Will of DAVID SLOAN In the name of God, Amen, I David Sloan Senior of Pendleton District in the State of South Carolina, Planter, being weak in body and affected with disease, being of perfect sound mind and memory and being mindful of my mortality: Do this twenty ninth day of october in the Year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty one, make and publish this my last will and testament in manner following. First. I resign my Soul into the hand of Almighty God who have it: And my body I commit to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my Executors at the burial ground on the plantation whereon I now live. ITEM. I give and devise to my Beloved and affectionate wife the House we now live in or if She should prefer in the House wherein Jefse Stribling lately lived to be repaired and fixed as She may direct during her natural life; -and I also give and bequeath to her one third part of Fifty four negroes now in my pofsefsion on the plantation and which are not herein otherwise disposed of, And the negroes to be to her and her her heirs or afsigns forever, but if not disposed of by her at her death to be Equally divided amongst my Ten children or the survivors of them or their representatives. I also give and bequeath to my Said Beloved and affectionate Wife Suzannah all my House hold furniture to be disposed of at her pleasure and one third of Stock and farming utensils on the farm I now live on to be disposed of in like manner if She Should remove to the House lately occupied by Jefse Stribling and as much of and as much of this Said plantation as she may wish for cultivation. ITEM. I give and devise to my Eldest Son David Sloan all that plantation and tract of Land whereon he now lives on the North side of Cane Creek containing about nine hundred and fifty acres, also Fifty acres on the South Side of Cane Creek to include his Mill and Pond & c but he is to grind free of Toll all grain brought to his Mill for Jefse Stribling while his Mill stands.--I also give and bequeath to my said Son David Sloan, all the Negroes goods chatels and effects which I have heretofore put into his pofsefsion. To Have and To Hold to him and his heirs afsigns forever ITEM I give and divise to Jefse Stribling and Elizabeth his Wife my Eldest Daughter all that plantation whereon he now lives on the South Side of Cane Creek containing about nine hundred and fifty acres (Except the Mill and fifty acres divided to my Son David Sloan above--I also give and bequeath to the said Jefse Stribling & Elizabeth all the negroes and other personal property that I have heretofore put into their pofsefsion To Have and To Hold- to them & their heirs & afsigns forever--. ITEM. I give and devise to Robert Bruce and my Daughter Susannah Bruce his Wife all that plantation or Several Tracts of Land lying adjoining to each other & whereon they now live on Toogaloo River and Gum Log Creek in Franklin County in the State of Georgia containing about Twelve hundred and fifty acres I also give and bequeath to the said Robert and Susannah Bruce all the negroes and other personal property which I have heretofore given to them and put into their pofsefsion To Have and To Hold to the Said Robert and Susannah Bruce and to their heirs and afsigns forever. ITEM. I give and divise to my Son Benjamin Franklin Sloan all that plantation composed of five tracts of Land lying joining to each other on Toogaloo River & Panes Creek in Franklin County Georgia containing One thousand Six hundred and forty three acres more or lefs. And I also give and bequeath to the Said Benjamin F. Sloan all those thirteen negroes now in his pofsefsion, and also all the personal property which I have hereto fore put into his pofsefsion & which he now hath To Have and To Hold to him and to his heirs and afsigns forever. ITEM. I give and devise to my son Thomas M Sloan all that plantation which I purchased from Joseph Taylor on Keowee or Seneca River about five Miles from Pendleton S. C. containing about Two thousand acres whereon the Said Thomas Sloan now lives. I also give and bequeath to the said Thomas M. Sloan all those Twenty two Negroes now in his pofsefsion on the said plantation and also all the personal property on the said plantation of what kind Soever. To Have and To Hold to the said Thomas M. Sloan and his heirs and afsigns forever But on this condition that he pay my youngest Son James Madison Sloan Three Thousand Dollars if the said James M. Sloan shall live to have lawful ifsue and die under twenty one years of age then his children to have it but if he die without ifsue under age then the said sum of Three Thousand Dollars to be paid to my Executors and by them divided between the living Children and the legal representatives of those that may be dead if any of my said ten children should die previous to the time he may be of age if he had lived. the distribution to be share & share alike. I also reserve to my Executors the present crop of Cotton and the Corn that may not be needed for use of the Said farm for the stock & c. ITEM. I give and divise to my Son William Sloan all the plantation whereon I now live containing about Two Thousand acres composed of Five Several Tract of Land lying adjoining to each other--reserving to my beloved Wife Susannah Sloan the right to live in the House we now live in or the Hous and plantation or tract where Jefse Stribling lately lived at the option of my said wife during he natural life--and if She Should prefer to Hous--where Stribling lived the Said William Sloan is to repair the same in any manner She may direct and permit her to have any quantity of Land for cultivation she may desire. ITEM. I give and divise to my youngest Son James Madison Sloan all my Lands and real Estates wheresoever the same may be Situated to be by my Executors sold for his benefit or kept for him until he shall arrive at the age of Twenty one years at the option and in the discretion of my Executrix and Executor and I do hereby Appoint my affectionate Wife Susannah Sloan and my dutiful Son Daivd Sloan Guardian of the person and effects of my said youngest son James M. Sloan hereby giving them power to any needful thing for him at their discretion. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my two youngest sons William Sloan and James Madison Sloan the Two thirds of Fifty four negro slaves now in my pofsefsion not herein otherwise disposed of (or intended to be so) and the two thirds of all the personal property now on this plantation (not herein disposed of or intended so to be hereby)--that is the remainder thereof after my beloved wife may have taken out one third And the same shall be keep on this plantation for the us and benefit thereof and shall continue in the pofsefsion of my said Executrix and Executor for them until the said William arrives at Lawful age when the property shall be delivered over to him and by him--used for his own benefit until the said James Madison Sloan arrives at the age of Twenty one years or be married at which Time a dividend of the negroes now here and their increase shall be fairly and equally divided between the said James M. Sloan and the said William Sloan or their representatives--And in case either or both of them die without ifsue or disposing of their property or under age then the part of the one so dieing shall be divided between the children then living and the representatives of the deceased my youngest son is not to have anything by this bequest except the half of the Negroes living at the time he comes of age. ITEM. I give and bequeath to Joseph Taylor and Nancy his wife all the personal property by me heretofore placed in his pofsefsion & which he now hath. I also direct my Executrix and Executor to pay him one thousand dollars within one year after my death. ITEM. I give and divise and bequeath to Joseph B. Earle and Rebecca his Wife my loving daughter all the Lands which he may have purchased in our joint names According to the intention of a Deed of Covenant executed by him and my self on which I furnished him three thousand Dollars and I also give him all the personal property, Negroes & c. which I have heretofore placed in his hands I also releas him of all demands which I have against him on any account whatever except the amount of a Note of Hand of his which I have paid the cash for to James Rucker it is dated 16 oct. 1817 due 1st January 1818 for nine hundred and fifty two Dollars. And my Executrix and Executor are hereby directed to call on him for the principal and interest of said note and that all other accounts between me & the Said Joseph B. Earle shall be forever settled.--And he is to have hold & pofsefs all the property he received from me. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my Grand Daughter Susannah Taylor one negro Girl named Elvina about Six or eight years of age. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Charles Bruce one negro boy named Edward about Sixteen years of age. Finally. All the rest and residue of my personal Estates debts or chattels of whatsoever Kind and wheresoever the same may be and not herein before effectually disposed of (After payment of my debts Legacies and funeral expences and other charges) I do hereby give and bequeath to be collected and Equally divided by my Executrix and Executor between my Ten children or their legal representatives.--It has been my wish and aim to do justice between my children who stand equally dear to me and I have made Some difference between those who have had their property for a length of time & those who have just received it and think I have done them justice. And I do hereby constitute and appoint my said Wife Susannah Sloan and my Son David Sloan Executrix and Executor of this my last will and Testament. and I do hereby revoke & make void all other or former wills. In witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and Year herein first above mentioned. David Sloan (SEAL) Signed, Sealed, published, and declared by the Said Testator as and for his Last will and Testament in our presence who at his request in his presence, and in the presence of each other have Subscribed our names as Witnefses hereto. Joseph Grisham James Harrison John Matthews Recorded in Will Book A, page 330 Recorded October 16, 1826 Proved October 16, 1826 John Harris, O.P.D. Roll No. 606 PS. I've typed this as close to the copy as I could--some "mistakes" are theirs. Hopefully I didn't maake many typo's. Sheila