Parish: St. John
Enslaved Persons Mentioned: Diannah, Cicero, Nanney [Alt: Nanny], March, Affey [alt: Affee]
Slaveholder: Elliott, John
Date: 1765-04-29
[Begin transcription]
In the Name of God Amen. Twenty Ninth day of April Seventeen hundred and sixty five I John Elliott of Midway in Georgia being of sound mind and memory but [calling] to mind the mortality of my body, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament. That is to say, after recommending my soul into the hands of God that gave it, and my body to the Earth from whence it was taken to be bury’d [sic] in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors/ and all my lawfull [sic] debts are paid.
I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife five negro’s [sic] Viz, Diannah, Cicero, Nanney [alt: Nanny], March and Affey [alt: Affee], my riding chair and chair horse, one sixth part of my household furniture, and one sixth part of my stock of cattle (in lieu of her Dower) to her and to her heirs and assigns forever and the use of one third part of my plantation during the time she shall remain my widow and no longer.
I will further that the remainder of my Personal Estate be equally divided amongst those of my children (Ann, John, William, Thomas and Amarantha) that shall live to the age of twenty year’s [sic] or have lawfull [sic] issue, and that all my land be equally divided amongst my sons that shall live as aforesaid; all which Estate both real and personal shall be given as above directed to each child respectively, to them, their heirs and assigns forever. And I do hereby constitute and appoint and cheerfully depend on the conduct of my beloved son John Elliott, and my brother John Quarterman, and my trusty friends John Winn and John Steuart [alt: Stewart], Senr Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and utterly revoke, disannul and make void all former Will’s and Bequeaths by me made, declaring this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written.
Sign’d, Seal’d, Deliver’d and Acknoledg’d [sic] in Presence of
John Portrees
James Maxwell
William Quarterman
John Elliott
Codicil to the within will written this 29th April 1765 Viz.
My will is that in the division of my Land it shall be so order’d [sic] that my son John’s part shall include the plantation on which I now live; and that only three Executors quallify [sic] except to fill up the vacancy in case of death. Witness my hand and seal the day above written.
John Elliott
In presence of
John Portrees
James Maxwell
William Quarterman
A further Codicil to the within will written this 26th day of July 1765 Viz. Whereas I have verbally sold to my brother in law John Sackeverel [alt: Sacheverell] a Plantation or Tract of Land containing 400 acres for the sum of 200 pounds Sterling. My will is I do hereby impower [sic] my written named Executors of this will to make and Execute to the said John Sackeverel a good and lawfull [sic] Title to said Plantation when the said John Sackeverel being of lawful age shall give satisfactory obligations for the payment of the [blurred] money. Also
Whereas I have agreed with Mr. John Evans to oversee and take care of my Plantation for a certain term, my will is that the said John Evans faithfully discharging his trust shall be continued in said employment by my Executors that his moving from his own Plantation may be no loss or damage to him. Witness my hand and seal the day above written.
John Elliott
In presence of
John Osgood
Lydia Sanders
John Portrees
[End transcription]
Source: “Wills, Colony of Georgia, RG 49-1-2, Georgia Archives”, Colonial Estate Records, held by Georgia Archives Virtual Vault; accessed online at: https://vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/cw/id/925/rec/75.