Will of Francis Meriwether TMSI #121
Oglethorpe County, Georgia
Ordinary Office, Pgs. 117 - 119.
I Francis Meriwether of the County of Oglethorpe & State of Georgia, being of Sound mind & memory, do make, publish & declare this my last will and Testament & in manner & form following, (Viz,)
1st It is my will that the plantation on which I live, Shall be Vested in my wife Martha Meriwether, for & during the term of her Natural life, If She remains unmarried For the purpose of Supporting the family, & after her decease, or marriage, it is my will that all the land of which I am possessed or to which I have any right, be Equally Devided (sic) between my two Sons Valentine H. & Nicholas & their heirs forever; when they come of age or marry; & If either Should die under age & without Issue alive at the time of his death, then the whole to go to the Survivor, & if my wife Should marry then She is to have, only one third part of the plantation for life
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2dly I give to each of my two Sons Valentine H. & Nicholas when they come of age or marry, a likely negro Boy, the negroes to be as near their own age, as the Situation of my negro property will admit
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3dly I give to my daughter Lucy when She Shall Marry, or call for them one negro boy or young fellow & my negro Girl qiney (sp?) & if queen Should Die before She is called for, or taken off, She is to have a Young negro Girl in her room
4ly I give to my daughter Martha one negro Girl & one negro boy, &to each of my other daughters Nancy & Salley when they Shall marry or Come of age, one negro boy, as near their own age as the State of my negro property will allow. Also one negro Girl to each of them. To be taken out of my Stock of negroes
5ly It is my will that after the above dispossion of my Slaves is made among the children above mentioned, that the remainder be Vested in the possession of my wife for the purpose of Supporting the family during her life, if She Should marry, then to have only one half the remainder for her life & after her decse then the whole of the remainder of my negroes to be Equally divided among all __ (my?) Children & their heirs
6ly I give to my wife all my household furniture to be disposed of by her amongst My children, in Such manner, & at Such time as She may think proper
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7ly It is my will that the whole of my Stock of Horses, cattle, Sheep, & hogs remain in the possession of my wife upon the plantation for the use of the family, & that She have a power of disposing of the horned cattle, among my daughters as She may think proper
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8ly I recommend to my exrs, that if convenient to procure a horse out of the Increase of my Stock of horses for each of my daughters, who has not had one given to them
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9ly I do appoint my Son Thomas Meriwether Wm Barnett, Joel Barnett & John A. Bradley Exrs of this my last will and testament Signed & Sealed this 16th day of august 1802
In presents of Francis Meriwether (Seal)
Wm Harvie
Geo. Matthews Junr Recorded June the 29th
Richd Floyds Day 1803
Wm Glenn B M__________(can't make out clerk's name)
Inventory of Francis Meriwether's Estate.
(From Oglethorpe County, Georgia Court of Ordinary Inventory Book I 1802 - 1827. Original book at Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Ga. [Collection Number 1644, Box 1] Copied 3/27, 2002. Copy scanned by PaperPort.)
Inventory & appraisement of the Estate of Francis Meriwether decd is as followeth B (To wit)
A(?) Woman Phillis 150 B
Burton $250 David $200 450 B
Do Paul $180 Milly $200 380
Mary & child Billey 550
Paul the Elder & Andrew 600
Queen $400 Nathan $500 900
Nelson $500 Tom $350 850
Abram $400 Phillis 400
John $550 Billey $500 1050
Betty $300 300
Horses aded 6980
(Note: Total should be $6480 but APhillis@ did not have a price so maybe she was $500 which would make the total correct.)
1 Rone mare $50 Do $100 150 B
1 bay mare $80 yearling colt $45 125 B
1 yoke of Stears $40 40 B
10 Cows & Calves 120
9 head of Cattle & 3 Cows $84 84 B
50 head of Sheep $75) 80 Do Hogs $160) 235
9 Beds & furniture 315
7 Do Do & 100 wt feathers 85
4 Pewter Basons $6) 18 hoes $10 16 B
1170
7 axes 4 reap hooks 9.75
2 Iron wedges 2
2 Drawing knives handsaw & press 2.25
1 Cross Cutsaw Blacksmiths tools 55.25
P. 29. Ordinary Office
6 pr AH@ (a symbol) hinges lot of tools 6
18lb old pewter waggon & gear 84
1 Grindstone 5
========= aded 189.25
4 pots 2 Dutch Ovens 21
1 Desk & old Books 39
6 Stone jugs skillet & tea kettle 10.50
1 pr (fablet??) Irons Candlesticks (included with the next item)
Cannisters Spice morter & tongs 3
7 bottles 28 plates 1.875
Crockery ware & butter pot 8.50
Tins & Spoons 2 peperboxes 1.50
6 Silver tea Spoons 2
knives & forks & box 1.25
3 tables $10 wheels, reels & cards 24
Looms & Slays & musquitt 11.50
2 hoes & wedge 2 trunks 2 Chests & table 30
10 Chairs 40 gees (or gus) (included with the previous items)
154.125
Total 8493.375
Certifyed July 30th 1803
Nicko Johnson
Wm Harvie
Henry Tyler Apprs
the above appraisers was sworn before me the above date C John Davenport J,I,C
Recorded October 19th day 1803
MARAMEY,C,C,O,D.C (? - Could be Maj. Rainey - see below))
P.30.
Yearly return on the Estate of Francis Meriwehter Decd for the years 1802 & 1803 by Thos. Meriwether Ex
To 6 Negroes Given away by Virtue of the will
Negros Now belonging to the Estate 16
Horses 4
Horned Cattle 14
Sheep 20
Hogs 50
Credit at the death of the testator not inventoryed because not assertained at the time of the appraisement B
======= 327.70
Expended for work on a house 128
Contingent Expenses 18
Now in hand 184
Coop Not Yet Disposed of
Thos. Meriwether Ex
Recorded 20th Febry 1804
MARAMEYC,C,O,D,C