They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Joshua Hargreaves, heir of Joseph Hargreaves, gives power of attorney to Anthony Molyneux (1825)

[Begin Transcript]
To all to whom these presents shall come, Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster in Great Britain, Brewer, sends greeting.

Whereas Joseph Hargreaves, of the State of Georgia and County of Liberty, made and published his last will and testament in writing, bearing date the thirteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and twenty five, whereby, amongst other things, he gave devised and bequeathed to his nephew, the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, all and every three fourths of his estate both real and personal, the same to him, his heirs and assigns forever. And whereas the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves is desirous of appointing Anthony Lancaster Molyneux his Brittanic Majesty’s Consul for the State of Georgia in the United States of America, and Edmund Molyneux the younger of [blank space] Esquire, the attornies [sic] for the purposes herein after mentioned. Now know ye, that for divers good causes and considerations him hereunto moving, he the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves Hath made, ordained, authorized, nominated, constituted and appointed, and in his place and stead put and deputed, and by these presents both make ordain, authorize, nominate, constitute and appoint, and in his place and stead put and depute, the said Anthony Lancaster Molyneux, and Edmund Molyneux the younger, the true and lawful attornies [sic] and attorney, jointly, or either of them severally, for him the said Constituent, and in his name and stead, or otherwise as occasion may require, to ask, demand, claim, sue for, recover and receive, and take possession of, from and against all persons whom it may concern all deeds, bonds, bills, securities for monies, papers, documents and writings, of what nature or kind soever, to which the said constituent is entitled, or in or to which he has any interest under and by virtue of the said recited will, and late belonging, to the said Joseph Hargreaves deceased; and upon receipt of the same, or any part thereof, for him the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, or otherwise, to make, sign and execute such good and sufficient receipts, releases, acquittances and other discharges for what the said attornies [sic], or either of them, shall so receive, as may be requisite and proper. And also for him, and in his name and stead, or otherwise, to enter into and upon all and singular the plantations or estates whatsoever of the said Joseph Hargreaves deceased, with the lands, tenements and hereditaments, negro and other slaves, live and dead, stock, cattle, store implements of husbandry, utensils, appurtenances, and other property and effects thereto belonging or appertaining, or such parts or part thereof, to which the said Constituent is entitled under the said will or otherwise, and to make sale and absolutely dispose of, or to join with and concur in the executors, or other persons authorised in that behalf, selling and disposing of the same plantations, lands, and hereditaments; and also of the negro and other slaves; and also of all other the real and personal property and effects of the said deceased, either by public auction or private contract, or partly by public auction, and partly by private contract, and either altogether, or in such lots as they or either of them, may see it unto any person or persons who shall be willing to become the purchaser or purchasers thereof, for such price or prices as can reasonably be obtained for the same, with power for the said attornies, or either of them, to buy in, or to concur in the buying in of the same plantations, estates, lands, and hereditaments, negroes and other slaves, property, estates and effects, or any part or parts thereof, at such sale or sales by public auction as aforesaid, and afterwards to resell, or concur in the reselling of the same, without being responsible for any diminution of price occasioned by any such postponed sale or sales. And for him, and in his name, or otherwise, to make, enter into and pass, or concur in all such acts, deeds, transports, contracts, conveyances and assurances of the said plantations, estates, lands, and hereditaments, negro and other slaves, hereditaments, property, estate and effects as shall be necessary and proper in order to carry such sale or sales into complete effect. And for him, and in his name, or otherwise, to receive the purchase monies for the said plantations, estates, negro and other slaves, property and effects and to make, sign, seal and execute good and sufficient receipts, releases, acquittances, and discharges for the same, or for such part or parts thereof as shall be sold as aforesaid; and for the purposes aforesaid, to appear before the Courts of civil and criminal justice, and all other Courts, tribunals and officers in the said State of Georgia, to make, do, acknowledge, perfect and pass these presents, and all such acts, deeds, contracts, transports, conveyances and and assurances as aforesaid. And upon the nonpayment of any purchase money or monies, or the nonperformance of any contract or contracts made and entered into by the said attornies or either of them with any person or persons who shall have contracted to purchase the said premises, or any part thereof (if the said attornies or either of them shall see fit) to give such time, and to take such security or securities, for the payment thereof, and to commence and prosecute with effect any action, suit or other proceeding at law or in equity that may be requisite and proper for enforcing the payment of any such purchase money or monies, or the performance of such contract or contracts: and such proceeding to discontinue, and others to commence and prosecute, as to them the said attornies, or either of them, may [word] meet. And further, for him the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, or otherwise, to ask, demand, sue for, recover and receive of and from all and every person and persons whomsoever in the said State of Georgia all and every or any sum and sums of money, debts, produce, goods, personal property, estate and effects, of what nature or kind soever, which now is or are, or which at any time hereafter shall or may be or become due and owing, payable or belonging to the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, under or by virtue of the will of the said Joseph Hargreaves, or otherwise howsoever. And further to state, settle and adjust all accounts, differences, disputes, claims and demands whatsoever depending or to depend between the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves and any other person or persons whomsoever in the said State of Georgia respecting the same, and particularly with the executors or other representatives of the said Joseph Hargreaves deceased. And upon receipt of any sum or sums of money, goods, property, estate or effects for him the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, and in his name or otherwise, acquittances, releases, and other sufficient discharges to sign, make and execute. And upon nonpayment of any sum or sums of money, or nondelivery of any goods, property, estate or effects, as occasion may require, to commence and prosecute with effect any action, suit or other proceeding that may be thought necessary for the recovery thereof. And to attach the pensions, money, goods, debts, property, estate and effects of the person or persons aforesaid, or any debtor or debtors to the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, or to the estate of the said Joseph Hargreaves deceased, according to the laws, usage or customs of the said State of Georgia; and to proceed therein in every respect so as to obtain judgment execution and satisfaction. And generally to do perform and execute all such further and other lawful acts, deeds and matters whatsoever as may be necessary for accomplishing the purposes aforesaid, and for converting the estates and effects of the said Joseph Hargreaves into money, and collecting and getting in the same as fully and effectually, to all intents and purposes, as he the said Constituent could do if personally present. And the said Constituent doth hereby give and grant to the said attornies or either of them, full power and authority to nominate and appoint one or more substitute or substitutes under them, or either of them, for the purposes aforesaid, or any of them, and such appointment to revoke at pleasure, and another or others in his or their place to nominate and appoint, which nomination and substitution and appointment shall be and continue in full force and effect, notwithstanding the said attornies, or either of them, shall die, or leave the said State of Georgia. And he doth hereby ratify, allow and confirm, and agree to ratify, allow and confirm, all and whatsoever his said attornies, or either of them, shall lawfully do or cause to be done in the premises in pursuance and by virtue hereof.

In witness whereof the said Joshua Hartley Hargreaves hath hereunto set his hand and seal the eleventh day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine.

JH Hargreaves

Signed, sealed and delivered (being first duly stamped) in the presence of
John Cooper Surgeon
John Grundy

Memorandum. This is the paper writing or power of attorney referred to in the annexed affidavit of John Grundy Sworn before me this [blank space] day of August 1829. [initials]
[End transcript]

Liberty County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, 1822-1831, Book I, pages 374-5, entry for Joshua Hartley Hargreaves, 11 Aug 1829; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS42-SSY3-K : accessed 25 Nov 2022), Family History Library microfilm 007899015, image 495 of 548, item 2 of 2; citing original records of Liberty County Superior Court, Georgia.