Columbia County: Wills, Thomas Bowdre, 1 August 1846 ======================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Pauleta Hicks pauleta@comanchetx.com ======================================================================= State of Georgia} Columbia County} In the name of God Amen! I, Thomas Bowdre, of the County of Columbia and state aforesaid, being of feeble health but of sound mind and disposing memory, and desiring to make such disposition of the property which God has blessed me with in the life while I have time and opportunity of doing so, do make and ordain this my last Will and testament in manner and form following to wit: First. I desire my Executor hereinafter named to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses as soon as the same can conveniently be done after my death. Secondly. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Ephatha Bowdre, all of my household and kitchen furniture, plantation tools, implements of husbandry, stock of all kinds and every manner of perishable property that I may die possessed of, together with the following negro slaves to wit: Berry, Anderson, Anthony, Abrahm, Amos, John, Dave, Gustus, Isaac, Henry, Hannah, Chany, Cad, Nelly, Polly, Adaline, Ginny and her six children; and Eliza and Caroline with the issue and increase of the female slaves, together with the plantation buildings and improvements whereon I now live and also an equal interest with my son, Benjamin T. Bowdre, in that tract of land and plantation which I own on Little River in the County of Wilkes (my son, Thomas E. Bowdre to have apportioned off to him of said tract of land eight hundred acres to be worked by the aforesaid slaves under the care and direction of my son, Benjamin, for the use, support and benefit of my said wife during her natural life. I further give and bequeath unto my beloved wife fifty shares of the Capital Stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking Company, the dividends to be appropriated and applied to her use and benefit during her natural life. Thirdly. I give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin T. Bowdre in common with my wife (after eight hundred acres shall have been divided off to my son Thomas E. Bowdre, the whole of the balance of my tract of land and plantation on Little River in the County of Wilkes, and on the death of my wife the life estate to vest in fee simple in my son Benjamin together with all the stock , crop onhand or growing, plantation tools, implements of husbandry and all the perishable property of every description that may be remaining on said plantation I further give and bequeath to my son Benjamin twenty shares of the capital stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking Company and the following negro slaves which he already has in possession namely, Daniel, Stiles, Harry, Peter, Bob, Wash, Lucy and her two children, Rosella and her two children, Martha and her three children and Janny and Rebecca and on the death of my wife I give and bequeath unto said son Benjamin one third of the negro slaves and their increase which I have given to my wife during her natural life, also one third of fifty shares of fifty shares of the capitol stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking company stock. Fourthly. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas E. Bowdre eight hundred acres of land to be divided off from the tract and plantation on Little River in the County of Wilkes, the balance of which tract of land I have devised to my son Benjamin and my wife during her life. Together with the following negroe slaves which he already has in his possession namely, Coleman, Mat, Harry, Levy, Kinch, Jerry, Lavina and her three children, Julian and her child and maria, Sophia, Matecold and Emily with the increase of the females. I also give to my said son Thomas after the death of my wife one third of the negro slaves and their increase which I have devised to my wife during her life. Fifthly. I give and bequeath unto my son Albert J.R. Bowdre in trust for the sole and separate use and benefit of my daughter, Sarah J. Grimes, wife of Sterling F. Grimes and the heirs of her body now in life, or that may hereafter be born of her body free and sacred from the contracts, debts and liabilities now existing or that may be hereafter created by her present or any future husband, the one half of my plantation situated in the Count of Russell and State of Alabama and one half of the following negro slaves now on said plantation to wit, Peter, Aaron, Windsor, Frank, Armistead, Abram, Ludiemen, Dick, Ralph, Hamp, Bill, Cesar, Charles, Milley and her three children, Hannah and her four children, Annette, Cate and her two children, Eliza and her five children, Ritta and her two children, Fanny and her three children and Louisa with the issue and increase of the female slaves at the death of my wife I devise and bequeath in trust as aforesaid the yellow girl Chat named in the bequest to my wife; said girl Chat to be selected from the lot before the remainder are divided as hereintofore set forth. I further give unto my said son upon the trusts and conditions before related and for the uses and purposes above mentioned twenty shares of the Capital Stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking Company and at the termination of the life estate of my wife I further devise in trust as aforesaid one third of fifty shares of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking Company stock to the use of my said daughter, Sarah J. and the heirs of her body forever. Sixthly. I give and bequeath unto my son Albert J.R. Bowdre the one half of my plantation situated in Russell County in the state of Alabama and one half of the negro slaves now on said plantation to wit Peter, Aaron,. Windsor, Frank, Armstead, Abram, Ludimen, Dick, Ralph, Hamp, Bill, Cesar, Charles, Milley and her three children, Hannah and her four children, Annette, Cate and her two children, Eliza and her four children, Ritta and her two children, Fanny and her three children and Louisa with the future issue and increase of the female slaves. I also give and bequeath unto my said son, Albert, twenty shares of the Capital stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking company; and at the death of my wife I bequeath to my said son, one third of fifty shares of the capital stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking Company and one third of the negro slaves and their increase bequeathed to my wife during her life. Seventhly. I give and bequeath unto James F. Hamilton and my two grand children, Thomas Hamilton and Martha Emily Hamilton ten shares of the capital stock of the Georgia Rail Road and Banking Company which with the advances that I have heretofore made to Mr. Hamilton I consider in full of a distributive share of my estate. Eighthly. Should my wife desire to remove from our present residence I fully authorize and empower my executor to sell and dispose of the same at such time and upon such terms as he may deem advisable or he may retain the same for his own use and benefit after the death of my wife. Ninthly. I have heretofore endorsed a note for my son, Thomas E. Bowdre payable to Thomas N. Hamilton order for Two Thousand dollars. Which note I require to be satisfied and discharged out of the proceeds of the bank stock which I have bequeathed to my sons Benjamin T. and Albert J.R. Bowdre and my daughter Sarah J. Grimes or otherwise satisfied before my executor transfer to them said bank stock. Lastly. I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my son Benjamin T. Bowdre the sole executor of this my last will and testament with full powers to carry the same into effect. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this first day of August Eighteen hundred and forty six. THOMAS BOWDRE Signed sealed published and declared by the testators as his last will and testament in the presence of us: Thos. Wynne Jr. John C. Smith Gabriel Jones Georgia} Columbia County} John C. Smith and Thomas Wynne Jr, two of the subscribing witnesses to the within and fore-going instrument after being duly sworn upon the holy Evangelists depose and say that they were personally present and saw the testator Thomas Bowdre in life sign, seal and pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament that the testator was of sound mind and disposing memory at the doing thereof and that they together with Gabriel Jones signed the same as witnesses all done in the presence of each other. John C. Smith Thos. Wynne Jr. Sworn to in open court this 15th September 1846. H.W. Massengale J.I.C.