Will
of Margaret Sims
In the name of God Amen I Margaret Sims of the
State of South Carolina and Sumter District calling to Mind the Mortality of
the Body and the immortality of the Soul do hereby make and ordain this to be
my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and disannulling all and every other
will made by me or for my use---
First I commit my Soul to god from whom I received
it and my Body to be buried in Christian like manner at the discrefsion of my
Executors to be hereafter named---
Secondly I will and bequeath to the Children of my
friends Doc.r John Boyd the Children of my friend William Sims and William
Reynolds son of George Reynolds one half of my Negroes to be divided in the
following manner. Viz William Sims Boyd is first to select one Negro then
William Sims Reynolds is to select one Negro after which the remainder of them
is to be equally divided one half to the Children of William Sims and the other
half to the Children of Doc.r John Boyd share and share alike-
Thirdly I will and bequeath to my friend Mary
Bradley three hundred Dollars to be paid out of my Estate for her Many acts of
kindnefs and fifty Dollars to be paid her for her Sister Elizabeth.
Fourthly I will and bequeath to the Children of my
three deceased Sister Agnes McDonald Elizabeth Gray and Mary Butler formerly
Mary Cooper the remaining half of my Negroes subject to the above Legacies and
on the following conditions that Wm. Sims and Doc.r John Boyd have the liberty
of paying the legacies above mentioned deducting that amount and then paying a
fair and equitable price for the Negroes above willed to the Children of my
deceased Sisters including the price of the Legacies paid by them
Fifthly. It is my will and desire that the negroes
to be divided betwixt William Sims and Doct John Boyd shall have the liberty of
going with the Children of my deceased Sisters or with Wm. Sims and Doc.r John Boyd as far as is consistent with
strict justice betwixt the parties
interested ‑
It is my will and I hereby desire my Executors to
pay all of my just debts also a debt due A Barnes or his Heirs which debt was
contracted by my deceased Son and also that the settlement made betwixt Doct.
John Boyd and my self on the second day of April 1825 in the hand writing of
Jeptha Dyson be considered valid to that time and his subsequent accounts since
then-
It is my will and desire that my Beds Bed Clothes
furniture Trunks and Cloathing shall not be considered as framing any part of
this will but to taken and received by the person or persons to whom I shall
hereafter verbally give them ‑
Lastly I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my
friends William Sims John Boyd & Richard I. Manning Executors of this my
last Will and Testament in testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed my seal this 20th October one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight.
Margaret Sims (SEAL)
F. Belser
John Barrett
James W. Sherriff
Recorded Will Book D‑l, Page 233
Recorded February 25th, 1831
William Potts, Ordy. S.D.
Bundle 106, Package 6