Jasper COUNTY GA Will - Joel A. Reeves File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Beulah McCain GrannyMc@aol.com http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jasper/wills/reeves.txt THE WILL of JOEL A. REEVES ----------- Georgia Jasper County In the name of God Amen, I, Joel A. Reeves of said county and state being of advanced age, and knowing that I must shortly depart from this world, admit (?) right and proper both as respects myself and family. That I should make a disposition of the property with which a kind providence has blessed me. I therefore make and ordain this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and annuling all others hertofore made by me. Item- 1st - I desire that my body be buried in a decent and christian like manner suitable to my circumstances and conditions, my soul I trust shall return to rest with God who gave it, as I hope for eternal salvation through the blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Item - 2 - I desire and direct that all of my just debts be paid with out delay by my Executors herein after named, as I am unwilling my creditors shall be delayed of rights especially as there is no necessity for delay. Item - 3 - I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Nancy Reeves (with whom I have lived many years in comfortable union ) during her natural life, the following property (viz) all the land on which I now live, ( except the mill lot) consisting of four hundred acres more or less, also the following named slaves, Austin, ( a man), Ellick ( a man ), Rachael, ( a woman), and Patience A woman) also sufficiency of stock, such as horses , cows, hogs, sheep etc. and provisions of every description to support her family, also all the household and kitchen furniture and a sufficiency of Plantation tools of every description and what ever else may be thought necessary for her comfort and convenience by my executors, to hold and use said property during her natural life and at her death , to be disposed of as herein after directed. Item - 4 - I direct that if there should be any monies in my possession at my death or if there should be more perishable property than will conduce to the comfort of my wife that it be sold by my executors and the money arising therefore, together with any ready money on hand or any debt due me, be loaned and kept as a fund for the support of my wife should she need it during her life. Item - 5 - To my eldest daughters Mary M? Hurd and Jane B. Heard - I think I have given a sufficiency hither to , and now leave them one dollar each to show that I did not forget them in this testament. Item - 6 - To my daughter Elizabeth J. Jeffries, wife of Burkett M. Jeffries, I give an equal share of my property left to my wife Nancy Reeves, except the land said property to be sold after the death of my wife and divided as herein after directed and the part given to my daughter Elizabeth J. Jeffries to belong to her and her children that survive at her death. Item - 7 - I give to my son Joseph Reeves, two negro slaves (viz) Joshua ( a boy ) and Moses ( a boy ) also one bed and furniture and one half of the land will to my wife during her natural life said land to be his after the death of my wife. Item - 8 - I give to my daughter Martha C. Reeves and her children that survive at her death, one negro slave (viz.) Ann ( a girl) also a horse bridle and saddle, bed and furniture. Cow and calf and I direct that until she marries she be permitted to remain on the plantation with my wife and be boarded on the proceed of the property given to my wife. Item - 9 - I give to my son Pleasant W. Reeves two slaves (viz) Jordan ( a boy) and Dannie (a boy) also a horse bridle and saddle cow and calf. one bed and furniture also one half of the land on which I live after the death of my wife, said land to be divided equally between my sons Pleasant W. Reeves and Joseph Reeves, by three disinterested men provided they cannot themselves agree upon division , this tract includes all the land where I now live except the mill lot. I also direct that Pleasant W. Reeves be? ( I did not realize that the last line failed to copy until after I had left the court house -- it was the last line on the page.) the plantation with his mother and be boarded and educated from the proceeds of the property given to my wife and the labor of the slaves given to him until he shall be twenty one years of age. Item -10 - I give to my Grandson Joel Reeves eldest son of John W. S. Reeves one negro slave (viz) Pinckng ( a boy) also the mill lot of land containing thirty acres more or less, also the mill and all the appertenances thereof. Item -11 - I desire and that my three grandchildren Thomas Reeves, John Reeves, Cinthia Reeves the children of my daughter Sarah P. Reeves be supported and educated about as my own children have been out of the proceeds of the property given to my wife until the youngest becomes of age, ( if my wife should live until that time.) and at the division as herein after directed; to receive the share their mother would have received had she been in life, the above support to be given provided they remain on the plantation with my wife. Item - 12- I desire and direct that all the property given to my wife during her natural life as described in item third ( except the land) and all the increase thereof at her death be sold and equally divided between Elizabeth J. Jeffries, James M. Reeves, Nancy S. Terrell, John W. S. Reeves, Joseph Reeves, Martha C. Reeves, Pleasant W. Reeves, and my three grandchildren - Thomas, John, and Cinthia Reeves; children of my daughter Sarah P. Reeves, drawing one share on the part their mother would have drawn had she been in life. Item - 13 - I give to my daughter Cinthia L. Ozburn wife of Matthew Osburn five dollars in money to be paid as soon after my decease as possible. Item - 14 - I hereby appoint my two sons James M. Reeves and Joseph Reeves and my friend and kinsman Leroy M. Wilson, Executors on this my last will and Testament giving them discretionary power in any matter, that will not violate the intention of the foregoing Testament. In witness whereof I, Joel, Avory, Reeves have hereunto set my hand and seal the 23rd day of May 1845. Joel A. Reeves Signed sealed delivered and published by Joel A. Reeves as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers who subscribe our names herunto in the presence of said testor and each other May 23rd 1845 Nat. (?) Whitfield George I. Wiley Wm. A. Whitfield Mark L. Newton ________________________________________________________________ Joel A. Reeves - it was written as Avory as well as I could make out but it might have been spelled as it sounded and should be Avery as we would probably spell it today. The will reads John W. S. Reeves and I have not changed it as it could have been an L with the script the way it was. In the 1811 land document I found that Reeves was spelled two different in the same document, Reaves and Reeves. I do feel that who ever was writing it just spelled names as they were sounded. _________________________________________________________________ ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============