Subject: Will of James Stanley, Laurens CO. GA Submitted to the archives by Scott Warren Transcribed by Susan Coker ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Will of James Stanley b. January 23, 1771, Jones Co., NC d. April 14, 1841 Laurens Co., GA Buried Stanley Family Cemetery, Laurens Co. (provided by: Suzanne Coker Will of James Stanley IN THE NAME OF GOD. AMEN. I, James Stanley of the county of Laurens and state of Georgia, being weak of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make publish and declare this to be my last will and testament in manner following; I commit my soul to God who gave it, and direct that my body be decently interred at the direction of mr Executors; as to my worldly goods and estate I dispose of them in the manner herein after expressed. First. My will and desire is that out of my interest in the firm of the store, my executors raise sufficient sum to pay all my just debts, and for the re-bulding of my mill, which I desire my executors to do as soon as convenient; and for this purpose, as well as for every other necessary to carry this my will into effect, I give them full and complete power over my estate, without the necessity of any order of the court of Ordinary for that purpose. Secondly. I give and bequeath unto my wife Leah Stanley, for her lifetime or widowhood my house and lands adjoining (as designated in deeds to my sons) together with the household and kitchen furniture, and what silver and gold I have on hand, and all the negroes on the premises, all the stock of all kinds, unless there should be in the opinion of my wife and my executors more stock than expedient at any time so as to be wasteing them; my executors to take the same and divide it by sale or otherwise equally between my wife and three sons. Thirdly. I give and bequeath unto my son Hardy B. Stanley, his heirs and assigns, the following negroes viz; Silas, Sam, Rose and Franky, and their increase, all of which he has already in his possession; also (after the death or widowhood of my wife) little Isaac and Martha, Amos and Tom and their increase, to him and his heirs forever. Fourthly. I give and bequeath to my son Ira Stanley, his heirs and assigns, the following negroes viz; Toney, Tempy, Jesse and Grace and their increase , all of which he has already in his possession; also (after the death or widowhood of my wife) Wallis, Letha, old Isaac and Jerry and their increase, to him and his heirs forever. Fifthly. I give and bequeath unto my son James R. Stanley, his heirs and assigns, the following negroes viz; Ned, Ginny, Lewis and Betsy and their increase, all of which he has already in his possession; also (after the death or widowhood of my wife) Jim, Mary, Sprig and Mollie and their increase, to him and his heirs forever. Furthermore if there should be a surplus of my interest in the firm of the store over and above the amount necessary for the purpose specified in the First Item, then at the close of the business, the same to be equally divided between my three sons. Sixthly. My will and desire is that as to all the rest, residue and remainder of my stock and effects of what kind and nature soever, including Lilly (a negro woman) and my mill and inundated land attached thereto, that after the death or widowhood of my wife, the same equally divided between my three sons, for them and their heirs forever. Lastly. I constitute and appoint my sons Ira Stanley and James R. Stanley ann my friend James H. Loftin, Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all and every other will or wills I may have heretofore made. In Witness Thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty second day of March eighteen hundred and forty one. James Stanley, Senr. (Seal) Signed, sealed, published and declared by the testator to be his last will and testament, and subscribed by us witnesses in his presence and in the presence of each other. Jordan Baker, S. B. Walder, James H. Loftin. _____________________________________ Georgia, Laurens County. Personally appeared before us in open court James H. Loftin and S. B. Walder, and after being duly sworn deposeth and sith that they saw James Stanley, Sen., sign this as his last will and testament, and that they signed the same as witnesses themselves and saw Jordan Baker do so likewise. Sworn to and subscribed before us this the 5th S. B. Walder day of July 1841. Jas. H. Loftin J. H Yopp John T. Wright J. I. C. E. J. Blackshear J. I. C. Robert Robinson J. I. C. Francis Thomas, Clerk. Georgia, Laurens County. Inferior Court sitting for Ordinary purposes. January, 3, 1842. The last will and testament of James Stanley, Sen., was produced in open court, and James R. Stanley, Ira Stanley and James H. Loftin, the Executors named in said will, appeared and were duly sworn as Executors to the said will. John T. Wright, J. I. C. B. W. Hampton, I. J. C. E. J. Blackshear, I. J. C. [Recorded in Book of Wills #2, pages 5, 6, 7, & 8]