Marriage Contract (Delegal/Coates)

On May 27, 1837, Mrs. Piety Delegal of Liberty County and John G. Coates of Laurence County, Georgia, entered into a marriage contract, with Bryant Allen and E.J. Delegal as her trustees. They agreed that all property that she might be entitled to “from the estate of her father Bryant Allen deceased” would be separate from John G. Coats’ property and not liable to any of his debts, and that it would be put into a trust. She was also said to be “at this time seized & possessed in his [SIC] own absolute right of the following property and estate to wit the following negro slaves, named, Dick, Rosella, Nancy, Harry, Patsey, [name looks like “Mitual” but is probably Matilda – see note below], Susan, Alick [alt: Allick, ELlick], Brister, Duffe [alt: Duffy] & Beck.” The contract specified that the trust was to be used for the benefit of Piety Delegal and John G. Coats during her natural life, and after her death “the said negro slaves and the future issue & increase of the females” were to be conveyed to Elizabeth Elvira Delegal, daughter of Piety Delegal, and her share in her father’s estate was to go to Bryan Allen, Byrd C. Allen, Lark P. Allen, and Martin Van Buren Allen, her brothers. [NOTE: The name Bryant was spelled both as “Bryant” and “Bryan” variously throughout this deed. Bryant Allen signed his name to the deed as “Bryant.” ]

Witnessed by W. Maxwell, W.T. Dunham, A. Winn. Abial Winn probated the deed on July 28, 1837. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on on July 28, 1837.

[NOTE: On August 1, 1837, J.G. Coats signed an acknowledgement that he had received “his” portion of the estate of William J. Delegal, naming: Dick, Rosella, Matilda, Susan, Ellick, Brister, Nancy, Harry, Patsey, Duffy and Beck. See: https://theyhadnames.net/2020/01/08/estate-settlement-delegal-coats/]