316 Benjamin Coakers Will In the name of God Amen I Benjamin Coaker of Northampton County being of sound & perfect mind and memory do this the 20th day of September in the year of our Lord 1805 make and publish this my Last Will and Testament and in manner following, that is to say, First I lend unto my beloved wife Silvia Coaker during her life or Widowhood the following articles to Wit Two Cows and Calves, one Sorrell Mare, Two Ewes and Lambs one Sow and Pigs, one Feather Bed of Furniture, one black Walnut (? maybe Coffer ?)__ One Chest, one Iron Pot, one Dutch Oven, one Iron (? For ?) that the said at her Death __ Marriage, I give the above mentioned articles to my son Sugars, and Daniel, to __ equally divided between them and their Heirs. Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Polly Coaker one Feather Bed of Furniture, one Cow & Calf to her & her Heirs. Item I give unto my daughter Mason Coaker one Feather Bed of Furniture, one Cow & Calf, to her & her Heirs, Also I give unto my Daughter Mason Twenty Dollars, Item I give unto my Son Thomas Coaker Twenty Pounds Virginia Money, lastly my Will and desire is that all my Estate boath Land and Personal Property not heretofore mentioned be Equally divided between my Two Sons, Sugars Coaker & Daniel Coaker to them and their Heirs forever, After my Just debts being Paid which they Shall do I have not mentioned my Son Willie, & Son Johns names they having been Previous to the Writing of this provided for. The Goods & Chattels that my Daughters Sally Caple, Betsy Smith, & Patsey Tarver hath already had & received of me. I give unto them and their Heirs Item My Will is that my Wife have one third of the Land, to live on during her life or Widowhood. Lastly, And I hereby made and ordain my Sons Sugars Coaker, & Daniel Coaker Executors of this my last Will & Testament in Witness whereof I the said Benjamin Coaker, have to this my last Will & Testament set my hand & Seal the Day and Year above Written. Signed Sealed published & declared by } his the said Benjamin Coaker the } Benjamin X Coaker Sealed Testator as his last Will & Testament } mark in the presence of } Northampton County March Court 1806 Wiley Coker This Will was proved by the oath of John Coaker John Coker and the affirmation of John M. Binford whereupon John M. Binford Sugars Coaker one of the Executors therein named was duly qualified ordered to be certified & Recorded Witness (? Ress Greean Delk ?) -- Source: Transcribed by Steven J. Coker from a true copy which was certified on March 21, 1983, by Hazel B. Jones, Deputy Clerk of Superior Court, Northampton County, North Carolina. =========================================== South Carolina Sumter District By William (Potts?) Ordinary Sumter District Whereas Thomas Cooker Administrator of Estate of Sugar Cooker late of the District & State aforesaid Sheweth that there was a legacy left By Benjamin Cooker Deceased of North Carolina unto Mason Bird formerly Mason Cooker Daughter of said Benjamin Cooker Deceased which the said Sugar Cooker Executor of (said?) Estate of said Benjamin Cooker Deceased hath never paid. I therefore Authorize & empower you the said William Canada Zachariah Dubose & Daniel McKinsey to appraise the Articles left as a legacy (to the said Mason Bird formerly Mason Cooker Daughter of Benjamin Cooker Deceased) mentioned in the said ~ Last Will & Testament of the said Benjamin Cooker Deceased & make a just & true return of the appraisement certified under your hands to the said Thomas Cooker Administrator of Estate of Sugar Cooker Deceased that he may return the same unto the Ordinarys Office & that, he the said Thomas Cooker may Discharge the same agreeable to his petition given under my hand this 11 day of March Anno Dimini 1816. Daniel Mckenzy (by his mark) William (Potts?) Ord _ S _ Di -- Source: South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Transcribed by Steven James Coker from a copy of the original document. =========================================== South Carolina } Personally appeared before me Sumter District } Thos Rose Justice of the Quorum } William Canada Zachariah Dubose & Daniel Mckensey maketh Oath that they will make & just & true appraisement of the said property mentioned in said legacy (within ?) mentioned & make a just & true return of the same unto the within named Thomas Cooker Administrator of Estate of Sugar Cooker Deceased. W Kennedy Zachariah Dubose Thos. Rose JQ. -- Source: South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Transcribed by Steven James Coker from a copy of the original document. - ---------------------------- General Notes: 1. A word or phrase shown inside parentheses with question marks indicates the transcriber is not certain as to the correct reading of the word or phrase. In particular, The transcriber is unfamiliar with the handwriting in the signature (? Ress Greean Delk ?). Instead of Ress the first name might be Ross or even Kelly. The rest of the name could similarly be other than as shown. This signer was obviously an officer of the court. So it should be possible to find the true spelling of this name. However, this signature is thought to be of little consequence in tracing the genealogy. 2. A blank underlined space "__" indicates letters or words are missing or illegible in the copy. In particular, a small portion of the top right edge of the document was imperfectly copied. As a result, there may be one to three characters missing at the end of a few lines near the top of the document. It is apparent from the context of the writing that these possibly missing characters do not change the meaning. However, examination of the original document or another copy is needed for completeness. 3. For this presentation, little attempt has been made to layout the text identical to that shown in the document. In particular, words per line and line breaks may vary. -- + ------------------------------------------------------------------ + | Steven J. Coker [email protected] | | Home: PO Box 359, Charleston, SC 29402 [email protected] | | Work: PO Box 919, Charleston, SC 29402 [email protected] | | Home: 803-571-4586 http://www.wp.com/Coker | | Work: 803-727-4330 http://www.geocities.com/Paris/2780 | | Work: 800-208-2054 http://www.awod.com/gallery/rwav/cokers | + ------------------------------------------------------------------ +