James Tinsley’s Will

In the name of God Amen. I James Tinsley of the state of Georgia and County of Columbia being at this time sorely afflicted and diseased in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory, thanks be given to Almighty God, do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament. viz.

1st, I give to my dearly beloved wife, Lucy, two negroes, namely Sally and Joe and their future increase forever, also two negroes, Peter and Rachel, two horses, Bucktales and Peg, six cows and calves, about twenty head of hogs, my sheep and all my household and kitchen furniture, plantation tools etc. etc. during her widowhood or life. If she remarry, my widow, at death, and that any children in marriage continue on my plantation with their mother and mother in law in reasonable duty to their mother or mother in law and be supported and educated from the profits of said property and their reasonable and occasional labor during their minority. And after the death or marriage of my widow and any young children arriving at age or marriage, I desire my lands including different ______ whereon I now live be sold on a credit of two ___pay the invoices arising from said sale to be equally divided share and share alike amongst my children, Philip, William, John, Abram, Nancey, Betsy Ann, Sally and a child to be born, also the remaining part of the aforesaid property not otherwise disposed of be sold at the discretion of my executors on such terms as they may point out and the monies arising from said sale to be equally divided amongst my children herein mentioned as their legal heir or heirs wit Philip, Polly, James, Nancey, William, John, Abram, Betsey Ann, Sally and one to be born. 2nd, ____ ____ Philip having heretofore received a part of my property do make a further provision except the bequest in the first page of this will.

3rd, After the death or marriage of my widow and legal age of my young children my desire is that my daughter Polly have my negro woman, Rachel and increase therefore forever also a ____ of two hundred two and half acres of land Wilkinson County.

4th, I give and bequeath to my son, James Z. Tinsley one negro boy named Dick also a ____ of two hundred two and one half acres of land lying in Wilkinson County when surveyed with his sister Polly.

4th, I give and bequeath to my son William one negro boy named Charles, one feather bed and furniture in addition to what is bequeathed on the other page.

5th, I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancey, one negro girl, Mariah, and her increase, one feather bed and other movable property called her’s in the family, one mare called the speckled mare in addition to the property on the first page.

6th, I give and bequeath to my son, John, one negro girl named Sopha, also Peg’s colt, one feather bed and furniture in addition to the property on the first page.

7th, I give and bequeath to my son, Abram, one negro boy named Peter and the speckled Mare’s colt, one feather bed and furniture in addition to the property named on the first page.

8th, I give and bequeath to my daughter Betsey Ann, one negro girl and her increase namely Mary, one feather bed and furniture in addition to the property named on the first page.

9th, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Sally, one negro girl named Matilda & her increase, one feather bed and furniture in addition to the property named in the first page.

10th, I give and bequeath to a child to be born of my wife, one negro named Lewis, one featherbed and furniture in addition to property named on the first page.

11th, Whereas my sister, Sarah Wofford, is living on the same tract of land whereon I live, my desire she remain uninterrupted whilst she may choose to continue thereon and that she is priviledged to cultivate not more than forty acres including her dwelling until the same be sold as stated in the first page.

12th, Should any of my aforesaid children die in nonage or before they have lawful ifsue (issue), then the legacy herein to writ to my estate and be equally amongst the survivors, or their legal heirs.

13th, And lastly I do hereby appoint my son, Philip Tinsley, David Maxwell Crawford and Augustus Crawford executors to carry this will into full effect. In Testimony I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of January 1814.

Witnefs Pleasant Tindell Jas. Tinsley

Thos. Wilkins

Jonathan Tindell

William Tindell

CB: On examination of the foregoing will and considering the situation of my family having two sets of children, to prevent discord among them my will is that should any one more of either set of children die without ifsue then my desire is that the legacies to such deceased child or children go to and be equally divided amongst their brethren by the mother’s side, this is to explain the 12th item in the above will and further my will is that my negro, Leroy, I bought of William Tyrey, be sold by my executors to raise money to pay the ballance I owe for him, the surplus monies of said sale to be equally divided between my oldest set of children.

8th, 14th and 20th lines interlined before signed.

Witnefs:

Pleasant Tindill Jas. Tinsley

Thos. Wilkins

Jonathan Tindill

William Tindill

Georgia

Columbia County: Pleasant Tindill, Thomas Wilkins, Jonathan Tindill & William Tindill witnefses to this within and foregoing instruments of writing after being duly sworn on the Holy Gospels of Almighty God saith they saw James Tinsley subscribe the same and acknowledge both signatures and writings as his last will and testaments and that they believed him at the time to be of sound and disposing memory and that they subscribed the same as witnefses thereto at the request of said testator.

Sworn to and subscribed Pleasant Tindill

in open Court this 7th Feb. 1814 Thos. Wilkins

Jon. Tindill

Wm. Tindill

A. Crawford

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Georgia

Columbia County: By their honors the judges of the court of Ordinary

for said county.

To whom these presents shall come , Greeting.

John Know ye that on the seventh day of February

Porter one thousand eight hundred and fourteen

the last will and testament of James Tinsley

late of the County and state aforesaid deceased

was proved, approved and allowed of the said

deceased having whilst he lived and at the

time of his death div___ goods, chattles and cartels within

the County aforesaid by means whereof the approbation and allowing testament and the power of granting administration of all and singular the goods and chattles rights and credits of the said deceased to us is manifestly known to belong and that the goods and chattles rights and credits and testament of any way concerning was granted to and committed to Philip Tinsley named in the last will and testament being first sworn according to law to make a true and perfect inventory of all

and singular the goods and chattles rights and credits of the said deceased and to exhibit the same into the clerks office of the Court of Ordinary to be recorded within three months from the date hereof and under a just and true account calculation and reckoning thereof when thereunto required. In testimony the hon. John Porter one of the justices of our said court hath hereunto set his hand and seal this 7th day of February 1814.

Test.

A. Crawford

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