In the name of God Amen -- I John James of SaintMarks Parish and State of South Carolina, Planter, being in perfectMind & memory thanks be to God, do make & ordain this my LastWill & Testament in Manner & form follwing -- Viz/ Irecommend my soul to the mercy of Almighty God trusting in the meritsof my blessed Redeemer -- after all my just Debts & FuneralExpenses are paid trusting in my Executors hereafter appointed to thedecent Interment of my Body I will & bequeath unto my belovedWife Mary James one Seventh Part of my personal Estate & alsofifty Pounds in money, and that to be in liew of her Dower to her andher Heirs forever Also it is my desire that my said beloved wife Maryshould have the Use Benefit or lent of my Dwelling House I now residein with all the out Buildings and four Hundred acres of Land which lyround it &c during her Widow Hood, but in Case of my belovedWife's marriage, or Death-then it is my desire, that the abovementioned dwelling House with all the out Buildings and four Hundredacres of Land should revert and return to the Use & behalf of mySon Francis I James to him and his Heirs forever -- Also it is myWill and desire that a part of the River Swamp land granted to Col.Richard Richardson and conveyed to me by Isham Moore, that is to say,the part lying and being above Mr Thomas Rochis lowest corner of hisSwamp Land so across the swamp to the lower corner of a tract calledCameron's or McWillam's on the River, and then up gourdens toSinklers -- that part to be sold by my under mentioned Executors, andthe money arising from the sale to be applied to the discharging myjust Debts & if there should be over and above paying the debtsany over plys --- it is my Desire that it should be equally dividedBetween my four Daughters, that is to say, Nancey James Mary James,Elizabeth James & Clarissa James to them and their Heirs forever-- Also it is my Will and Desire, that at or near the time when myEstate is to be divided, that from the crops or otherwise, myExecutors hereafter mentioned, should out of my Estate purchase fiveNegroe girls about twelve or thirteen years of Age -- and thendispose of them as follows, viz. One to be given to my Sister AnnKingswood -- & to belong to her during her life, but at my SisterAnn's death, then it is my desire that the said Negrow girl &Increase if any should then belong to her Daughter Latisa Kingswoodto be to her and the Heirs of her Body forever -- Also one to begiven to my Sister Alice Terry and to belong to her during her life-- but at my Sister Alice's death, then the girl with Increase if anyto belong to her Daughter Mary Terry to her and the Heirs of her Bodyforever -- one Negroe girl to be given to my sister Mary McGirt,& to belong to her during her life -- But at my sister Mary'sdeath, then the girl with Increase if any to belong to her DaughtorElizabeth McGirt to her and the Heirs of her Body forever -- oneNegroe girl to be given to my Sister Martha Wright -- & to belongto her during her life, but at my sister Martha's death, if she hasany Child living, then the girl with Increase if any to belong to heroldest Child, to it and the Heirs of its body forever -- but if mysaid Sister Martha Should have no Child living then for the saidNegroe girl given to her -- then to belong to Elizabeth Wells theDaughter of my sister Ann Kingswood to her and the Heirs of her Bodyforever -- one Negroe girl to be given to my Sister Elizabeth Maples& to belong to her during her life -- but at the Death of mySister Elizabeth - then the girl with Increase if any to belong toher Daughter Alice Maples to her and the Heirs of her Body forever Ido also will and bequeath unto my Son Matthew James a certain Tractof Land containing two Hundred acres of land granted to SamuelWilliams -- also two Hundred acres of Swamp adjoining to the saidSamuel Williams tract, & is part of a Tract granted to Col.Richard Richardson lying between Mr. Thomas Rochis lower line in theSwamp and the upper Line of Angel Harden there to be laid out forhim, one tract of two Hundred acres granted to William Lynnard -- oneTract of one Hundred and fifty acres except a bit sold of it to Mr.Thomas Roche, granted to Francis James -- one tract of one hundredacres granted Henry Kerley, with another Piece of that swamp Tractgranted to Col. Richard Richardson that is to say, four Hundred Acresto be Laid out for him begining on the River near to the lower cornerof McWilliams old Field running on Eastwardly and then down the Rivermeasuring one Chain on the River and two Chain off til they make outthe four Hundred acres for him in along Square -- the said to be tohim and his Heirs forever -- I also will to my son Francis I. JamesExcept as above Excepted a certain Tract of Land containing EightHundred acres and Fifty acres granted to Angel Harden, one Tract ofone Hundred acres granted to David Williams to be to him and hisHeirs forever --
I do also will unto my four Daughters Nancey James, Mary James,Elizabeth James, and Clarissa James Except as above Excepted &mentioned all the remainder of my Real Estate in Lands, to be equallydivided between the four above mentioned Daughters to be to them andtheir heirs forever -- note that a two Hundred acre Tract of the saidLand intend for my Daughters, was granted to Matthew James but it ismeant that he is to make Titles to his Sisters as soon as he is ofage -- I also Will and Bequeath unto my Six Children that is to saymy two sons Matthew & Francis and four Daughters, Nancey, Mary,Elizabeth, and Clarissa Except as above Excepted all my PersonalEstate to be equally divided between my said sons and four daughtersto be them and their Heirs forever --- Also it is my desire that thewhole of my aboe mentioned estate might be kept together undivided& the Negroes all work together on the Land belonging to myEstate until my Son Matthew is twenty one years of age, if he shouldlive, and that a Division might take place agreeable to the abovewill --- Lastly I do will ordain & constitute Thomas Jones,William McConnico & Matthew James Executors of this my last willand Testament, (it is my Desire that Matthew James might act asexecutor when he is of age). In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy Hand and Seal this Seventh Day of December in the Year of our LordOne Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven.
Signed, Sealed, Published, and Declared. John James (SEAL)
in the presence of us
Patrick Brock

John Greening
his
Nathaniel X Bradford
mark

(Recorded in Will Book AA page 64)
(Recorded March 19, 1789)
William Humphrey Clerk of Court
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