[Will Summary]
Testator: Mary Austin, Liberty County, State of Georgia
Bequests:
“I Mary Austin, of Liberty County, Georgia, being of sound mind, but, to all appearances, near my end…”
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Gives to sister Frances Valley during the life the use of all her property. After her death, estate to be divided as follows:
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Gives to Ann Virginia, daughter of William Dottery, “the following twenty one negroes, viz. Old Cuffy, Myra, Anthony, Sam, Emeline, Little Cuffy, Titus, Jacob, ?Pars? [or Pam or Paro], Peggy, Sylvia, Hannah, Chloe, Ann, Pompey, Sally, Hetty, Bella, Edy, Nancy & Prince, when she becomes of age or is twenty one. In the mean time, I leave the said property and the said Ann Virginia, to the care and protection of my nephew B.A. Busby; the property to be worked by him, and the said Ann Virginia to be supported and educated from the avails thereof, until she is of age, or is twenty one; and then the property is hers.” If she dies before twenty-one or without issue, “the said twenty one negroes to be equally divided between Matilda Harden of Bryan, and Ann Maxwell, wife of Col. John Maxwell, share and share alike, to them & their heirs forever.”
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Gives to Elizabeth P. King, daughter of Reuben King, “one negro slave named Venus.”
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Gives to Mrs. Matilda Harden, of Bryan County, “the following seven negroes, viz. Chloe, Joe, Rachel, Betty, Doll, Mary and her infant child.”
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Gives to nephew B.A. Busby “the following fourteen negroes, viz. Judy, ? Porteus ?, Toby, March, Andrew, Lucilla, Jane, Philip, Dick, John, Katy, William, Jackson & Charlotte. Out of this portion I leave all my lawful debts to be paid.”
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Gives to Midway Church four hundred dollars, to be paid out of the avails of the portion left to Ann Virginia, to be paid in five annual installments.
Executor: “beloved nephew” B.A. Busby sole executor, does not have to make annual returns.
Date signed: 25 June 1835
Witnesses: David Stetson, John Dunwody J.J.C.L.C.
Probated by David Stetson on 6 July 1835
Recorded 11 July 1835.
See original will at: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93L-GCH8?i=530&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901&cc=1999178
[NOTE: In 1845, Anna Virginia Doughtery [also spelled Daughtery, Doughtry, Daughtry] executed a marriage contract with her intended husband, Edward Kempton of Savannah, and put the enslaved people she had inherited from Mary Austin into a trust with Bartholomew A. Busby as the trustee. See: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-538V?i=262&cat=292358.]