Thanks so much Baker Smith wrote: aabsmith@worldnet.att.net > Okay, here it is--just a couple of notes. Lilly Ann Hitt is named as his > wife in a pedigree that I found, even though she is called Lilly Ann Ball > in the will (that's how I knew who I was looking for on the web search, the > will was just confirmation to me that Lilly Ann was indeed William Ball's > wife). Also, Reuben, named at the end of the will, is presumably a son, > though he very well could be a neighbor or friend. He is not a brother and > his last name does not appear, so best bet is that he is a son. Also, the > dates that appear are a little confusing to me, so I'm assuming that the > top date is the date the will was written and the bottom date is the date > of death or probate of the estate. > > "Wills of Laurens County, South Carolina" > > "Copied from the original wills exactly as they were written. There is no > punctuation and the spelling is the same as written." > > "Will of William Ball" > Will book C-1, page 169 > 23 July 1805 > 5 April 1806 > > In the name of God Amen Being on a bed of sickness but n perfect mind and > knowing that it is appointed once for all men to dye I do bequeath my > Eastate as follows first I recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty > God Secondly I recommend my body to the grave to be neatly entered at the > expense of my Executors Thirdly I lend two negroes named Nancy and Susanna > to my wife in during her life time Also I lend her the whole of the > Eastate that came with her till her death exepting it should appear most > convenient that some of it should be sold to pay some of the legacies Also > the land where on I now live I lend her in during her natural life then I > give the said land to my daughter Pamela and the Heirs of her body in > during life I also lend my wife Lilly Ann Ball a negro girl named Fanney > in during life I also give my daughter Pamela one negro boy named Reed I > also give my daughter Mary Sadler one hundred and fifty Dollars to be > raised out of my Eastate the Executors to have three years to pay it from > my Death and if not paid then the Executors to sell my Eastate such as is > not other way disposed of to pay it I also give my children John George > Elizabeth Stevens Hitt William Jeremiah Francis Martin one hundred > Dollars each to be paid as the above I also give my sons Peter James and > Lewis Ball one Dollar and six sents and one quarter each to be paid as > before I also leave Reuben Martin and my wife Lilly Ann my sole executors > and leave them to pay all my just debts out of my Eastate and to receive > all due me I also give my daughter Pamela a negro girl named Fanney lent > to my wife and the Heirs of her body after the death of her mother I do > acknowledge the above to be my last will and testament as witnes my hand > this 23d Day of July 1805 > William Ball > Reuben > Martin > Stephen Garrett -- **************************************** Pauline [Neeley] Phelps Bakersfield CA 93304 ========================================== Neeley Web Site http://www.genweb.net/~neeley/ Washita Co.OK URL http://www.rootsweb.com/~okwashit/ http://www.genweb.net/~tucker/ =========================================== Mail lists - NEELEY'S - NEELEY-L@ROOTSWEB.COM Fountain/Fontaine FOUNTAINE-l@rootsweb.com KEMPERS - kempers@makelist.com Audrian Co., MO audraincomo@makelist.com Camden Co., MO camdencomo@makelist.com ************************************************** http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/5716/index.html