Will of Stephen Chatham 08 Apr 1825 Franklin County, GA Georgia } In the name of God Amen. Franklin County } I Stephen Chatham of the County & State aforesaid being week in Body but of perfect Mind & Memory Calling into Mind the Mortality of my Body & knowing that it is appointed for all Men Once to die, Do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament, That is to say principally & first of all, I give & recommend my Soul in to the hands of Almighty God that gave it, & my body to the Earth to be Buried in decent Christian Burial at the discrestion of My Executors: nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mighty power of God, and as touching such Wordly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this Life; I Give & dispose of the Same in the following manner To Wit, First my will is that all my just debts be paid out of my Estate. Second I Give & Bequeath to my beloved Daughter Hephzibah Chatham to be Received at Her Mariage a Good Horse Saddle & Bridle Feather Bed & Furniture One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Thirdly I give & Bequeath to my beloved Daughter Bernecy Green Chatham to be received at Her Mariage a Good Horse Saddle & Bridle Feather Bed & Furniture, One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Fourthly I give & bequeath to my beloved Son Jephthah Chatham to be Received when he arrives at the age of Twenty One Years A Good Horse Saddle a Bridle Feather Bed & Furniture One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Fifthly I give & Bequeath to my beloved Daughter Sarah Johnston Chatham to be received at her Mariage a Good Horse Bridle & Saddle Feather Bed & Furniture One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Sixthly I give & Bequeath to my beloved Son Elijah Jackson Chatham to be received at his arriving at the Age of Twenty One Years A Good Horse Saddle & Bridle Feather Bed & Furniture One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Seventhly I give & Bequeath to my beloved Son Elisha Monroe Chatham to be received at his arriving at the Age of Twenty one Years, A Good Horse Saddle & Bridle Feather Bed and Furniture One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Eightly I give & bequeath to my beloved Son Levi Chatham to be received at his arriving at the Age of Twenty one Years, A Good Horse Saddle & Bridle Feather Bed and Furniture One Cow & Calf & Sow & Pigs. Ninthly my Will and desires that my Negro property be kept together on the land Until my Youngest Son arrives at Age, then & in that Case I wish and Equal division among all my Children of what may then remain of my property both Real & Personal. Tenthly my Wish & Desires is Should Seem Expedient that my Executors Sell my Land & buy another Tract at their own optation So that the Estate may be benefited thereby. Eleventhly I do hereby nominate & appoint my three Brothers Chafer Chatham William Chatham & James Chatham my whole & Sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament hereby Ratifying & Confirming This & no other to be my last will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this Eighth day of April Eighteen Hundred & Twenty Five in presence of us. Stephen Chatham Maxfield H. Payne Thomas Payne Grover Yarbrough Isaias Harbour ==================================================================== 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. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Beth Collins ====================================================================