In the name of God, Amen I Asbery Sylvester,planter, in Sumter District, South Carolina, being afflicted in body,but sound and unimpaired in mind, do make and ordain this my lastWill and Testament. My immortal soul I commit and resign into thehands of my merciful Creator and Redeemer. My mortal body I wish tobe decently buried without parade and unecefsary expense. Theproperty with which it has pleased God to blefs me, I desire to bedistributed in the following manner viz: In the first place, it is mywill and desire that all my just debts should be paid, and, that theprofits of the present crop should be applied to this purpose,reserving a great plenty of provision and other necefsaries for myfamily on the plantation.
Item, In addition to the two negroes, Molly andPeter, the bed and furniture with a little stock of sheep, cattle andhogs which I gave my daughter Sarah, wife of Col John Moore, at hermarriage, I now give and bequeath her a young negro woman, namedClarifsa, with her two children, called Jacob and Sambo, also ahandsome mare, called Robinet--
Item-By this my Last will I give and bequeath mySon Joseph Sylvester, a tract of land containing two hundred andninety Acres, being part of the tract of land on which I live, whichtract was originally granted to and surveyed for Mr. Daniel McDaniel,and resurveyed and divided by Mr. Roger Dunn. To my said son Joseph,in addition to the two negroes Tony and Cate, a bed and furniturewith a small stock of cattle, which I gave him at his marriage, I nowgive him a negro woman named Fanny, with her two children, calledHetty and Lucy and a negro boy called King.
Item-I give and bequeath my son, James Sylvester,a tract of land containing one hundred acres, lying on upper Raftingcreek, joining the lands of Mefs.rs William Wright and Wm SandersSenior, and another tract of land containing one hundred acres, takenoff a tract of land on which Mr. Robert Sanders now lives lying onthe Wateree river. I also give my son James six negroes, viz. a womancalled Hannah, another called Betty with her son January: a fellowcalled Bob, a boy called Robin and another called Taffy; likewise Igive him a horse called Dolfhin and a bed and furniture. These saidsix negroes I wish to remain on my plantation until another crop ismade on it The horse, bed and furniture he may have when hepleases
Item. It is my desire and will that my belovedWife Martha should have a negro girl called Darky and three othernegroes such as my Executors may think will suit her best as long asshe lives and at her death that these said negroes with thierincrease, shall revert to my four youngest children, viz; Mansor,Demarcus, John and Mary and their heirs to be equally divided amongthem; it is also my desire that my beloved wife Martha should havethe use of all my buildings and forty acres of land where thebuildings stand as long as she lives, and that these buildings withsaid land should they be valued by my Executors and equally dividedamong my four youngest children, Mansor, Demarcus, John and Mary.
Item. It is my will that the four negroes given tomy beloved wife during her life with the remaining negroes notmentioned, should, be kept on the plantation with my horses, cattle,hogs, sheep, tools, riding chair and household furniture, by myExecutors and that crops should be made for the support of my wifeand four youngest children above mentioned.
Item-As my four youngest children, Mansor,Demarcus, John and Mary each comes of age or is married, it is mydesire that each of them should have an equal part of all theproperty on my plantation, except the four above
mentioned negroes, the horses and forty acres ofland given to my wife till her death and which I wish to continueundivided till that time.
Item. It is my desire that my fore mentionedyoungest children, Mansor, Demarcus, John and Mary should have agood, useful education and that my Executors should act as Fathers tothem and their Mother.
Item. It is my desire that the Mother of my wife,Mrs. Watking should live with her daughter and be supported on myplantation as long as my wife lives.
Lastly. I appoint my sons Joseph Sylvester andJames Sylvester, executors of this my last will and Testament, hopingand believing that they will act in every thing agreeably to thisdying request of their affectionate Father. Witnefs my hand and sealthis twenty second day of November in the year of our Lord onethousand eight hundred and seven.
his
Asbury x Sylvester (SEAL)
mark
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presenceof
James Gibson
James Barnes
his
Andrew x Rembert
mark
Recorded in Will Book A page 64
Recorded May 13th 1808
William Taylor ordy
Bundle 89 Pkge 3