They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Will — Richard Box


Will Summary (published 1964)

Richard Box of Liberty County. Last Will and Testament (undated) and unsigned; probated as a non-cupative will July 20, 1791, on the testimony of Mary Miller, Amelia Burford and Wright Murphree. It is stated in their affidavit that said Box died April 5, 1791, and that said Murphree had written the will at said Box’s request but when he presented it for Box’s signature on the day he died he was unable to sign but approved of it. Murphree stated that he had first read it to Box but no witnesses being present he could not sign it then. Later, a few hours before his death, witnesses were present but he was too weak to sign it but did approve it. It is directed in the will that the note he owed James Stewart be paid out of note owing testator by William Maxwell. Devises to Elizabeth Murphree Burford the residue of his estate. Executor: James Stewart.

Slave names left out of the original summary:

To Elizabeth Murphree Burford: “one Negroe woman slave and her child, the woman named [possibly] Nancy [or Nanny or Nanncy] and the child named Melley [or possibly Milley, alt spelling Milly] …”

Find the original (complete) will online at:

Ancestry.com:

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8635/005759431_00001?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fdbid%3d8635%26path%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnBrowsing#?imageId=005759431_00035

FamilySearch.org:

“Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93L-P9P6?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B > image 35 of 689; county probate courthouses, Georgia.

1964 Summaries From: “Georgia Court-House Records – Liberty County,” 1964 quarterly issues of The Georgia Genealogical Magazine, Folks Huxford, Editor. Published Under the Auspices of The Wiregrass Georgia Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.