WILL
OF JOHN M. TILLMAN
I, JOHN M. TILLMAN of All Saints Parish in the State
aforesaid, planter do make & ordain my last Will and Testament in
manner & form following, that is to say,
I first direct all my just debts to be paid, my Negroes to be
fed and clothed with proper clothing at the discretion of my executors.
Item 1st, I lend to my nephew JOHN THOMAS JOHNSON,
son of my sister HARRIET, during his natural life but no longer, the use
of the property viz, my Negroes JULIUS & his wife DOLLY
& their children, viz MURPHY, LIZETTE, LEWIS, SARAH, WILLIS,
NANCY & also CAESAR & MARY his wife with their children viz,
DIANAH, ISAAC, CAROLINE, JEREMIAH & ROBERT, with the plantation and
all the lands whereon I now live containing about three thousand acres,
with one half of my stock of hogs, cattle & sheep I may be possessed
of, all my plantation tools and my old woman PATIENCE, and at the death
of the said J.T. JOHNSON to be equally divided among his lawful children
that may survive him.
Item 2nd, to my brother B.A. TILLMAN, I lend the
use of the following property during his natural life but no longer viz,
my Negroes RODERICK and his wife JENNY with their children JIM, BELL,
TAZERVELL, SARAH, NANCY, MINERVA, LITTLE RODERICK, JENNY & my man
CHARLEY with one half of the hogs, cattle & sheep I may die
possessed of, also two mules with all the notes and accounts I may hold
against him at my death, the said B.A. TILLMAN to have the use of the
above property during his natural life but no longer, and at his death
to go to his son MAYHAM WARD TILLMAN.
Item 3rd, To my sister ELIZA SINGLETON, I lend the
use of the following during her natural life but no longer the following
Negroes, viz, PETER & his wife PASSIE with their children MOSES, JOE
& BELLA, MESEDA, ADAM, LYDIA & BEBETSEY, also five hundred in
cash to be paid her out of my estate in one year after my death, my said
sister to have the use of said property during her natural life but no
longer, and at her death to be equally divided among her surviving
children except JOHN P. SINGLETON.
Item 4th, To my sister AGNES SINGLETON, I lend the
use of the following property during her natural life but no longer, viz,
my Negro man TOM and RETTA his wife & their children FRANK &
GEORGE, my said sister to have the use of the said Negroes during her
natural life but no longer, and at her death to be equally divided among
her children that may survive her.
Item 5th, To my nephew JOHN P. SINGLETON, I lend
during his natural life but no longer, viz, my man SMART & his wife
NANNETTE & their children THOMAS, JANE & ESTHER,, during his
natural life but no longer, and at his death to be equally divided among
his lawful surviving children.
Item 6th, JOHN T. GREEN, I give & bequeath
five hundred dollars to him & his heirs forever to be paid one year
after my death.
Item 7th, To my nephew SILVIUS F.GREEN lend the
use of my Negro man MARCUS during his natural life but no longer and at
his death to be equally divided among his lawful children.
Item 8th, To my nephew ROBERT P. GREEN, I lend the
use of my Negro man BEN during his natural life & no longer and at
his death to be equally divided among his lawfully (sic).
Item 9th, To my nephew PLOWDEN GREEN, I lend the
use of my Negro man SAM during his natural life but no longer and at his
death to be equally divided (among) his lawful children.
Item 10th, To my neice MARY WILLSON, daughter of
my sister MARY GREEN, I give and bequeath one thousand dollars to be
paid her one year after my death to her and her heirs forever.
Item 11th, To my nephew ALBERT SINGLETON, I lend
the use of the following Negroes viz, AMELIA, MITCHELL, MARY ANN, NELLY
& BECKY during his natural life but no longer and at his death to be
equally divided among his lawful children share & share alike
Item 12th, To my esteemed friend JOHN D. MAGILL, I
give unto him these Negroes named LIZETTE,
MARTHA & give also a note of one thousand dollars including interest
thereon and my gray horse Hunter to him and his heirs forever.
Item 13th, I hereby declare it to be my will &
desire that no part of the legacies named in this will which is entailed
in _____, shall be subject to the debts or contracts of my _____legatees
who shall take at my death & legacies of my sisters shall not be
subject to the debts or contracts of the present or my (sic) husband.
Signed:
JOHN M. TILLMAN
Signed, sealed & declared by the testator in our presence
and in the presence of each other to be his last Will & Testament
who at his request & in the presence of each other, subscribed our
names as witnesses thereto.
Signed:
JOSEPH STALVEY
BENTLEY S. STALVEY
DUFF G. STALVEY
Note: there is no date on this will
State of S.C. Horry District
Personally appeared before me JOSEPH STALVEY and BENTLEY S.
STALVEY who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God doth
make oath and say that they saw JOHN M. TILLMAN sign seal publish and
declare this within writing to be and contain his last Will and
Testament and that the said JOHN M. TILLMAN was then of sound and
disposing mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge
and belief of the deponents and that they with DUFF G. STALVEY did sign
their names as witnesses thereto at the request of the testator and in
his presence and in the presence of each other.
The deponents further say that the existing said will was made
and done subsequent to the year 1854.
Signed: JOSEPH
STALVEY, BENTLEY S. STALVEY
Sworn to before me 21 Feb. 1866 – JOS. T. HANDLE
O.H.D.
B.A. TILLMAN qualified as administrator cum testaments
annexed. 16 March 1866 and Letters of Administration granted same day.
