State of South Carolina
Sumter District
I Robert English of the state of SouthCarolina and District aforesaid, Planter, being at this time in usualgood health of body and of perfect mind and memory, Blessed beAlmighty God for the same; but calling to mind my mortality andknowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die; do make thismy last will and testament asfollows.-------------------------
1st--- After my decease it is my will and desirethat all of my just debts be paid as soon as my Executorsconveniently can, keeping together all my property for this except asis herein after named.
2nd--- I give and bequeath unto my beloved wifeElizabeth during her natural life, and no longer, all that part ofthe Plantation whereon my mansion house now stands, it being all mylands and improvements lying on the west side of Shop Branchextending up the Sand Branch until it intersects with the Lands ofJared Laws.--------------------------------
3rd--- I also give and bequeath unto my wifeElizabeth the following negroes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Doctor, Betty, Emma, Case, Little Adam, JinyWilson and child Siller,
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ephraim, Amelia and child Harriet, Bob, Sally,Adeline, Old Ruth, Monday,
16 17 18 19 20
Doll, Milly and child Sally, Old Jinney, Nancy andtheir increase during her natural life and no longer.
4th--- It is my will and desire that my Old BlackSmith named Adam be left on the plantation on which my mansion housenow stands, to attend to the Mill and Smith work required for theplantation; It is also my desire that the Old Adam attend and do thesmith work on the plantation to be given to my grand sons, RobertKanton English and Robert James English, they and my wife sharing thefirm joint profits and expenses of the said mill and at the death ofmy wife it is my desire that the said man Adam attend to the mill andwork on the plantation of my said grand sons, Robert Kanton Englishand Robert James English.---------------------------
5th--- It is my will and desire that in the eventof my daughter Martha McFadden setting and residing on the tract ofland given her on Stoney Run, that she be placed on the same footingin relation to the mill as my wife and my two grand sons, survive herlife, above named.-----------------
6th--- I give also to my wife Elizabeth one othernegro man named Jacob.
7th--- It is my will and desire that at the deathof my wife Elizabeth that the following negroes hereby given her, maygo to my daughter Martha M. McFadden and the heirs of her body. Towit. Jacob, Milly and child Sally and theirincrease.---------------------
8th--- I give to my grand daughter Sarah J.McFadden one negro girl named Elsey and should my said grand daughterdie before she marries or arrives at the age of twenty-one then thesame negro Elsey and her increase to go to her surviving brothers andsisters.--------------------------
9th--- I give and bequeath to my wife Elizabethall of the Beds, Bedsteads and furniture, and my house and kitchenfurniture of every description that I may die possessed of, duringher natural life and no longer. It is also my wish and desire thatthe whole of the furniture above mentioned be allowed to remain inthe house for the use of my wife and not to be disposed of by her inany manner but to be kept for the purpose hereafternamed.------------
10th--- I give to my wife Elizabeth, her choice offour mules, also the second best wagon and gears on the/premises,also a yoke of my best oxen. Also one half of all the farmingutensils during her natural life.
Also I give to my wife her choice of ten cowsand calves, three, three year old steers, also her choice of foursows and pigs, also her choice of fifteen meat hogs and also one halfof the stock of sheep, during her natural life. I give also to mywife Elizabeth one third of all the provisions that may
Be on hand at the time of my decease, or at thetime of the division of myestate.-------------------------------------
11th--- It is my will and desire that the stockof horses, mules and cattle that maybe on the plantation at thedecease of my wife Elizabeth should go to my grand sons Robert K.English and Robert James English and the remaining perishableproperty (except negroes) that she may die in possession of, I willthat it should be sold and the proceeds equally divided amongst mychildren and the heirs of their body.-------------
12th--- I will and bequeath to my daughterMargaret E. Cooper the following Negroes at my decease, to wit negroman Essau and negro woman Rinah and at the death of my wifeElizabeth, the following negroes (to wit) Bob, Sally, Adeline, OldJinney and their increase, to her and the heirs of her body forever,in addition to the negroes given her at marriage.
13th--- I will and bequeath to my daughter JaneBrearly Five dollars,