Estate Settlement (Powell/James)

Dated August 31, 1822.

[NOTE: The left-hand side of the document below was slightly torn, and a few words on that side were missing, partially or fully. Where the words can be guessed with some degree of certainty, they have been added in brackets.]

[Begin transcript]

Whereas James Powell Esqr. Late of the County of Liberty in the State of Georgia [in] and by his last will and testament, bearing date the first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, did give, devise and bequeath unto his nephew, William W. James, James James, and to his niece, Abigail James, as tenants in common, and equally to be divided between them, share and share alike, the [word] equal undivided half of the negro slaves belonging to said James Powell at the time of his death, as by reference to the said last will and testament of the said James Powell may more fully appear: And whereas, after the death of the said James Powell [the] division of the said negro slaves was had and made between Anne Powell (the legatee of the other half part of said negro slaves) and the said William W. James, James James and Abigail James, in which division the following negro slaves became the share and property of the said William W. James, James James and Abigail James, legatees as aforesaid, to wit, the negro slave named Creese [or Crease], with her three children named Milly, Sylvia and Washington, also the negro slaves Amey, Menta, Chloe, Hector, Jemmy, Brutus, Nanny, Clarinda and her child named Ned, George, Jenny, Sarah, Binah, Sally, Delia, Old Jenny, Old Ned, Mary, Elsey, Thomas or Thom; and whereas since the division of the said negro slaves as aforesaid, the said William W. James hath departed this life intestate, and without [word] having arrived to the age of twenty one years and no subsequent division hath [been?] made between the surviving legatees; and whereas Francis Child Jun. of the City of New York, hath since intermarried with the said Abigail James; now therefore [be it] known, that the said Francis Child Jun and Abigail his wife, late Abigail James, [word] of the legatees of the said James Powell dec’d for and in consideration of the sum of two thousand dollars to them in hand well and truly paid by James James the elder, of Mor— [probably Morris] Town in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, Have granted, bargained, sold, assigned, transferred and conveyed and by [these] presents to grant, bargain, sell, assign, transfer and convey, to the said James James [word], and to his executors, administrators and assigns, all the right, title, interest, estate, property, claim and demand of the said Francis Child Jun and Abigail his wife, and of each of them, of, in and to all and singular the negro slaves herein before named, mentioned, and described, being heretofore the property of the said James Powell decd and also to all and singular the present and future issue of the said negro slaves, and of any or every of them. To have and to hold the said negro slaves herein before named, mentioned and described, together with their present and future issue, unto the said James James the elder, his executors, administrators and assigns, in as full, ample, legal manner as the said Francis Child Jun and Abigail his wife are now possessed of the same, or have right to sell and transfer the same, by virtue of the last will and testament of said James Powell decd and by virtue of the division of said slaves os as aforesaid.
[End transcript]

Witnessed by William J. Waynman and Jos. Greenleaf, Notary Public. John I. [or J] Irving, first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the city and county of New York, probated the above deed on September 4, 1822, on the testimony of William J. Waynman. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on on September 30, 1822.