Aaron Harlan
1806 Will
South Carolina
Laurens District}
In the name of God Amen. I Aaron Harlan of the District of Laurens and the State of South Carolina. Being weak in body but perfect mind and memory for which I thank God, and calling to mind the Immortality of my Body, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.
And first, I give and recommend my Soul to Almighty God, and my body I recommend to the Earth, nothing doubting but that I shall receive the same again by the mighty powers of God. And touching such Worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I Give Devise & Dispose of the same in the following manner and form.
First I Give & bequeath to my eldest son Samuel Harlan five Shillings. I Give to my daughter Sara five shillings. I Give to my son George five shillings. I Give to my daughter Jane five shillings. N.B. These children when they married and left me I gave them what I think is their shares at this time.
NOTE: N.B. is the abbreviation for Nota bene, a Latin phrase meaning "Note Well," instructing one to note well the matter at hand; "pay attention" or "take notice".
I Give & Bequeath to my son Joshua Three hundred and twenty-five Dollars,- -one hundred Dollars to be paid in a Horse. I Give to my son James, a certain tract of land, (the same I formally gave to my son George); one sow and pigs, one horse saddle and bridle, one cow & Calf; two Sheep, one Bed & Bedstead. I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Mary one Horse Beast, Saddle & Bridle, one Cow & Calf, two Sheep, one Bed & Furniture, some pewter &other Household Furniture at her Mother's discretion. I Give & Bequeath to my sons Aaron, Joseph, and Isiah, each a Horse Saddle & Bridle valued at One hundred dollars, and one Cow & Calf each, two sheep each, One Bed & Bedstead each, and a Sow & Pigs each. To the said youngest of my sons I Give and Bequeath the tract of Land whereon I now live and also a part of a tract which I purchased from Robert Swain, bounded on land of Samuel Harlan, Archibald Smith, and the tract that I gave James, and joining this said tract where I live. To be divided as follows viz, to my son Aaron I give all the land lying on the South side of Duncans Creek. I give to my son Joseph part of the same tract on the North side of said Creek, on a line running from where the line crosses the Meeting house road, through the apple orchard to the Creek, from thence down the Creek to Hunters old tract. To my son Isaiah I Give & Bequeath the house & rest of the land. The Mills to be divided so as to make the Shares equal. The tract of land called the White place I leave in the power of my Executors to Dispose of if they shall see the necessity for so doing to pay my Legacies. To my Daughter Rebecca I leave an equal share with my Daughter Mary, besides her raising and schooling. In case the mother should die before Rebecca and Isaiah is able to provide for themselves my slave Harriet is to go with them to work for to maintain them. To my beloved wife Elizabeth, I Give & Bequeath all the rest of my property with the whole of my plantation & mills her life time, to raise my children and pay my legacies. In case my wife should see cause to marry again then and in that case she shall have but to the value of one hundred & thirty seven dollars. At the decease or marriage of my said wife I desire that all my remaining property shall be equally be divided between my four youngest children, and in case any of them shall die without issue in that case the survivors shall have their share.
I constitute my beloved wife & my eldest son the sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament and I do hereby utterly Revoke and Disannul all other Wills and Executors by me in any wise before named, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six.
Signed, Sealed, published pronounced, and Declared by the said Aaron Harlan as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and the presence of each other have hereunto Subscribed our names.
Aaron Harlan (Seal)
Joshua Galmer
Bennet Langston
William Sparks
The above was filed for Probate November 7th, 1806
Last return and settlement made March 7, 1838
Frances Terry Ingmire, compiler, Laurens County South Carolina Will Book A-C, 1777-1809 (St. Louis, Missouri : no publisher, no date), Vol I