Pike County GaArchives Wills.....James Reagan November 24 1854 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: William Russell dragonraj@comcast.net November 23, 2003, 4:50 pm Source: Will Book C Pike County Probate Court Written: November 24 1854 Recorded: January 15 1856 State of Georgia Pike County I James Reagan of the County of Pike and State of Georgia being advanced in years and in feeble health but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do make and publish this my last will and testament. First I order and direct that all my just debts be paid and discharged as soon as my be practicable. I desire my body to be interred in a decent and becoming manner but without show and _?_ expense. Second I will devise and bequeath to my dear wife Susannah Reagan in addition to three Negroes named Milly and her children Celia and Caroline given to her before by deed of _?_, two good feather beds and furniture for beds and two headstands and one half of the remaining household and kitchen furniture, two cows and calves to be chosen and selected by her. In case my said wife elects or deems to remain on the lot I now live on in the Ninth District of Pike County, she shall have in addition one years provision and the use and benefit of eighty acres of said lot including about forty acres of cleared land west and south of the dwelling house and the woodland bounded ten _?_ east of the Negro houses and running south and thence to the western line of the lot and to the public road including the dwelling house and out houses and the improvements on the same and also a common machine(?) and plough and _?_ and tools sufficient to cultivate the same cleared lands. In case she elects to remove, I will devise and bequeath to my said wife the sum of three hundred dollars in lieu of the occupancy of the eighty acres before mentioned and _?_ things before stated to be hers in the event of her remaining on the premises which occupancy is to cease at the time of her death and only during her widowhood is to therefore on the condition before mentioned the said amount of three hundred dollars to be paid my wife Susannah Reagan and Assigns. Third I will and devise that my Negro woman Alice be allowed to choose a master or owner who will pay ten dollars for her and treat her with kindness and indulgence becoming her age and good character. Fourth I will and desire that my Negro man Simon be allowed to chose a master or owner who will give for him such amount or _?_ as may be fixed by these disinterested persons that are slaver holders, he having been a _?_ and faithful servant to me. Fifth I will and devise that my remaining four Negroes to wit: Nelson a boy aged about sixteen years, Charity a girl aged about ten years, Merrick a boy about seven years old and Luciann a girl about five years old to be allowed the same privileges granted to Simon. Sixth I will devise and bequeath to my son James Reagan _?_ his heirs and assigns the sum of one hundred dollars in his service on my farm this year and to my son Charles Reagan his heirs and assigns the sum of fifty dollars. Seventh I will devise and bequeath to my sons William M. Reagan, John Reagan, Joseph _? _ Reagan, and Frances W. Reagan of Georgia and Thomas J.(?) Reagan of Rusk County in the State of Texas, each one tenth part of my estate real and personal to hold to them and their heirs forever. Eighth I will devise and bequeath to my son Charles Reagan (of Dekalb County) one tenth part of my real estate real and personal, the interest of which only to be paid him by my executors annually to hold to him and his heirs forever. Ninth I will devise and bequeath to my son James Reagan (of Pike County) one tenth part of my estate real and personal the interest of which only to be paid him annually by my executors to hold to him and his heirs forever. Tenth I will devise and bequeath to my grandson Thomas Avery, son of my deceased daughter Elizabeth who intermarried with Nathan _?_ Avery one tenth part of my estate real and personal to hold to him and his heirs forever, deducting there from two hundred dollars , an advancement to his mother in her lifetime. Eleventh I will devise and bequeath one tenth part of my estate real and personal unto my executors hereafter named and the survivors of them in trust and only in trust to and for the sole separate and exclusive use of my daughter Nancy _?_ Abbott, wife of David Abbott of Spalding County for and during her natural life aot subject to the debts or control of her present or any future husband and after her death to such child or children as shall then be living, his her or their heirs and assigns forever deducting one hundred dollars from said part. Twelfth I will devise and bequeath one tenth part of my estate real and personal unto my executors hereafter named and the survivors of them in trust and only in trust to and for the sole separate and exclusive use of my daughter Mary D. Hale, wife of Reuben _?_ Hale (of Newton County) for and during her natural life, not subject to the debts or control of her present or any future husband and after her death to such child or children as shall be living his her or their heirs and assigns forever. Thirteenth I authorize hereby by Executors hereafter named to sell at private or public sale, as they may think best, any or all of my Negro slaves for the purpose of carrying out the _?_ of this my last will. Fourteen I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons Joseph _?_ Reagan of Newton County and John Reagan of Henry County and my friend and neighbor Isaac Strickland my executors hereby revoking all other wills and declaring this to be my last. Fifteen Should my wife chose to receive the three hundred dollars before named and remove, the expense of removal is to be paid out of my estate. In _?_ whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of November Eighteen hundred and fifty four. James Reagan Signed sealed published and pronounced and declared by the Testor James Reagan to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereto set our names as subscribers _?_ on the day and year above written. J. Eppinger J.A. Williams (B_?_) Harris State of Georgia Pike County We James Eppinger and (B_?_) Harris and Jessie A. Williams do solemny swear that we saw James Reagan sign seal and heard him publish and declare this writing to be and contain his last will and testament and at the time thereof he was of sound disposing mind and memory and that he did it freely without compulsion to the best of our knowledge and belief and we do further _?_ that we signed the same as witnesses in the presence of the Testor and of each other so help us God. J. Eppinger (B_?_) Harris J.A. Williams Sworn to and _?_ before me in open Court this fourteenth February 1856 J.C. Beckham Georgia Pike County I Joseph Reagan do solemnly swear that this writing contains the true last will and testament of James Reagan 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. James Reagan Sworn to and subscribed in open court this 14th January 1856 Joseph C. Beckham Recorded January 15th 1856 Joseph C. Beckham This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.9 Kb