Will of James Greer
In the name of God Amen,I James Greer of the county of Clarke and State of Georgia, being sick of body but of sound mine and memory, thanks be to God for the same-But calling to mind the uncertainty of the sublunary world and that all flesh must yeald, when it pleaseth God of his great mercy to call. I do therefore make this my last will and testament as touching my goods Idispose of them in the following manner to wit,
Item 1st. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Parsha Hawkins one negro girl name Sylva, one bay mare one bed and_furniture and cow and calf.
Item 2nd I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Henry Greer one negro boy named Phill one horse and saddle, one feather _bed and furniture also one cow and calf.
Item 3rd. I give and bequeath to my beloved son David Greer, one negro boy named Larvney one horse and saddle one feather _Bed and furniture, also one cow and calf.
Item 4th. I give and bequeath unto my beloved son James Greer, one negro boy named Arthur,one horse and saddle one_feather Bed and Furniture also one cow & calf.
Item 5th. I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter,Dinah George, late widow of Travis George Decd & now wife of William Caviness, one negro girl name Peg,one mare andSaddle, one bed and furniture, also one cow and calf-and it_is my will and desire that when the remainder of my estate _after my death and the Death of my beloved wife as _hereinafter mentioned, is said divided amongst my children_ that the part which may fall to the aforesaid Dianah Caviness _remain in her possession during her life time, and at her_death to be equally devided among her last children by_William Caviness. I also give and bequeath to the said_Dinah Caviness, one negro girl named Selvia to be disposed of_at her death in the manner before mentioned of dividing her_part._
Item 6th. I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Nancy_McCoy one negro girl named Dorcas one mare and Saddle, one_bed & furniture also one cow & calf._ _
_Item 7th. I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter _Elizabeth Beasley decd. and her heirs one negro boy named_Toney one Feather Bed & furniture one horse and Saddle one_cow & calf also one negroe girl named Linda and fifty dollars _to her Daughter Nancy it being in full of the residue of my_estate hereinafter named so cut them off._ _
Item 8th. I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Sarah_McCoy one negro girl named Daphne,one mare and Saddle one_ feather bed and furniture also one cow & calf so cut her off
Item 9th. I give and bequeath unto my grand daughter Nancy Cook formerly Nancy McCoy one Negro girl named Biddy one cow_ and calf, one feather bed and furniture also fifty dollars_and so cut her off
Item 10th. I give and bequeath to my grandson Nealy McCoy one _hundred dollars._
_Item 11. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Lucy Fullilove one negro girl named Cutty, one horse and Saddle _one bed and furniture also one cow & calf._
_Item 12. I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Aquilla _Greer one negro boy named Jacob also one negro boy named_ Ben, one horse and saddle, one bed and furniture also one cow_ & calf
Item 13. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter_ Priscilla Stuart one negro boy name Barnubah one negro girl _named Chaney one mare and Saddle one bed & furniture also one _cow and Calf.
Item 14. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter _Delilah McNess one Negroe boy named Isaac, one negro gir l_named Harritt one mare and Saddle, one feather Bed and furniture, also one cow and calf, - the balance of my estate _which may fall to the aforesaid Delilah McNess to be placed_in the hands of Henry Greer as Trustee for the aforesaid Delilah McNess. It is my will and desire shall be by the trustee aforesaid held and managed for the sole use and benefit of the aforesaid Delilah McNess during her natural life and after her Death said property and the proceeds thereof to be equally divided between her last children or heirs by William McNess.
Item 15th. I lend to my beloved wife Nancy Greer during her _natural life the two tracts of land Plantation belonging to me, towit, the place whereon I now live and the place whereon_William Smith formerly lived, also Twenty one Negros, which I_have now in my possession also all my stock, of horses cattle_hogs and sheep, also my riding carriage Waggon furniture and_plantation tools of every description whatever, and at her_death to be divided in the manner following towit- the tract_of land whereon I now live containing about seven hundred_acres, to my son Aquilla Greer Except so much as lies on the_north side of the road leading from John Berners to Jacob_Millsaps and all on the said North side of said Road to my_son in law Robert Stuart, likewise to my beloved son Aquilla Greer, I give my rifle and gun and shot bag.
Item 16 to the heirs of my beloved daughter Lucy Fullilove decd. I give and bequeath the sum of six hundred Dollars so_cut them off.
the balance of my personal property, (Negroes excepted) to be sold and the negros to be_divided unto nine Lots, as near equal as possible can be, and_the lots which may be deficient to be made equal out of the_proceeds of the sale of the property before mentioned and_each of the children hereinafter named to draw for their lot_and each of the children hereinafter named to draw for their_lot, and the remaining part of the proceeds of the sale_aforesaid to be equally divided among the following children_to wit, Parshia Hawkins Henry Greer David Greer, James Greer,_the heirs of Dianah Caviness to have her part equally divided_among them Nancy McCoy, Aquilla Greer, Pricilla Stuart and_Henry Greer trustee for Delilah McNess- and I do hereby_nominate and appoint my beloved son Aquilla Greer and son in_Law Robert Stuart to be my Executors to this my last will and_testament-_ _
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal to_this my last will and Testament this thirteenth day of June_One thousand Eight hundred and twenty five and in the forty_ninth year of American Independance_
_In presence of James Greer Seal_Teste William Davenport_ Jonett Davenport_ Garland Sims_ _Georgia )_Clarke County ) Personally appeared in open court William_Davenport Jonett Davenport & Garland Sims the subscribing_witnesses to the within will and being duly sworn saith that_they saw James Greer Sign Seal and deliver the within_instruments as his last will and Testament & that he was of_sound & disposing mind and memory at the time of his so doin_& that they subscribed the same as witnesses._ _Sworn to in open Court) Wm Davenport_the 5th September 1825 Jonett Davenport_Mr. H. Low clk Garland Sims_ _Recorded 6th September 1825
Copy of Will in my possession from Clarke Co., Ga. Courthouse. Mary Lee Barnes
William Caviness should be Cabiness. Also William McNee instead of McNess. We do not know which McCoy his daughter Sarah married, but it was not Henry McCoy, Sr. ; Nancy Beasley, grandaughter, m. John Hiner in Clarke Co. in 1830 ; Granddaughter Nancy McCoy m. Pernell Cook in Clarke Co. Aquilla and family went to Marshall Co., Ms. Ca. 1843. -my ancestor.
Contributed by Mary Barnes