Will of William Greene: 41 slaves named

This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records. 

I, William Greene of the County of Greene and State of Georgia, being sick and of low condition but of sound mind and memory and calling to mind that it is ordained for all men once to die, do make this my last will and testament, revoking all others.

First of all, I give my soul to God who in its existence, my body I resign to its mother clay in decent Christian burial.

Item 1st. I give to my dear wife Ruthy one negro woman named Silvy to her and her heirs forever. Also, I give to my dear wife Ruthy during her natural life the increase of the above negro woman Silvy, together with old Tom, Hester, Shaco, Fain, young Pallis, Peter, Ephraim, Major, and old Pallis. Also, all my stock of horses, hogs, cattle, and sheep, together with the whole of my crop of corn, fodder, wheat, oats, and cotton with my plantation tools, one wagon and gear together with all my household and kitchen furniture to have free and full possession of my house and plantation whereon I now live during her natural life.

2nd. I give to my son Lemuel Greene, one negro man named Jerry, one negro man named Sylus, one negro man named Wallis, one negro man named Jim, together with his blacksmith tools.

3rd. I give to my son Augustine Greene, one negro man named Ransom, one negro boy named Louy, one negro man named Jacob, together with this blacksmith tools, together with the tract of land whereon he now lives, together with one equal half of my mill tract of land.

4th. I give to my son Alston, one negro man named Isham, one negro boy named Cage, one negro boy named Wiley.

5th. I give to my son Philip, one negro woman named Amey and her four children, one negro man named Tom, one negro man named Jourdan, and a set of blacksmith tools, my riding horse and gun, also the tract land whereon I now live together with one equal half of my mill tract of land.

6th. I give to my daughter Sally, one negro woman named Hannah with her two children, John and Reuben, one negro woman named Pat, one negro boy named Slion and negro boy named Prince.

7th. I give to my daughter Nancy, one negro woman named Seely and two children Chancey and Jack, one negro woman named Seynthia, one negro man named Sam, and one negro girl named Lilley.

8th. I give to my daughter Patsy, one negro woman named Charity and one child named Tildy, one negro boy named Jacob, one negro girl named Hester, one negro boy named Louis, one negro boy named Randle.

9th. It is my will that after my just debts being first paid, that my daughters receive out of the estate eighteen hundred and thirty-six dollars and the residue thereof to be equally divided among my children, my son Alston excepted.

10th. My will further is that my stock of good and store debts be equally divided between my wife Ruthy and my children.

11th. I appoint my wife Ruthy, my son Lemuel, my son Augustine and Philip and my friend Douglas Watson executors to this my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal this 8th December 1819.

Wm. Greene, Seal

Signed in the presence of us
A. B. Linton
Charles Burke
Joel Forrester

Greene County of Ordinary, January Term 1820. Personally appeared in open court Alexander B. Linton, Charles Burke, and Joel Forrester subscribing witnesses to the foregoing will, who being duly sworn say that they saw the within named William Greene sign, seal, and heard him acknowledge the same as his last will and testament and that they each believed him to be of perfect sound mind and memory at the time of his so doing and further that they subscribed their names as witnesses thereto in the of the Testator.

A. B. Linton
Charles Burke
Joel Forrester

Sworn to in open court 3rd January 1820
Ebenezer Torrence, Clk.

Recorded 8th January 1820. Ebenezer Torrence, Clk.

Reference

Greene County, Georgia, Wills 1786–1795, 1794–1810, 1806–1816, 1817–1842, 1840–1877, image 376, www.familysearch.org.