Amanuensis Monday~Last Will and Testament of Jesse Freeman, 1881.

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 Jesse Freeman, 1881.¹

Exhibit A Copy of Will (Bill of Complaint)
                                    In the name of God Amen.
I, Jesse Freeman of the State of South Carolina in the County of Chesterfield being of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of this frail and transitory life do therefore make ordain publish and declare this to be my last will and testament. That is to say
First after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged the residue of my estate real and personal I give bequeath and dispose of as follows to wit:
(To my beloved wife one certain bed stead one Bead [Bed] one Pine Table and all the bed clothing she has made since we were married and to have an equal share of all my estate with the rest of my heirs at law. I also give and bequeath unto Sarah Odom the wife of John D. Odom an equal Share of all my Estate both real and personal with the rest of my children. I bequeath and devise that after my decease that all my Estate Real and personal to be sold and the proceeds to be equally divided between my children now living or to their heirs who may be living at the time of my decease to be divided equally between them share and share alike).
This my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Will by my [me] made. In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the this <sic> tenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and Eighty one [1881].
Attest                                                        Jesse X his mark Freeman
Rolin Kite     


The above-written instrument was subscribed by said Jesse Freeman in our presence and acknowledged by him to each of us and he at the same time Published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last Will and testament, and we at the testators request and in his presence have signed our names as witnesses hereto and written opposite our names our respective places of residence,
                                                            Rolin Kite C. Co., S. C.
                                                            William D. Quick C. Co. S. C.
                                                            Phillip T. Hurst C. Co. S.C.


Jesse Freeman Last Will and Testament marked Exhibit A. (pages 87-88) in a Bill of Complaint, Equity Court,




State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield County}
                                 We do solemnly swear that this writing contains the true last will of the within named Jepse Freeman, Deceased so far as we know or Believe and that we will will <sic> and truly execute the same By paying first the debts and then the legacies contained in the said will so far as his goods and chattels will thereunto extend and the law charges and that we will make a true and perfect inventory of all such goods and chattels so help us God.                                                           {L. H. Wadsworth
Sworn to before me this                             {S. D. Purvis
4th Aug. 1881                                                                                                    
Rolen Kite
Judge of Probate

Heirs-at-Law listed within the Bill of Complaint are:

Mary Ann Wadsworth and her husband, Louis H. Wadsworth, Effie Purvis and her husband, Stephen D. Purvis. (Plaintiffs)

Against

William Freeman
Louis Freeman
Mary Freeman (2nd Wife of Jessie Freeman, Sr.)[Second Wife, maiden name unknown]
Sarah Ann Odom
Christine F. Tumage
Ann Hall
Temple [Brock] Par/Parr daughter of Jane Freeman)
Elizabeth Poston

Jesse Freeman's first wife, Sarah Jane Davis, was my 3rd Great Grand Aunt. 


_____________________
[1] The Chesterfield District Chronicle, Vol. 5, No. 1, Winter 2002, Pages 21-23.  Compiled by Charles Freeman.
[2] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-36309-17?cc=1911928&wc=MPP5-JWL:190567401,190561002,190567402,190840701 : accessed 02 Jun 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0282-0330 > image 1195 of 1448.