Enslaved People Named: Sylvia, Judah
Testator: Elizabeth Sheppard
Executors: Thomas Sheppard
Date Signed: 1772-03-13
This will was found in digitized Liberty County Probate Office loose files. It is not clear if it was ever recorded.
[Begin Transcript]
Georgia
In the Name of God Amen. Elizabeth Sheppard of St John
Parish and Province aforesaid Widow. Being in perfect Health of Body, Mind, and Memory. Thanks be to God for calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing it is Appointed for all Men Once to Die. Do make and Ordain this my Last Will
& Testament. That is to say Principally and First of all I Give and Recommend my Soul; into the Hands of Almighty God
That gave it, and my Body I Recommend to the Earth, to be Buried in a Decent Christian Burial, at the Discretion of my Executors; Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the Same Again, by the Power of Almighty God. an as touching such Worldly things, wherewith it was Pleased God to bless me with in this Life. I Give, Demise, and Dispose of the Same in Manner and Form Following.
First I Give and Bequeath unto my Dearest Son Joseph Roberts. His Bond (let it be what Sum it will) which he Gave me for Two
Negroes Wenches: Named Sylvia and Judah, the Bond being at Present in the Hands of Mr. Gideon Dupont in Charles Town, S.
Carolina, and it is my Will that he be fully, Clearly & Absolutely Discharged of the Same. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Also to my Grand Daughter Elizabeth Roberts I Give and Bequeath One Gold Ring, and One Pair of Gold Sleeve Buttons.
And it is my Desire Next, that all my Debts which I have lawfully Contracted, be Truly and Faithfully Discharged.
And All the Residue and Remainder, of my Estate, thereunto Appertaining or Belonging I Give, Devise, and Bequeath, unto my well Beloved Son, Thomas Sheppard, whom I Do hereby Constitute and Appoint my whole and Sole Executor, of this my Last Will and Testament, and I Do hereby Revoke, Disallow and Disannul all Former Bequeaths, Wills, & Legacies, by me heretofore Left or Made. Declaring Ratifying and Confirming This, and no Other, to be my Last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand
and Seal this Thirteenth Day of March in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Two. — — — — — — — — — —
Signed, Sealed, Published & Declared by the Said Testatrix Elizabeth Sheppard [signed by mark]
In Presence of Us, who in Presence of Her, and Each Other Have Subscribed Our Names
Francis Brown
Michael Williamson
[End Transcript]
Find the digitized original at: Loose Papers in folders by surname, Liberty County, Georgia, Probate Court; digitized images with typewritten indexes, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89QM-VSVN : accessed 15 Jun 2026), “Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990 -> Liberty -> Estate records 1775-1892 Sallett, W. H. – Shuman, Leonard, images 817-8, FamilySearch Library film #005764246.