WILL OF THOMAS WATIES
State of South Carolina
The last will of Thomas Waties of the said State.
I give to my dear wife all my household furniture, plates, carriages, and carriage horses. After all my just debts are paid, I give and devise the residue of my estate, real and personal, to my said wife, and to my children-- Anna, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Thomas, Catherine, William, Mary, Julius, and my grandson, Thomas Waties, their heirs and assigns, to be divided among them in equal shares; but it is my will that my daughters Charlotte and Catherine and my grandson, Thomas Waties, do take, during the life of my said wife only one half of the respective share which shall to allotted to them, and that their remaining half share be added to the share to be allotted to my said wife, to be held by her during her life, and after her death, to revert respectively to my said daughters, Charlotte and Catherine, and my said grandson, Thomas Waties, or to such child or children of each of them respectively as may be then living.
I also give and devise to my said wife and my three daughters, Anna, Elizabeth and Mary, and the survivors or survivor of them, during life, the use of my family seat called Marden, and the land belonging to it, provided that if either of my said daughters shall marry her interest in the same shall cease, and enure to those who remain single.
As this distribution of a small estate is necessary to enable me to provide a competent support for my wife, and a home for her and my unmarried daughters, I trust that my dear Charlotte and Catherine, who have been more favored in their circumstances, will view it as a proper measure, and believe notwithstanding that they share equally with my other children in my warmest affection.
It is further my will that the negroes given by me heretofore in advance to any of my children shall, with their increase since, be taken and considered as part of their respective shares of my estate on the division thereof. And as I have made larger advances for the education of my son, Julius, than for any other of my children, I think it due to them, and it is my will, that one half of my note for One thousand dollars to my friend, John Julius Pringle, which he has assigned to me for the benefit of my said son, shall with the interest on such half be deducted from his share of my estate on account of the said advancement.
I constitute and appoint my wife, Executrix, and my sons, Thomas and William, and my son-in-law, Orlando S Rees, Executors of this my will; and I authorize them to sell any part of my lands and negroes before a division thereof, except Marden [unless my wife and daughters to whom it is devised for life shall desire the sale thereof], either for the payment of debts, or for any other purpose which may appear to my wife and children to be beneficial to them. In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight.
Signed, Sealed, and declared
to be the last will of Thomas
Waties in the presence of us Tho. Waties [Seal]
whose names are subscribed:
Mary Ann Converse
Mary Lisk
Augustus L. Converse
Recorded Will Book D-1, Page 182
Recorded Sept 22nd, 1828
William Potts, Ordy, SD
Bundle 104 – Package 13