Bill of Sale (Powell/James)

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“Whereas James Powell Esquire, late of the County of Liberty in the State of Georgia, in and by his last will and testament, bearing date the first day of June A.D. eighteen hundred and thirteen, did give, devise and bequeath unto his nephews, William W. James and James Henry James, and his niece Abigail James, as tenants in common, and equallty to be divided between them, share and share alike, the one equal undivided half of the negro slaves belonging to the said James Powell at the time of his death, as by reference to the said last will and testament of the said James Powell deed may more fully appear; And whereas, after the death of the said James Powell, a division of the said negro slaves was had and made between Anne Powell (the legatee of the other half part of the said negro slaves) and the said William W. James, James Henry James and Abigail James, in which division the following named negro slaves became the share and property of the said William W. James, James Henry James and Abigail James, legatees as aforesaid, to wit, the negro slaves, Creese, with her three children named Milly, Sylvia & Washington; also the negro slaves named Amy, Minta, Chloe, Hector, Jimmy, Brutus, Nanny, Clarinda & her child named Ned, George, Jenny, Sarah, Binah, Sally, Delia, Mary, Elsey and Thomas; and whereas since the division of the said negro slaves as aforesaid, the said William W. James hath departed this life intestate, and without leaving issue, after having arrived to the age of twenty one years, and no subsequent division hath been made between the surviving legatees, so that the said James Henry James is entitled to an equal undivided half part of the said negro slaves; and whereas the said James Henry James is also entitled to the following named slaves, to wit, George, Nanny, Charlotte, John, Cracker, Cuffee, Cudjoe, Diana, Delia, Plenty, Jupiter and Lilly, with all the increase of the females since the year eighteen hundred and nine, by virtue of the last will and testament of his mother Kerenhappuch James, as by reference to her said last will and testament, bearing date the second day of December A.D. eighteen hundred and eight, will more at large appear: All which said slaves are now on the plantation of the said James James the elder in the County of Liberty and State of Georgia. Now therefore be it known that the said James Henry James, in consideration of four thousand dollars to him on hand well and truly paid by James James the elder, of Morristown in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath granted, bargained and sol, assigned and conveyed, and by these presents doth grant, bargain and sell, assign and convey to the said James James the elder, and to his executors, administrators and assigns, all the right, title, interest, estate, property, claim and demand of him the said James Henry James of, in and to all the singular the negro slaves herein before named and described, and in and to the issue born of them, or any of them, since the second day of December A.D. eighteen hundred and eight, and also in and to the services and profits which have arisen from the labour or use of the said negro salves, or any of them, during the time that they have been in the possession of the said James James the elder. To have and to hold the said negro slaves herein before named and described, together with their present and future issue, unto the said James James the elder, his executors, administrators and assigns, in as full and ample a manner as the said James Henry James is entitled to the same, or hath right and power to sell and convey the same. 

In witness whereof the said James Henry James hath hereunto set his hand and seal, this the fourth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.

[Signed] James H. James

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Witnessed by John Crowell, Ebenez. Byram, in New Jersey. On December 20, 1827, Gabriel H. Ford, Justice of the Supreme Court of Judication of the State of New Jersey, affirmed that John Crowell had probated James H. James’ signature on the deed. Recorded in Morris County Register of Deeds, Libre 88, folio 42 & 43, on December 31, 1827 by Z. Drake, Clerk. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on February 5, 1838 by E. Baker, Clk.