EDDGEFIELD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA - WILL - BURNETT, Pleasant - 1853 ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Contributed to The USGenWeb Archives by: Billie Jones 7 April 2002 ---------------------------------------- Will of Pleasant Burnett, written 1853 Will Book E. p. 48-53, Edgefield Co. Probate office, Edgefield SC. (Son of Pleasant Burnett Sr. and Anna Gentry m. Artemesia Carter d/o Charles Carter and Lydia Scurry) State of South Carolina, Edgefield Dist} I Pleasant Burnett of the State and District aforesaid being physically infirm but of sound and disposing mind and memory do make this my last will and testament, revoking all others - and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my two sons Carter Burnet and Ralph Scurry Burnet Executors therof_ 1st I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Artemesia Burnet during her natural life and to be disposed of as herein after directed, the following negroes (to wit) Nancy, George, John, Lucinda, Eliza, Charles, Mat and John Brooks - Also the tract of land whereon I now reside containing nine hundred and more acres and the following amount of live stock and other property viz: Six substantial work horses or mules of her own selection from my stock. Sixteen head of cattle, twenty five head of stock and fifteen head of fattened hogs. Ten Sheep and liberal allowance of plantation provisions of every description for her establishment of one year dating from the day of my death. Together with the Smith and plantation tools. Barouck and harness, wagon & gears and my entire household and kitchen furniture. I authorize and empower my wife upon the marriage of either of my unmarried children to present him or her with such articles of household or kitchen furniture as she may desire with the condition however that she shall make a present of equal value to each other child upon his or her marriage also. It is furthermore my will and desire that any of my children who may be residing with their mother shall be permitted to cultivate such parts of the open land as may not be necessary for the annual use of my wife. She in every instance first selecting the quantity and quality of land required each year for her own purposes. 2nd I will and bequeath to my Executors as aforesaid to be held in trust and for the sold benefit and behoof of my son Charles C. Burnet during the term of his natural life - a negro Slave Harry. It is my will that my executors shall annually hire the said slave to some disinterested party and that they pay the proceeds of such hire (after deducting all necessary expense) to my son Charles C. Burnet and after the death of my said son Charles, it is then my will and desire that the said slave Harry shall become the absolute property of his four children Viz: William R. Burnett, Joseph F. Burnet, Sarah A. Burnet, and Tabitha A. Burnet share and share alike and free from any limitation whatever. To the children of Littleberry Burnet deceased I give a negro Hannah. To my executors I give in trust and for the sole and separate benefit of my daughter Nancy Morris and her children a negro girl called Amanda and I hereby exempt the said girl from the debts, contracts and liabilities of any future husband she may espouse. To Carter Burnet I give Sally and Tom To Thomas Jefferson Burnet I bequeath a sum of money equal to the average value of all the negroes in this section. No2 named, and will it to be due to him on the day that the distribution of my negroes is made. To David G. Burnet I give Charlotte, Ann, Smith and Gabe. To my Executors I give in trust for the sole benefit and behoof of my daughter Martha M. wheeler a negro woman Mary Ann and her child Henry to be held by them in trust as aforesaid and exempt from the debts, contracts, and liabilities of her present or any future husband. To my executors aforesaid I five in trust and for the sole benefit of my daughter Sarah A. E. Burnet two negroes Frances and Richmond to be held by them in trust as aforesaid and not liable for the debts or contracts of any husband she may hereafter marry. To Sarah A. W. Burnet I give Dinah and Tabitha. To Ralph S. Burnet I give Bill and Phill To John M. C. Burnet I give Ben and Louisa To my Executors I give in trust for the benefit and behoof of my daughter Artimesia Burnet two slaves Caroline and Wade to be held by them upon the same terms and with the __ rations specified and imposed in the bequest to my daughter Sarah A. E. Burnet. To James Pinckney Burnet I give Wiley and Mariah. It is my will and desire that the negroes in this section (2nd) named and give to certain of my children shall be valued by three disinterested appraisers and to be taken by the children as above directed at the respective valuation which shall be made and that the amount of all the valuations be added to the residue of my Estate -not including the real and personal property willed to my wife - to the end that each of all my children including the children of Pleasant Burnett (who will together take one share in eight of their father) shall receive an equal share of my Estate. Excepting the share which the children of Littleberry Burnet deceased will take in right of their father which said share I desire to be less by one hundred and fifty dollars than the shares of my other children. 3rd It is my will that my tract of Land on Halfway Swamp be valued by the same appraisers as may determine the value of the negroes herein given and divided equally as to value into two tracts and is hereby given to the children of Littleberry Burnett and Martha M. Wheeler the wife of William Wheeler to be taken by the parties at the valuation rendered. It is my will that Martha M. Wheeler have choice of the divisions and that her share of the land shall be held by my Executors upon the terms herein before expressed which exempts all property give to any of my daughters married or single from the debts, contracts, or liabilities of a present or future husband. 4th It is my will that my Executors do at publick outcry sell after due notice given every species of property of which I had die possessed which has not been specifically devised - Excluding a boy named Samsson who I desire my son Charter Burnett to take at his appraised value and include a boy Charles. 5th It is my will that in the settlement of my estate my executors shall reckon the advancements heretofore made to my children as so much cash and for which they are to account the amount of advancements will appear by reference to receipts to be found among my papers. 6th It is my will that after the share of the children of my deceased son Pleasant Burnett has been determined, my Executors shall retain from their share a fund sufficient to pay the principal and interest of three promissory notes give by the said Pleasant respectively to Carter, to Gilford, and to Mark Burnet which notes I promised should be paid at the time the money was loaned to their deceased brother. The notes when paid to be received by the children of Pleasant my son as so much cash towards the payment of their share of my estate in right of their Father. 7th It is my will that the woman Hannah herein devised to the children of Littleberry Burnet as also all monies or interests which may become due to them at my death or at the final distribution of my Estate remain under the control and management of my Executors until the said children shall reach the age of twenty one years or marry, and I authorize my Executors if in their judgements the interests of the said children will be promoted thereby to sell the said woman Hannah and to put the proceeds of her sale at interest. 8th It is my will that upon the death of my wife the tract of land which I have willed to her for her life shall be equally divided (reference had to value of the division) amongst the eight children in this section named: Viz: Mark, Ralph, John, Pinckney, Carter, Sarah, Guilford, and Artemesia Burnet. But in case of difficulty in dividing the said tract of land to the satisfaction of all the parties named, then I hereby empower and direct my Executors to sell the said land at publick outcry and to divide the proceeds amongst all my children equally. Should the eight divisions be agreed upon, then it is my will that the division be valued separately and that each child in this clause named shall account for the value of his or her division according to the valuation rendered. 9th Upon the death of my wife it is my will that the negroes given to her for life shall be valued by the same appraisers who value the land and be taken by the children in this section named at the valuation fixed and to be held by each upon the same terms imposed on bequests heretofore specified, that is to say to my Excecutors aforesaid I give for the benefit & behoof of Charles C. Burnett the slave George to be held by them in trust for Charles Burnet during his natural life and at his death to decent to his four children herein before names without limitation share and share alike. It is furthermore my will that the salve George shall be hired each year to disinterested parties and that the proceeds of his here be annually paid to my son Charles C. Burnet. To Carter Burnet I give the Slave John To Mark Burnet I give the girl Eliza To Ralph S. Burnet the girl Lucinda To my Executors for the sold benefit of my daughter Nancy Morris the slave John Brooks. To my Executors for the sole and separate benefit of my two daughters Sarah A. E. Burnet and Artemesia Burnet, the boy Matt 10th It is my will that in this second division my two daughters Sarah A. E. Burnet and Artemesia Burnet shall each receive over and above an equal share with my other children the sum of three hundred dollars to be paid to each of them before the final distribution of my estate. 11th All other property belonging to my estate at the death of my wife and other than that herein disposed of I desire to be sold. Excepting the woman Nancy who is privileged to select owner among my children and whichever of my children she may designate as her owner is requested to take her at her appraised value. 12th It is my will that if the promissory notes refereed to in the 6th section of this my will are unpaid or any part therof at the division of the property given to my wife for life, that the amount then due be deducted from the share of the children of Pleasant Burnet deceased, and settlement be made as in the 6th section directed. 13th It is my will that my Executors surrender to my daughters the entire control and management of the property devised to the said Executors for their benefit. 14th It is my will that any child or children born of a woman herein specifically given shall go with its mother and be valued with her and accounted for as directed of the mother. In testimony whereof I have hereunto placed my hand and seal of (13/30) day of August in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty three and in the presence of the three subscribing witnesses who in my presence and in the presence of each other witnessed the execution of this my will. P.S. Brooks Pleasant + Burnet [LS] R.C. Griffin (his mark) Elijah Holloway Copied will from Will Book B, and have not gotten the settlement papers from the Box & Pkg. At State archives. Part of Pleasant Burnett's estate whose executor was R.S. and Carter Burnett is microfilmed on top of the estate of Pleasant Burnett, his son whose admr. was Charles Nickerson. The following info. can be found listed in the Box 57 pkg 2356 which is the adm. of Pleasant Burnett who married Mary Dodgen and died 1847. The Estate of Pleasant Burnett decd in account with R. S. & Carter Burnett 1856 Paid Ordinary for recording $2.50 Paid I or J. Quattlebaum for services 4.00 Paid Henry Waits 2.50 Paid Artemesia Burnett 81.35 Paid T. J. Dyson, D.S. 11.25 Paid Charles Carter 13.00 Paid E. Holloway 4.00 Taxes for 1855 for the estate of L. B. Burnett, dec'd .66 Taxes for 1855 for the estate of Charles C. Burnett dec'd 1.28 Ordinary for this return 1.25 This Accounting current examined and sworn to and find __ for all items marked vix near the left hand margin. April 14, 1857 /s/ W. F. __ /s/ Carter Burnett The bottom half of the page on the microfilm seems to be the son of this Pleasant, who I call Pleasant Burnett III. See his record. Will of Pleasant Burnett (III) m Mary Dodgen - 1848, Edgefield co. ED33 Box 57 Pkg 2356 I found part of his estate administration mixed up with records of his father, but listed with the different administrators in Box 57 pkg 2356, Edgefield Co. Probate, SC State Archives, Columbia SC. [ED33] Box 57 - 2356 (ED33) Estate administration of Pleasant Burnett , Jr. (I called him Pleasant III as his father was Pleasant who married Artemesia Carter, and his grandfather was Pleasant Burnett who married Anna Gentry) Appraisal of property 29 Feb, 1848 by Reuben Cooper, Pleasant (+) Burnett, John Christie Sale bill of the property of Pleasant Burnett, Jr. Deceased sold on March 8, 1848 by order of JU. Hill Esq. O. E. D. Purchasers names: Mrs. Mary Burnett Henry Butler Pleasant Burnett John Christie Chas Nickerson J.W. Cooper J. Waits J. Lowry Wiley Kemp Marstin Mosse Levi Adams Lewis Matthews Temple Martin [R/B] Burnett J. Reams J. Burnett J. Coleman J.H. Smith B. Burnett S. Griffin Total value for sales - $233.66 In 1848 the estate paid 45.50 for tax, recording, ordinary, etc. Settlement of the Estate of Pleasant Burnett, Jr. , Charles Nicholson Adms this 9th Feb., 1850. Amount of sale bill of Dec., 25, 1848 less commission $227.82 Amount of cash on hand 18.28 Amt paid in 1848 & 1847 -145.82 Amt. Rcd. Jan 1849 - 1 Jan 1850 7.53 Amt. rcd 1859-1850 15.31 Can't read last entries. ??? Total balance 115.95 "The Estate of Pleasant Burnett dec'd a/c with Charles Nickerson." (Charles turns out to be Mary Dodgen's sister's husband. She is found living with them in 1880 census records. 1850 Paid [Pressley Bryant?] o/c .22 Paid [John Christie] _ _ bill 3.47 Paid [K.C. Griffin] medical 1.57 Paid Carter Burnett on note 65.34 Paid D. G. Burnett [" " ] 4.81 Paid Z. [ __] [3.75] Paid Charles Carter on due bill .34 " " " 3.57 Paid Lewis [Matthews] .35 Paid Nancy Morris on note .34 Paid Pleasant Burnett Sr. on note 4.12 " " " 2.20 Paid M. A. Burnett on note 5.09 Paid J. M/W [Cooper] on a/c 2.66 Paid Paid Nathan [Chapman] on note 3.04 Paid Wm. Mathis __ on a/c 3.75 Paid S. B. Mays tax for 1845 .38 Paid T. S. Daniel on note 1.00 Paid Wm. Carter on due bill .68 Paid E. __ on a/c 1.22 Paid J. Hill ord for this a/c 1.25 I did not get the whole administration as I was interested in the top of the page of Pleasant Burnett who married Artemesia Carter, which was laid on top of this and printed as the same estate, which it was not, as can be seen by the different administrators/executors. I am not sure if there is more or not. **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************