This post is part of an ongoing project to record names of enslaved people of Greene County, Georgia I find in historical records.
State of Georgia, Greene County. In the name of God amen, I, Mary Ann Wright, being feeble in body, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do ordain, constitute, and appoint the following to be my last will and testament.
Item 1st. I do hereby give and bequeath to my beloved son John S. Wright the following named negroes: Amanda a woman now about 18 years of age of dark complexion, Ben a boy now about 15 years of age of dark complexion, and Martha Ann a girl now about 15 years of age and of copper complexion.
Item 2d. I do hereby give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Mary Geer one negro girl now about 12 years of age named Philly and her increase to be hers her lifetime and at her death to become the property of the heirs of her body, not to be subject to any debts now contracted or which may be hereafter contracted by her husband John L. Geer, nor in any wise subject to his control—and I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved son John S. Wright trustee for my beloved daughter Mary Geer and the heirs of her body.
Item 3d. I do hereby give and bequeath to my beloved son William J. Wright one negro woman named Betsy now about 47 years of age of dark complexion, one boy named George now about six years of age of dark complexion, one girl Margaret now about 3 years of age of dark complexion, and one boy Felix, now about 5 months old of dark complexion and their increase. Said property not to be subject to any debts which my beloved son William J. Wright may have contracted or may at any future time contract and I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved son, John S. Wright trustee for my beloved son William J. Wright.
Item 4th. I do hereby give and bequeath to my beloved son James K. Wright one negro girl Elizer now about 17 years of age of dark complexion, one negro girl Antonette now about 11 years of age of dark complexion, one negro girl Patience now about 8 years of age of dark complexion and their increase. Said property not to be subject to any debts which my beloved son James K. Wright may have contracted or may be at any future time contract—and I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved son John S. Wright trustee for my beloved son James K. Wright.
Item 5th. It is further my will and desire that in case either of my two sons William J. Wright or James K. Wright should die without issue then the property which I have willed them, together with the increase shall revert to and be equally divided between my children that are then in life and become their property and it is further my will and desire that none of my property which I have willed shall ever be subject to any debts which John L. Geer may have contracted or may at any future time contract.
Item 6th. It is further my will and desire that the rest and residue of my property both real and personal be sold at my death and that my just debts be first paid out of the proceeds of said sale, and it is further my will and desire that my family graveyard be substantially and securely enclosed with a wrought iron fence, and it is further my will and desire that if there is sufficient money left after paying my just debts and after paying for the enclosure around my family burial ground and other necessary expenses of my estate that my executor herein after named shall buy a negro girl for my beloved granddaughter, Mary Adeline Geer, and said negro girl shall become the property of my beloved granddaughter Mary Adeline Geer and the heirs of her body.
Item 7th. It is further my will and desire if there should be any money left after the above and foregoing mentioned points stated in the 6th item of this my last will and testament be executed—that the same be equally divided between my beloved sons John S. Wright, William J. Wright, and James K. Wright, subject however to such limitations restrictions and conditions as are mentioned in items 3d and 4th and 5th of this my last will and testament.
Item 8th. I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved son John S. Wright executor of this my the last will and testament.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my and hand and seal this the thirteenth (13th) day of August that in the year of our Lord (1857) one thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Signed and sealed in presence of Thomas P. Janes, Benjamin E. Spencer, Franklin Moore.
Mary A. Wright
Court of Ordinary, October Term 1861, Georgia, Greene County. Personally came into open court Thomas P. Janes and Franklin Moore, two of the subscribing witnesses to the within and foregoing last will and testament of Mary A. Wright, late of this County, deceased, who upon oath say they saw Mary A. Wright, the Testatrix, sign , seal, and heard her declare the same as her last will and testament, freely, voluntarily and of her own accord, and without any compulsion whatever, that at the time of the execution of said will said Testatrix was of sound and disposing mind and memory, and that they together with Benjamin E. Spencer subscribed their names as witnesses to said will in the presence of each other and in the presence of the Testatrix.
Sworn to and subscribed in open court October 7th, 1861.
Thomas P. Janes, Franklin Moore
Eugenius L. King, Ordinary
Mary A. Wright’s Will
Greene Court of Ordinary, October Term 1861. Proven in common form and ordered to be recorded.
Recorded in Book G, pages 246, 247, and 248.
October 8th, 1861
Eugenius L. King, Ordinary
The within paper was filed in office by Reuben J. Dawson this 26th day of February 1866.
Eugenius L. King, Ordinary
Reference
Greene County, Georgia, Wills 1798–1914, image 538–542; www.familysearch.org.
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