Screven - Burke COUNTY, GA - Wills Jones, Francis ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Carole Drexel drexel410@charter.net FRANCIS JONES In the name of God Amen, the Tenth day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Four. I, Francis Jones, of Georgia province in the Parish of Saint Matthews, Planter, being very sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, thereof Calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to say-Principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of god and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it heath (sic) pleased God to bless me in this life- I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form—Imprimis, it is my will and I do order that in the first place all my just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied. Item I give and bequeath unto my dear and loving wife Elizabeth one negro wench named Jude and one feather bed and furniture and three cows and three yearlings. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son John Jones one negro boy named Seasor and one negro wench named Beack, one feather bed and furniture. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Philip Jones one negro boy named Sharper and one negro fellow Peter, one feather bed and furniture and likewise to my two sons John Jones and Philip Jones I give and bequeath unto them to be Equally Divided one Copper Still, Eighteen head of Cattle and thirty two head of hogs ranging about Lotts Mill in Saint George’s parish. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Francis Jones my negro boy named Jeff and my negro girl named Chilis, one feather bed and furniture, three cows and calves and ten head of hogs. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son James Jones my negro girl named Cute and my negro boy named Sancho, one feather bed and furniture, three cows and calves, sixteen head of hogs. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Elizabeth my negro wench named Pris and six head of Cattle to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my well beloved daughter Mary my negro wench named Lucy and five cows and five yearlings to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Daughter Suckey my negro wench named Esture and six head of cattle. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son [should read Matthew but omitted by scribe] one shilling sterling money to be --- --------- out of my Estate. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Thos’s (?) Richard Jones two cows and calves. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Wm. Jones two cows and calves and also I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife my gray mare known by the name of Poll and also I give and bequeath unto my two sons Francis and James Jones my mannor plantation wherein I now dwell and mill to be equally divided between them and also three hundred acres of land adjoining the said two hundred acres and Mill that I now live on and one negro boy named Davy and all other movable household furniture and stock of Cattle and hogs and horses to be sold to defray and satisfy all my just debts and charges and after all debt and charges is wholly satisfied, the remaining money is to be Equally divided between my wife and children, also my well beloved son John Jones and Benj-m Lanier whom I likewise constitute make and ordain the Sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disalow (sic) revoke and _____ all and every other former Testament Will Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any wise before named willed bequested ratified and confirming and no other to be my last will and Testament Except a Deed of Gift given to my two sons John and Philip Jones for a certain tract of Land in Saint George’s Parish and included a mill formerly the property of John Lott—In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written--- Signed sealed Published pronounced and delivered By the said Francis Jones in the presence of us---Tho’s Mills [ Francis Jones ] L.S. David Bonnell Valentine Hollingsworth Georgia Before his Excellency Sir James Wright Baronet Gen’l and Governor in ____ of his Majestys said Province and Ordinary of the same. Personally appeared Thomas Mills of the Parish of St. Matthews planter, one of the subscribing witnesses to the within Last Will and Testament of Francis Jones Deceased, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God made oath that he was present and did see the said Testator sign seal publish pronounce and declare the same to be and contain his Last Will and Testament and that he was of sound and disposing mind and memory to the best of his knowledge and belief and that he with Daniel Bonnell and Valentine Hollingsworth subscribed their names as witnesses to the will at the request and the presence of said Testator and in each other’s presence. At the same time John Jones and Benjamin Lanier the Executors named in the said Will qualified as such. Given under my hand the 20th or 30th (?) day of March 1774. Pages 88-89 Transcribed by Carole Farr Drexel 4/5/2006, a descendant of Francis Jones through his son, James Jones and wife Elizabeth Mills. James Jones’ and Elizabeth Mills’ daughter, Lavinia, married James Young. Their daughter, Mary Ann Young, married Wm. M. Henderson. Their son, Wm. M. Henderson, married Cynthia Ann Gray Brown. Their daughter Annie Laurie Henderson married John L. Farr. I have added commas solely for the ease of reading. They were not on the original transcribed recorded copy of Francis Jones’ will. I found the original of Francis Jones’ Last Will and Testament on the GA Secretary of State’s webpage http://www.sos.state.ga.us/archives/what_do_we_have/ online_records/ColonialWills/