Georgia:  Wilkes County:  William Bentley Will, 26 Feb 1791

====================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
free information on the Internet, data may be used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message
remains on all copied material. These electronic
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
written consent of the file contributor.

The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb
Archives to store this file permanently for free access.
This file was contributed by:
Allen L. Bentley
abentley@bellsouth.net
====================================================================
WILL OF WILLIAM BENTLEY

WILKES COUNTY GEORGIA

REGISTERS OFFICE Pages 15-17
WILL BOOK A

In the name of God amen. I, WILLIAM BENTLEY, of the County of Wilkes and
State of Georgia, being in a low and declining state, which greatly reminds
me of the mortality of my body, do make and ordain this my last will and
testament.

1. 1 commit my soul to God hoping for mercy and accept all for the sake
of Jesus Christ and my body I recommend to the dust to be buried in a descent
manner at the discretion of my friends and Executors.

2. And for such worldly property as the Lord has blessed me with, I dispose
of it in the following manner:

1st. I give to my beloved wife JANE, during her natural life, the free
and full use of The Plantation and tract of land, on which we now live,
??also the use of all the stock, bedding, and house hold furniture together
with all farming utensils, for her own support and the bringing up of my
children.

2nd I give and bequeath unto my two youngest sons BALAAM and JOSHUA, the
tract of land, buildings, and tenements, whereon we now live, to be divided
to them according to equal value, and by them after the death of their
Mother, or their coming to the years of 21. But if either of them should
die, the next younger brother shall have his part.

3rdly I give and bequeath unto my dear children JOHN, LEWIS, SUSANNAH,
JAMES, and CATHERINE an equal share of all my property after the death
of their mother, or their coming of age, but their mother may divide to
any of them anything she wishes to give them in her lifetime, so that an
account be taken of such gift, with valuation to be subtracted from her
or her portion at the final division , yet it is my wish that all these
my children may have equal shares ?? for if one of them should the part
first mentioned his share shall be divided among the last.

4th I appoint my well beloved wife JANE BENTLEY and my trusty friends 
BENJAMIN BALLAD and PETER SMITH, Executors of this my last will and 
testament. 
Sealed, signed, and declared, in the presence of us and dated this 26th day 
of February 1791.

his
WILLIAM X BENTLEY

Mark

(witness)

PETER SMITH

JOHN CHANDLER

WILLIAM HAMMOCK Sen.

SARAH THORNTON

STATE OF GEORGIA, WILKES COUNTY

Personally appeared before me JOHN CHANDLER and WILLIAM HAMMOCK Sen.

Two of the subscribing witnesses to the within will and being sworn on
the holy Evangelists of almighty God, do depose and say that they seen
the within named WILLIAM BENTLEY sign, seal, publish, and declare the within
to be his last will and testament, and that at the time of his so doing
he was of sound mind, disposition, and memory and understanding to the
best of their knowledge and belief, and that they saw PETER SMITH subscribe
his name as a witness to the same.

Proved and approved the 2nd day of May, 1792
States Testamentary granted to the Exec. and a warrant of appraisement.