Pike County Georgia Will Robert M. Steger File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Phil McGinty MCGINTYPJ@aol.com Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/pike.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm The Will of Robert M. Steger Transcribed by Phil McGinty on February 2, 2002 (State of Georgia Archives, Drawer 167, Box 45, Will Book C, pp. 373-375) Georgia, Pike County February the 25th 1861 In the name of God, Amen. I, Robert M. Steger, of the County and State aforesaid, being of an advanced age but being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and knowing that I must in a few more years depart this life, I therefore make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me heretofore made. 1st - I desire that after my death my body be buried in a decent but plain Christian-like manner and that all my just debts be paid by my executor soon as advisable. 2nd - I have heretofore given to my grand daughter, Mary R., formerly Mary Steger now Mary Ruffin Kelly, three hundred dollars in money and I desire and direct that my Executors pay to the said Mary one hundred dollars more after the death of my wife, Lucy W. Steger, which one hundred dollars I bequeath to the said Mary and her children free and exempt from the controls, contracts, and liabilities of present or any future husband. 3rd - I desire that Thomas Hartsfield and James Hartsfield, my two grandchildren come in the place of their deceased mother and have one hundred dollars each of them apiece in money as their part of my estate. 4th - I have heretofore given to my two grandchildren, James J. Hudson and Cornelia Hudson, the children of Stephen and Sarah Hudson (their deceased mother), this amount of property which will show - and mentioned in a deed of gift made by me to them and recorded in the office of the Superior Court of Pike County, Georgia, Henry Caldwell was clerk - also one hundred dollars apiece at the division. 5th - I have heretofore loaned Harriet Steger, the wife of my son Samuel J. Steger, a negro woman by the name of Cessily, which negro woman is now in the possession of Harriet Steger and Samuel J. Steger, her husband, and my will and desire is that the said negro woman and her increase remain in the possession of the said Harriet Steger and Samuel J. Steger until their death and that after their death said negro woman and her entire increase to be divided between the children of the said Harriet Steger and Samuel J. Steger as their rightful property. 6th - I give and bequeath to my son, William M. Steger, four hundred and twenty dollars in case he returns in person and demands the same within twelve months after my death. But if the said William M. Steger fails to return within the time aforesaid or my Executors fail to assertain whether he is living by the time aforesaid, then I desire that the said four hundred and twenty dollars be divided between my sons, James C. Steger and David R. Steger and my daughter, Susan B. Jordan. I also desire for Alfred M. Steger, my son, to have two hundred dollars more from my estate for his part and legacy at the division. This is my will. 7th - I also desire that Robert M. Steger have fifty dollars, Alfred’s son. 8th - My desire is after paying all my just debts and the legacies specified in the foregoing items of this my will, together with all my negroes here and the list of all my property to be kept by my wife Lucy W. Steger for her lifetime under the control of my Executors, and after her death, for the whole to be sold for the purpose of settling up all the just claims against my estate and the payment of all specific bequests of this my will, then the balance of my effects to be divided with my sons James C. Steger and David R. Steger and my daughter Susan B. Jordan. This is my will. 9th - I appoint my two sons, James C. Steger and David R. Steger, my Executors to this my Will and Testament this March 1861. Robert M. Steger [SEAL] Signed, sealed, declared and published by Robert M. Steger as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers who subscribed our names hereto in the presence of said testator at his special insistence and request and of each other this March (2nd) 1861 writing. John J. Caldwell William Barrett Jr James H. Caldwell Pike County, Ordinary, October Term, 1863 The will of Robert M. Steger being produced in open court for probate by James C. Steger, one of the Executors who has filed his petition to prove the same, and two of the witnesses to said J. .J. Caldwell and William Barrett having subscribed the following affidavit endorsed on said will, came into open court at this regular term of the court and being duly sworn depose that they saw Robert M. Steger and heard him publish the within as his last will and testament while of sound and disposing mind; that they witnessed, the same for him at his request and in his presence and of each other and that the same was executed voluntarily by him on the day it purports to have been executed. Sworn to and subscribed in open court, William Barrett John J. Caldwell J. Sims Ordinary Georgia, Pike County I, James C. Steger, do solemnly swear that this writing contains the true last will of the within named Robert M. Steger deceased, so far as I know or believe and that I will well and truly execute the same by paying first the debts and then the legacies contained in said will as far as his goods and chattels will thereunto extend and the Law charges me and that I will make a true and perfect inventory of all such goods and chattels, so help me God. 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