Anne Arundel County
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In the name of God Amen. I Robert Carr of Anne Arundel County in the State of Maryland being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding and desirous to settle my worldly affairs, do therefore make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following:
First and principally, I commit my soul into the hands of God and my body to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named, and after my just debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows:
Item - I give and bequeath to my negroes Lewis, Tom and John their freedom as they shall severally arrive at the age of thirty five and to my negro women, Sophia, Martha, Ellen and Harriet their freedom as they shall severally arrive at the age of thirty years.
Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Drusilla one featherbed and furniture and negro Martha, said negro to serve until thirty years.
Item - I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Benjamin one thousand dollars and negro John, said negro to serve until thirty five years old and I furthermore give and bequeath to my son Samuel all that field or parcel of land now in my possession and belonging to me adjoining the land of Samuel Hamilton, the boundaries of said field or parcel of land to be and continue as said field or parcel of land now stands enclosed by the fencing, the said field or parcel of land now stands inclosed by the fencing, the said field or parcel of land to him my said son Samuel, his heirs and assigns forever in fee simple; provided my said son Samuel pay or secure to be paid to my estate the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars.
Item - I give and bequeath to my son Benjamin P. one thousand dollars as payment in full of all claims of whatever kind he may have against me or my estate at the time of my death. I likewise give and bequeath to my said son Benjamin P. negro Lewis to serve until thirty five years old. I furthermore give and bequeath to my son Benjamin eight hundred dollars upon the condition that he furnish my daughter Drusilla with suitable apparel, board and lodging during her natural life.
Item - I give and bequeath to my son Joseph, my negro woman Mary and her son Lloyd, said Mary to serve until the year Anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred and sixty, and said Lloyd until thirty five years old. I furthermore give to my said son Joseph eight hundred dollars, the same being in full of all demand he may have against me and my estate at the time of my death.<\P>
Item - I give and bequeath to my son John B. one dollar and hereby that this same is all that he shall have of my estate.
Item - I give and bequeath to my grandson Philip Wesley Witwright (son of my daughter Mary) one thousand dollars, and negro Tom, said negro to serve until thirty five years of age.
Item - I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Mary Elizabeth Carr, daughter of my son John B., negro girl Harriet, said negro to serve until thirty years of age.
Item - I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Susannah Carr, daughter of my son Samuel B., negro boy Henry said negro to serve until thirty five years old.<\P>
Item - I give and bequeath to my grandson Philip Dorsey Carr (son of my son Henry) one thousand dollars, in trust, for the use and benefit of the children of my late son Henry deceased, to be equally divided among them, share and share alike each several share of said one thousand dollars to be paid over to each one of said children as such child may be lawfully married, until one of such said marriage, the interest upon said share or shares shall only be paid to said children annually as may be entitled to the same, and I furthermore give to my grandson Philip Dorsey Carr, negro girl Sophia, in trust, for my granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Carr (daughter of my son Henry), the said negro girl to remain with my said grandson Philip Dorsey until the said Elizabeth Ann shall be lawfully married at which time all control of my said grandson over said negro shall cease and pass to my said granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Carr. The said negro to serve until thirty years old.
Item - In token of the kindness, care and attention which I have at all times received from Sophia Starlings and because of her great care in watching over and nursing my daughter Drusilla, I hereby give and bequeath to her, the said Sophia Starlings in addition to what I am indebted to her, and for which she holds my written obligation, one negro girl named Mary Ellen to serve her, the said Sophia until said negro shall be thirty years old. I furthermore give and bequeath to the said Sophia one featherbed and one pair of sheets.
Item - It is my will and desire and I hereby enjoin it upon my Executors hereinafter named as also upon each and severally of my heirs that they permit my negroes Jack, Maria, Nancy and Stephen to hire themselves each to such individual or individuals or otherwise dispose of themselves as they may severally prefer and that each of the above named negroes be permitted to enjoy as to him, her or them may deem best the process of his, her or their labor and I furthermore devise and bequeath to the above named negro women Nancy and Maria permission to occupy and use the house and garden built by me Caleb Sheekill whilst he the said Caleb Sheekill resided with me as manager with sufficiency of firewood during the time said Nancy and Maria may choose to remain in and occupy said house and garden.
Item - I give and bequeath to my son Benjamin P. all the rest and residue of my real estate to him, his, heirs and assign forever in fee simple upon the condition and provided that my said son Benjamin P. pay to my estate the sum of thirty five dollars per acre for the said residue thus divised and that my said son Benjamin P. may the more readily comply with this Item of my Will. I hereby will and direct that the payment for the said residue of my real estate be made in three annual installments.
Item - I give and bequeath all the rest and residue of my estate of whatever kind to be divided into five equal shares, one share to each of my sons, Benjamin, Samuel, Joseph, one share to my grandson Philip Wesley Witwright and the remaining share to the heirs of my late son Henry, deceased, in equal proportions.
And lastly, I constitute and appoint my sons Samuel and Benjamin to be sold Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, revoking and annulling all former Wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and one other to be my Last Will and Testament. The testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighth day of February ANNO DOMINI, one thousand eight hundred and fifty one.
Robert Carr
Signed, sealed and delivered by Robert
Carr, the above named Testator known
personally to us, who at his request,
in his presence and in the presence of
each other subscribed our names and
witnesses therefore their being first
one word blotted out and in the
fifteenth line of the first page and
one part of word in the fourth line
and one word in thirteenth line, second page blotted out.
Jacob McCency
J. G. Owens
Edward I. Boteler
G. G. Minon
Contributed by Evelyn Windhaus
Source: Anne Arundel County Register of Wills BEG #1, pp. 177-181 Robert Carr,
17 November 1852 (MSA C153, MdHR 16,838, 1-3-12-21) (5)
Note: The above reference lists the date of the Will as 17 November 1852,
whereas the date on the Will itself is February 8, 1851.
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