Parish: St. Andrew Parish
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Argyll, Rinnah, Jack, Nancy
Slaveholder: Clark, Hugh
Date: 1775-10-15
[Begin transcription]
In the name of God Amen, I Hugh Clark of the province of Georgia planter in the parish of St. Andrew, being now of perfect health mind and memory thanks be given unto God – calling into mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die, Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the Generall [sic] Resurrections I shall receive the same by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same, in the following manner and form my first request is that my Body may be interr’d [interred] in the town of Sunbury with my Deceased Wife and Children, next my Just Debts to be paid –
I now give and bequeath to my well beloved brother William Clark the following Negroes viz Argyll, Rinnah [alt: Rinah, Rhinah], Jack, and Nancy a Child also one half of my Stock of Cattle; and Horses, Hoggs [sic] etc My furniture and bed furniture and one Chest of Drawers Excepted
I give and bequeath to my well beloved Brother Angus Clark one tract of Land situated upon the river St. Marys to my Sister in Law Sarah Stephens, suit of Morning to Angus Daughter ?Murning? the rest of my Estate Reall [sic] and personall [sic] I give to my well beloved Daughter Barbra [alt: Barbara] Clark I desire that my Daughters fortune may remain in the Care and under the management of my Brother Will’m [William] till she comes of proper age he always paying the necessary Expenses of her Education and apparell [sic] –
To Execute this my last Will and Testament I appoint Cap [Captain] James Mackay, William Mackintosh [alt: McIntosh] William and Angus Clark
Signed by myself this 15th Octor [October] 1775
Hugh Clark
Province of Georgia } In the Court of Ordinary
Roderick McIntosh and Robert McKayboth of the parish of Saint Andrew in the province aforesaid Gentlemen being duly sworn, severally make oath and each for himself saith that he is well acquainted with the hand writing of Hugh Clark late of this same parish planter dec’d that he has frequently seen the said Hugh in his life time write and also sign his name, and that he doth verily and in his conscience believe upon the closest examination that the writing hereunto annexed purporting to be a will is of the proper hand writing of him the said Hugh and that the name hereunto subscribed is of his the said Hugh’s own signing and writing.
Sworn this 16 day of June 1773 before Ja. Wright
Rod. McIntosh
Robt McKay
William Clark one of the Executors named in the annexed will qualified as such this 29th June 1774 before me.
[End transcription]
An annexed document indicated that the will was given to and kept by Mrs. Ann McKay, wife of James McKay, until after Hugh Clark’s death.
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_00067