Will Summary:
Testator: Robert Quarterman, Liberty County, State of Georgia
Bequests:
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“My desire is that my body be placed in a plain black coffin and intered in a decent and Christian manner without parade or ostentatious display and that no mourning be worn for me.”
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Gives to his beloved wife Sarah Margaret Quarterman all the property both real and personal, including kitchen and household furniture, that she possessed prior to their marriage. “In addition thereto the following negroes, viz. Betty, Mag, Tom, Nanny, and Nanny’s children, also my lot with all the improvements thereon which I have settled in Walthourville adjoining the lot on which Mrs. Winn resides together with an equal proportion of the bedding and bedclothes as well as all the furniture in the drawing room, still further the carriage and carriage horses which I may have at the time of my decease and lastly a just and fair proportion of the crop which may be made.”
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Having already given to his two sons Ed [Edward], Wm [William] and Robt [Robert] Thos [Thomas] much of his property both real and personal, he deems this “equal and just” and leaves them no more.
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“To my deluded son Wm. [William] Myddelton [alt: Middleton] Quarterman I have already given in money that portion of property which was his mother’s and in addition thereto I now give him my mulatto boy Washington. It is also my will that the farther sum of two hundred dolls [dollars] be paid him out of my remaining estate when in the judgment of my executors he be a thorougly reformed man.”
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Entire remainder of his property he wishes divided among his children by his last deceased wife, Mary Jemima Quarterman, as follows: “my will is that my two younger sons Saml [Samuel] Jones & Nathaniel Pratt shall each receive a collegiate education that so long as the Estate remains undivided the annual income be paid out in defraying the necessary expenses of the children and the extinguishment of debts that should any of them, having arrived at the age of twenty, desire to have their portion off, they may be gratified in this desire by taking with it a just proportion of the debts and whereas should either of my first named sons viz. Edwd [Edward] Robt [Robert] Thos [Thomas] and Wm [William] Myddelton die no part of my property given them would return to or be heired by my other younger children, my will is, that if any of the latter die during minority, the survivors among them along shall heir what would have belonged to the deceased.”
Executors: beloved wife Sarah M. Quarterman, son[s] Edwd [Edward] Wm. [William] and nephew Thos. [Thomas] Q. Cassels and Wm. [William] Q. Baker and “my worth friend” Wm. [William] S. Baker
Date signed: 13 March 1847
Witnesses: Thos. [Thomas] Quarterman, Josiah S. Law, Geo [George] W. Dunham
Unusual probates so quoted here: “Georgia, Liberty County } Personally appeared Thos. Quarterman who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is a subscribing witness to the will of the Rev Robert Quarterman[,] that he saw said will duly signed by testator and in presence of each of the other subscribing witnesses and further deponent saith that he did not know that it was a will nor did he know what the instrument was and further that said Robt. Quarterman he did not believe to be of sound and disposing mind and memory at the time & further deponent saith not sworn to in open Court this 11 June 1849.” Signed by Thomas Quarterman in the presence of W.E.W. Quarterman, John A. Hendry, E.Q. Andrews
“Georgia, Liberty County } Personally appeared Reverend Josiah S. Law who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is a subscribing witness to the last will of Rev. Robert Quarterman[,] that he saw the said Testator sign the same in his presence and in the presence of the other subscribing witnesses that deponent did not know it to be a will at the time nor did he know what the instrument was, and further deponent saith that from any knowledge based upon personal observation he knew nothing to the contrary but that said testator was capable of making a will at the time and further deponent saith that having no apprehension at the time of any mental incapacity to make a will or any other instrument legally his attention was not directed to that point; and further that deponent saith that in his opinion the disease was calculated gradually to lessen and ultimately to destroy the ?prowess? of the mind and further deponent states as his belief that said testator was incapable of preparing a sermon and further deponent saith not sworn to in open court this 11th June 1849.” Signed by Josiah S. Law in the presence of W.E.W. Quarterman, John A. Hendry, and E.Q. Andrews.
“Georgia, Liberty County } Personally appeared Geo. W. Dunham who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is a subscribing witness to the will of Rev. Robert Quarterman[,] that he saw it duly signed by the testator in his presence and in presence of the other witnesses and that at the time said testator appeared to be of sound and deposing mind and memory and further deponent saith that at the time he signed he did not know that it was his will. Sworn to in open Court this 11 June 1849.” Signed by Geo W. Dunham in the presence of W.E.W. Quarterman, John A. Hendry, and E.Q. Andrews
Will was admitted to record on 14 January 1850, and recorded on 22 January 1850 by J.S. Bradwell.
See original will at: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93L-GH6W?i=678&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901&cc=1999178