Enslaved People Named: None
On January 13, 1808, Arthur M. Charlton, Wilkes County, Georgia, sold to John Pray, Bryan County, for $600 his wife Frances’ 9th part of the estate of Luke Mann Senior, Bryan County, consisting of her share in “several tracts or parcels of land adjoining each other, situate, lying and being in the County of Bryan aforesaid containing together five thousand acres, more or less, and by the names of Belmont and Yamesee, the late residence of the said Luke Mann bounded eastwardly by lands of Charles C. Pinckney’s known as Sans Souci, westwardly on lands called Estate Dicks Land and Lands of Jacob Woods so called and northwardly on the river Canouchee as will more fully appear by the plats of the said several tracts or parcels of land.” Witnessed by Geo. M. Waters, Alex. Dicks. Added to the deed was “It is understood by the parties that the deed is to comprehend all the lands belong[ing] to said Luke Mann’s Estate which lay in Bryan County in case of and as to described boundaries.” Frances Charlton, Arthur M. Charlton’s wife, relinquished her dower right to the property in Wilkes County, February 19, 1808. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on October 26, 1808.
On January 30, 1809, Samuel Dowse of Liberty County, Georgia, sold to John Pray of Bryan County, Georgia, for $400 his wife Harriot’s 1/9th share of two plantations known as Belmont and the Yamasee, as well as several other tracts of land adjoining those two plantations and each other. The deed record noted that Harriot had inherited this property from her father Luke Mann Senior, late of Bryan County deceased, who had left his entire estate in his will to his children Mary Sleigh, Rebecca, Martha, Frances Jane, Susan & Harriot Mann, and also to Ann Pray and the children of Sarah Stewart, wife of Josiah Stewart and now the widow Grover. The land was described as being 5000 acres, more or less, in Bryan County, bounded east and north on lands of Charles C. Pinckney and known as Sans Souci, south and west by land called Dicks Land & land of unknown owner, and west on lands of Woods and lands called Eaton. Belmont, it said, was the residence of Luke Mann, and part of the Yamasee was cultivated by him, and since his death had been cultivated by his heirs. Witnessed by Henry Harden, J.P. and Luke Mann. Harriot Dowse signed relinquishing her right of dower to the property. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on March 9, 1809.
On the same day, Samuel Dowse, Liberty County, Georgia, sold to John Pray, Bryan County, for $400 all his rights (through his wife) to the 1/9th share of Rebecca Day, who was his wife Harriot’s sister, in their father Luke Mann Senior’s Belmont and Yamasee plantations.
On February 20, 1809, William A. Dunham, McIntosh County, sold to John Pray, Bryan County, for $400 his wife Martha’s 1/9th share of two plantations known as Belmont and the Yamasee, as well as several other tracts of land adjoining those two plantations and each other. The deed record noted that Martha had inherited this property from her father Luke Mann Senior, late of Bryan County deceased, who had left his entire estate in his will to his children Mary Sleigh, Rebecca, Martha, Frances Jane, Susan & Harriot Mann, and also to Ann Pray and the children of Sarah Stewart, wife of Josiah Stewart and now the widow Grover. Witnessed by George M. Waters, Jos. Stillwell. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on March 10, 1809.
On February 16, 1809, Luke Mann, “now of Bryan County,” as a brother and heir of Rebecca Day, deceased of Bryan County, sold to John Pray of Bryan County for $400 the 1/9 share that Rebecca had inherited from the estate of Luke Mann Senior of the Belmont and Yamasee plantations (as described above). Witnessed by Henry Harden, J.P., and Elisha P. Wilkins. Eliza Mann relinquished her dower rights. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on March 10, 1809.
On June 14, 1810, Samuel Lewis, Liberty County, sold to John Pray, Bryan County, for $400 his “former wife” Susan’s 1/9 share of the Belmont and Yamasee plantations and several other tracts, which she had inherited from her father Luke Mann Senior. Lewis also sold to Pray his wife’s share of Rebecca Day’s, deceased of Bryan County, 1/9 share in the same property. Witnessed by Robert Quarterman, J.P. and William Hines. Hines’ current wife, Drusilla Lewis, relinquished her dower rights to the properties. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on January 29, 1811.
Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. A-D 1796-1829, Book C (1807-1815), page 154-60; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-KSSS : 6 Jun 2024), image 342-5 of 600; microfilm #007899046, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.
Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. A-D 1796-1829, Book C (1807-1815), page 84-6; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-KSV9 : 4 Jun 2024), image 307-8 of 600; microfilm #007899046, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.
Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. A-D 1796-1829, Book C (1807-1815), page 73-8; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-KS8K : 3 Jun 2024), image 302-4 of 600; microfilm #007899046, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.
Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. A-D 1796-1829, Book C (1807-1815), page 55-6; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-KS87 : 26 May 2024), image 297-8 of 600; microfilm #007899046, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.
Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. A-D 1796-1829, Book C (1807-1815), page 79-81; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-KSRW : 3 Jun May 2024), image 305-6 of 600; microfilm #007899046, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.