Sate of South Carolina, Sumter District.
In the Name of God, Amen. I, Francis DesChamps,of the State and District aforesaid, Planter, considering theuncertainty of this Mortal Life, but being of Sound and Perfect Mind,Memory and Understanding, Blessed be to God for the same, do make andPublish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following(that is to say):
1st That all my Just Debts and Funeral Charges befirst paid, and that my Body be Buried at the discretion of myFriends:-----------------
2nd I give and bequeath to my wife, SusannaDesChamps, the use of a Negro named Elcey during her natural life,and after her death I give the said Elcey with all her future issueand increase to my son George Sinclair Capers DesChamps. I also givemy wife, Susanna DesChamps, two girls named Martha and Lavina;---Igive her one horse named Fox, chair and harness, one feather bed,one mattress, bed furniture, and bedstead; all the crockery ware, twosmall trunks, one large green chest, and fifty dollars to be givenher out of my Estate:------------
3rd I give and bequeath to my son Lewis MilesDesChamps, Hannah, Lucey, Miley, and the one half of my stock ofcattle, including those I promised him in my lifetime:--------------------
4th I give and bequeath to my son George SinclairCapers DesChamps my Plantation whereon I now live; I also give myson Sinclair Lydia, Sacarissa Murriah Dick and Hardtimes; one darkbay horse, one grey mare, two saddles and bridles, one half of mystock of cattle, one shot gun, one horse cart, one hand grist mill,ploughs, plantation tools, all my stock of hogs, goats, and sheep,all my household and kitchen furniture, except what I have given asaforesaid; I also give my son Sinclair all the profits of the cropnow growing and the use of the Negroes until the first day of JanuaryNext, he is to pay Samuel Rembert his demand for this Plantationpurchased of him, my wife Susanna DesChamps, and my son Lewis MilesDesChamps, I do clear and acquit, of&emdash;having any moneys to paySamuel Rembert out of their part; I give all my books to my sonSinclair; I lastly nominate and appoint my wife Susanna DesChampsExecutrix, and my son George Sinclair Capers DeChamps Executor ofthis my last Will and Testament; hereby revoking all former Wills byme made:-------------
In Witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand andSeal this Eighteenth of June in the Year of our Lord One ThousandEight Hundred and Twenty-One, and the Forty-Fifth year of AmericanIndependence.
Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared by thewithin mentioned Francis DesChamps to be his last Will and Testamentin the presence of us:-------------
Wm. McCutchen
Francis L. Kennedy
Daniel Nellums Francis DesChamps (SEAL)
(Recorded in Will Book AA page 290)
Recorded July 17th, 1821)
William Potts Ordy S.D.
Bundle 29 Pkge 6