This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records.
William Merritt signed his will in Greene County, Georgia on August 31, 1825. It appears he died in Greene County about November 1825. Click on the images at the end of this post to enlarge.
William Merritt’s Will
Georgia, Greene County. In the name of God amen. I William Merritt of the County and State aforesaid being in a low state of health but of perfect sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament.
Item 1st. I will l that the tract of land on which I now live in Greene County be sold on a credit of one, two, and three years, payments to be made in three equal annual installments and the tract of land I own in Wilkinson be sold on a credit of one year.
Items 2nd. I will that my negroes Simon, Joe, Lewis, Amos, Seaborn, Rachel, Nan, Mime, Seny, Sopha, Judy and her child Henry and a young boy child of Henry not named, Bash, Jenny, Edy and a young boy child of Bash not named together with all the residue of my property both real and personal except my old negro man Taffy be sold on a credit of twelve months.
Item 3. I will that the proceeds of the sales of all my property be divided and appropriated in the following manner viz to the children of my daughter Elizabeth Brown (being) nine in number named as follows: William M. Brown, Ezekiel Brown, Reuben Brown, Adeline Brown, Emeline Brown, Catherine Brown, Franklin Brown, James M. Brown, Bluford Brown, and the children of my deceased daughter Nancy Green (being six in number) named Emily Greene, Caroline Greene, Hamilton Greene, Benjamin Greene, Augustin Greene and Mary Greene, one equal distribution each, to be paid to my said grandchildren as the boys may arrive at the age of twenty-one, and as the girls arrive at the age of twenty-one, or marry. But should any of my said grandchildren die before they arrive at twenty-one years or before they marry then the distributive share of such deceased legalee shall go to and be divided among my surviving grandchildren, or should my daughter Elizabeth Brown have any further issue male or female such issue shall come in and be allowed, an equal distributive share with my grandchildren above named.
Item 4th. If at my decease a crop should be planted, I wish the whole of my estate to remain together until the crop is finished and then the crop to be sold with the balance of my property except cotton which may be sold at the usual market when my executors may choose.
Item 5th. I give to my daughter Elizabeth Brown my negro man named Taffy and recommend her to show him that indulgence and treat him with that humanity and care to which his faithful services entitle him, so long as he lives.
Item 6. I wish all the sales of my property to be made at my plantation the real as well as personal estate except my land in Wilkinson which may be sold at such place as my executors may think will most advance the interest of my estate and the proceeds of all sales to remain in the hands of my executors until the devices under this will is authorized to receive their shares respectively.
Item 7th. I do hereby constitute and appoint Douglas Watson and Ebenezer Torrence executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of August 1825. The name Judy in 10th line 1st page [unreadable] before assigned.
William Merritt [seal]
Signed, sealed and acknowledged in presence of
Henry Rogers
Chas. A. Redd
H. Sanford
Georgia, Green County. Court of Ordinary, November term 1825.
Personally appeared in open court Henry Rogers and Henry Sanford two of the subscribing witnesses to the within will who being duly sworn say that they saw the within named William Merritt sign, seal and heard him acknowledge the within instrument to be his last will and testament and that the each believed him to be of perfect sound mind and memory at the time of his so doing and that they each together with Charles A. Redd subscribed their names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the Testator.
Sworn to in open Court
14th November 1825
Henry Rogers
H. Sanford
Ebenezer Torrence, Clk.
You can see most of the slaves listed in the will are also listed on the inventory and appraisement taken January 11, 1826 (some of the names are spelled differently).
The next excerpts are from sales receipts that include the cost to hire some of the negroes for the period January 12 to February 16. The year does not appear on any page of the sales receipts, but I assume it was 1826.
Reference
William Merritt, Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1742–1992.
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