Marriage Contract (Young/Bosomworth)

On October 19, 1765, Thomas Young [alt: Younge], merchant of the town of Sunbury in St. John’s Parish in Georgia [now Liberty County], and Elizabeth Bosomworth, of the same place, a widow who was the sole executrix and legatee of her husband Adam Bosomworth, entered into a marriage contract. John Maxwell, of St. Philip’s Parish, who was Elizabeth Bosomworth’s brother, John Graham of Christ Church Parish, and John Sandiford, planter of St. John’s Parish, were to be her trustees. Put into trust for her were the following, of which she was “possessed in her own right”: “the following Negroes, that is to say Tom and his wife Statira [probably meant Satira], Sarah and Moll her children, Gloster [alt: Gloucester] and his Wife, Punch, Dick, Kate, Jane, Young Gloster, [Name illegible], Bettie [alt: Betty] and Jamie their children; Sawney and his wife Joan, Lucy, Fanny and Patty their children; Peter and his wife Cloe [alt: Chloe] with Beenah their child; Old Harry and his wife Sabina; Cron and his wife Celia; New Harry and his wife Charlotte, Jeffrey, Peter, Frank, Sam, Jack, Limerick, Doublin [alt: Dublin],  Fortune, Carolina, Abraham, Ben, Robin and Scipio Fellows, and also Peg a Wench,” in addition to furniture, horses and cattle. [NOTE: The names of the enslaved people were listed in two places in this document, parts of which were illegible. The above list was constructed by comparing the legible parts of the two lists. Only one name was illegible in both lists.] 

The following tracts of land were also included in the trust:

* A plantation or tract of land of 500 acres in the District of Newport in St. John’s Parish, bounded north by the Newport River, east by Burtley and Daniel Mackay’s land, and south and west by lands belonging to Adam Bosomworth. This land had been granted by King George II in 1759 and had been recorded in Book B, page 160. 

* A 300-acre tract of land in the District of Newport in St. John’s Parish bounded north by the Newport River, east by Elizabeth De St. Julian and west by George Love, and on all other sides by vacant land at the time of the survey. It was also granted by King George II to Adam Bosomworth in 1759, and recorded in Book B, page 159 of the Office of the Register of Grants. 

* A 500-acre tract in the District of Newport bounded south by a branch of the Newport River, southeast by lands of William Peacock, northeast by land of Josiah Osgood and Richard Spencer, and northwest by land that was vacant at the time of the survey. Granted by King George II to William Clifton and Thomas Burrington, listed as a trustee nominated to act on behalf of William Clifton. It was conveyed to Adam Bosomworth in 1763. Registered in Book B page [illegible] in 1758 and the sale to Bosomworth recorded as an indenture of “lease and release” in Book C pages 831-832, 833, and 834. 

The contract was witnessed by Robert Nichols, George Affleck, and John Simpson. John Simpson probated the document before Justice of the Peace Roger Kelsall. The document was recorded on January 21, 177? [last number illegible].