MARTIN COUNTY, NC - Will - William Bennett, 1817.

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       WILL OF WILLIAM BENNETT, KERSHAW DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA.

(The spelling Bennitt is used in the will.) Will was signed March 5, 1817, 
in South Carolina and probated June Term of Court, 1817, in Martin County, 
North Carolina. Found in Martin Co NC Will Book 2, page 46.

State of South Carolina}

In the name of God. Amen.

I, WILLIAM BENNETT, of Kershaw District, planter, being of sound and 
disposing mind, but frail in body, do constitute this my last will and 
testament, hereby revoking all others heretofore made.

First, I give to my daughter MERINA BENNETT five hundred dollars cash.

Secondly, I give to my son BRYAN* BENNETT all the rest and residue of my 
estate, both real and personal, until he shall arrive at the age of twenty-
one years and three months after, if the said BRYANT BENNETT shall, before 
the expiration of the said three months after he shall so come of age, free 
and emancipate in due form of law my trusty Negro woman named MARY and all 
issue that she may then have, then the said remainder of the said residue 
of my said estate, both real and personal, after the emancipation of my 
said slave MARY, shall be the sole and absolute property of my said son 
BRYAN BENNETT absolutely, to him and his heirs forever. But in case my said 
son BRYAN BENNETT shall not emancipate my said Negro woman MARY in the time 
above stated and limited, or shall die before the expiration of the said 
times, then the whole of my estate, both real and personal, shall vest 
immediately in my daughter MERINA BENNETT, to be held by her for the term 
of eighteen months, and if ! she shall, by the expiration of the eighteen 
months after my death, in due form of law free and emancipate my said slave 
MARY, then my said daughter MERINA BENNETT shall have and hold my said 
estate, both real and personal, to her and her heirs forever, and it is my 
direction that my said daughter MERINA BENNETT, in case my said son BRYAN 
BENNETT shall fail to emancipate my said slave MARY within the time limited 
above or shall die before the expiration of the said time, if my said 
daughter MERINA shall then be under age, shall immediately apply to the 
Court of Equity to constitute and appoint a guardian for her, who shall, 
under the direction of the said court, free and emancipate the said slave 
MARY so as to secure to my said daughter MERINA BENNETT the said residue of 
my estate.

And I do hereby constitute and appoint my son BRYAN BENNETT and my trusty 
brother JAMES BENNETT executors of this, my said last will and testament, 
repealing all others heretofore made.

Signed, sealed and published by the said WILLIAM BENNETT as his last will 
and testament this fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand 
eight hundred and seventeen, and in the forty-first year of the sovereignty 
and independence of the United States of America.

                           /s/WILLIAM BENNETT {seal}

Signed, sealed, published in presence of us, who, in the presence of the 
testator and in the presence of each other, subscribed our names as 
witnesses of the same:

MATTHEW C. WIGGINS
ELIAZER LEE
SHERWOOD MORTON

Martin County} June Term, 1817}

This instrument of writing, purporting to be the last will and testament of 
William Bennett, was offered for probate by the executor therein named, 
and, it being made, appears to the satisfaction of the court that the 
subscribing witnesses to the said will are not inhabitants of this state, 
and the handwriting of the said William Bennett was proven in open court by 
Luke Ross, and on motion ordered to be recorded. H. B. HUNTER, Clk. 

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*This name is spelled once as "Bryant".