Jones County Georgia Wills Benjamin Todd Sr, File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lin Todd-Cornelius Ragnell822@aol.com Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/jones.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Attached is a txt file containing the last will and testament of Benjamin Todd Sr, who died in Jones County in January of 1855. I typed this from LDS FHL microfilm of Jones County Wills myself and give you permission to post the same on the USGenWeb Jones County Archive site. Will Book: 1851-64 Benjamin Todd Senior State of Georgia Jones County I Benjamin Todd Senior of the County and State aforesaid being of sound and disposing mind and memory tho far advanced in years and knowing that sooner or later all must die, do hereby make and ______ this my last will and testament hereby revoking and setting aside all former wills that I may at any time have made. Item 1st. I give to my beloved wife Charity Todd during her natural life and after her death to be returned to my estate and equally divided among my children and their legal representatives one hundred one and a forth acres of land, being one half of lot number not known in the sixth district of formerly Baldwin but now Jones County, being the place where I now reside with all the improvements thereon. Also one negro woman named Harriett about twenty six or seven years of age and one negro girl named Louisa about thirteen years old and one negro fellow named Jess about fifty years old and two cows and calves, two sows and pigs, two beds and Bedstead and furniture one loom and gearing in as many of the bed clothes as she may wish, two spinning wheels, two ___ cards, three tables, half a dozen chairs and such other articles of household and kitchen furniture as may be necessary for comfortable housekeeping. Also one good horse with one years supply of bacon, lard, corn and fodder, flour or wheat and I also give in fee simple to her and her heirs all the property and effects that she brought to my house when I married her. It is also my wish that Richmond Buckner my son in law act as guardian for my said wife. Item 2nd. It is my wish that at the end of the year after my death all my property and effects consisting mainly of land and negroes not named and disposed of in the foregoing item of this will with any other effects that I may be possessed of be equally divided between all my children as follows, that is Mary Green and her children, Susan Buckner and her husband Richmond Buckner, Rebecca Vincent and her husband Thomas Vincent, Elizabeth Buckner and her husband Reason Buckner, John B. Todd's children and their mother to share equal in their part and Benjamin A. Todds children and mother also to share equal in their part to be divided among my said heirs in such manner as they may agree upon or if the lands cannot be satisfactorily divided to be sold by my Executors to be herein after named and the proceeds divided so as to make the shares equal in value. Item 3rd. I do hereby ordain Constitute and appoint my son-in-law Richmond Buckner my whole and sole Executor with full power and authority to carry into effect every part of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal, this the tenth of September 1853. Signed, Sealed and acknowledged in presence of J.A. Andrews Jonathan White Elisha A. Middlebrooks his Benjamin X Todd Sr. {L.S.} mark Georgia Jones County Court of Ordinary January Term 1855 In open Court personally came Elisha A. Middlebrooks, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he saw Benjamin Todd Senior Sign, publish and declare and deliver the foregoing instrument as his last will and testament that at the time of the execution of said instrument the said Benjamin Todd Senior the testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory, that the deponents together with J.A. Andrews and Jonathan White subscribed the same as witnesses at testators request, in his presence and in the presence of each other. Elisha A. Middlebrooks Sworn to and subscribed Before me this 8th day of January Charles Macarthy Dept Clk Court Ordinary Recorded January 10th 1855 Charles Macarthy Dept Clk Court Ordinary ============= Extracted record of the disbursment of the slaves belonging to the estate of Benjamin Todd Sr, who died in Jones County in January of 1855. I typed these from microfilm of Jones County Probate records myself and give you permission to post the same on the USGenWeb Jones County Archive site. Slaves Mentioned in the Appraisement of the Estate of Benjamin Todd Sr and Their Distribution In February of 1855 the heirs of Benjamin Todd Sr. petitioned the court of Jones County to disburse the perishables of the estate before the final settlement. To divide the slaves of the Todd estate equally among the six groups of legetees, the court appointed appraisers to evaluate them and apportion them in more or less equal lots. The descriptions and assessed value of each individual can be used as a guide to help determine the age of each of these people. Individual Description Estimated Value Distributed to: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe man $800 Richmond Buckner & Wife John boy $250 Mariah girl $350 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lucy woman $850 Mary Green & Edwin Green of Giles boy $300 Houston Co, A.J.Pound & A. Berry boy $150 W. Folds of Dooly Co, and Wm. Donnan of Jones Co ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kiss & child woman $800 Thomas Vincent & Wife Clary girl $350 of Jasper and Jones Cos ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sealy girl 850 Reason Buckner & Wife of Ben an old man $150 Sumter Co. Jim boy $150 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose & child woman $550 Widow & children of John B\ Martha woman $600 Todd, of Jones, Monroe and Putnam Cos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mary woman $850 Widow & children of Rhoda girl $500 Benjamin A. Todd, of Putnam Co. In addition, three slaves were mentioned by name in Benjamin Todd's will and left to his widow, Charity Kilby Todd (later Harrup) of Jones County: Harriett, a "woman about 26 or 27" Louisa, "13" Jess, a "man about 50" Another slave is mentioned in the estate records: "Voucher No 7 Received of Richmond Buckner Executor on the Estate of Benjamin Todd late of Jones County dec; One hundred dollars in full payment for the Maintainance, clothing and support of a negro man name Dick, about eighty years old for and during the natural life of said negro, which said negro was held up to the lowest bidder and knocked off to John M. Todd of said County. This the 10th day of February 1855 John M. Todd (sig) Test, Benjamin A. Buckner" ======================== 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. 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