforesaid negro Slaves to be by her Chosen from amongst them and the residue and remainder of the Said Slaves, I give and bequeath unto my Brother James Parker, and my Brother in law Samuel Farley both of Savannah aforesaid Gentlemen their Exc’s [Executors] and Administrators To have hold use and imploy [sic] all & Singular the remaining Negroe Slaves from and in immediately after my Wife’s Marriage upon this Special Trust and Confidence in them reposed and to the intent and purpose that they the said James Parker and Samuel Farley and the Survivor of them and the Executors and Administrators of such survivors do and shall apply the profits arising from the Work and Labour of such Slaves to the maintenance and Education of my said Children until such time as they and any of them respectively continue unmarried and under the Age of Twenty one Years and my further Will and meaning is that in Case my said Wife remain my Widow and die during the Single life and nonage of any of my said Children i then give and bequeath all my aforesaid Negroe Slaves unto the said James Parker and Samuel Farley upon the Special Trust and Confidence aforesaid and when any of my said Children shall respectively marry or attain the Age of twenty one Years my Will is that all the aforesaid Negro Slaves shall be Equally divided amonst them share and share alike and Whereas I stand seized and possessed of two several tracts or Parcels of Land Containing Five hundred acres – each Situate lying and being at little Ogechee [alt: Ogeechee] in the parish of Christ Church and province aforesaid, the one known by the name of Brewton the other by that of Brewham the first of which said Tracks or parcels of Land was granted to me by the late Trustees of this province in the reign of his late Majesty King George the second, and the other descended to me as heir of my Brother Edward Parker deceased and I do hereby give devise and bequeath unto my Son William Two hundred fifty Acres of the aforesaid Tracts or parcels of Land called Brewton and also two hundred and fifty acres of the other Tract or parcel of Land called Brewham To have and to hold the said two Several Tracts or parcels of Land to him and his heirs forever
Also I give devise and Bequeath unto my Second Son Henry All that other half Tract or parcel of Land called Brewton containing two hundred and fifty Acres as likewise all that other half part of the said Tract or parcel of Land called Brewham To have and to hold the said two Several remaining half track or parcels of Land to him his heirs forever
And my Will and desire is that the said several parcels or Shares of the aforementioned Lands so devised to my said Sons William and Henry, shall, when my son William attains the age of twenty one years be admeasured and parceled off by Sworn Surveyer [sic] in Such manner that each of my said Sons may have as equal a quantity and extent of the said two parcels or Tracts of Land Situate on the front of the River Little Ogechee as may be
And Lastly I nominate and Constitute my said Wife Elizabeth Executrix and the said James Parker and Samuel Farley Executors of this my Will and Testimony that this is my last Will and Testament I have hereunto set my hand and seal and published the same as such the day and year first within written
Henry Parker
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the Testator as of for his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have Subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto
Rich’d [Richard] Williamson
John Spencer
her
Susanah Hover
mark
[End transcription]
NOTE: This will was probated by John Spencer of Savannah. The date was obscured but “1772” was written beside it.
Source: Ancestry.com, “Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992” -> All Counties -> “Wills, Vol Aa, 1772-1777”; accessed online at: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8635/images/007701189_00020