Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.
His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
Today’s subject is the Last Will and Testament of Mary Pitts, 1858.
On 21 September 1883, Mary Smith, Margaret J. Robeson with William L. Robeson presented the Will of Mary Pitts to the Probate Court for disposition. Mary Pitts had written her Will back in February 1858 leaving everything to her two daughters, Catherine and Flora. She also had a son Alexander, age 30, that was enumerated in her household in 1850 but had evidently died by February 1858. He is not mentioned in the Will and two of his sons are living in Mary’s household in 1860 Census.
Mary did not name an Executor for her estate so the Probate Court had to appoint an Administrator to manage and dispose of both real and personal property within the estate.
There is no document within the estate folder naming an administrator but in all probability William L. Roberson was the Administrator.
I have no record of this family after the 1860 Census other than the probate of this Will. I have not checked land deeds.
Transcription:
South Carolina} Febry 7th 1858
Chesterfield Dist.}
In the name of God Amen whereof I Mary Pitts (the wife of John Pitts decd of said district-) being of Sound mind and disposing memory make and constitute thus my last Will and testament – having Some personal & real Estate I desire after my death the following distribution be made of the Same- to wit I desire my Real Estate to remain in the possession of my two Daughters – Catherine and Flora so long as they or Egher <sic> [either] of them remains unmarried after the marriage of Either of them – and the one married desiring a divididend <sic> of my estate – my wish is that the Land be so divided as to give the (Single) or remaining daughter the residence in which I now live ------ Should the Daughter be married have no increase my desire is (after her death that the said Land be and is here by the Right of the Daughter Still remaining Single -- Should they both be married the last daughter of the two claiming as above written – should one of them died without heirs my wish is that the Other Daughter should have and receive her portion of my Real Estate.
My intent and meaning is that my two Daughters Catherine & Flora be my sole heirs to my Real Estate and the heirs of their bodies – if none then they distribute of the same at their pleasure.
As to my personal Estate my wish and desire is that it be equally divided between the two above mentioned daughters – Catherine & Flora.
Signed Sealed and acknowledged} Mary X her mark Pitts
In the presence of us --------------}
Mary Smith
Margaret J. Robeson
W. L. Robeson
________________________
[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19384-48261-12?cc=1911928 : 21 May 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0331-0383 > image 1364 of 1383; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
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