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Friday, March 31, 2023

The Last Will and Testament of Delilah (Edmunds) Gandy

Delilah Edmunds was born about 1775 in South Carolina. She married Maximillian Booker "Maxwell" Gandy  about 1797. Booker and Delilah had eleven children between 1798 and 1816. One of those children was said to be a daughter, Nancy Gandy, who married Jeremiah Polson/Polston about 1828. However, Nancy (Gandy) Polson/Polston is not named in either Booka or Delilah's Last Will and Testament.  

The State of South Carolina}                                       


Darlington District}
                              I Delilah Gandy of the District of Darlington and State aforesaid being of Sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make and declare the following as my last will and Testament, viz
Item 1st It is my will and desire that All my just debts be paid from the money on hand & the debts that may be due me at the time of my death. 
Item 2nd I give and bequeath to each of my Children hereafter named to wit: Darius Gandy, Max B. Gandy, Abel Gandy, Elizabeth Tolson, Eleanor Fort, Darius Gandy, Jane [H]owl[e], Damarius Johnson, Delilah Mercer & Aaron Gandy the sum of five Dollars, to be paid by my Executor hereafter named after my debts are paid.
Item 3rd All my Estate Real and personal including the portion due me of my Husband, Bookey Gandy’s Estate except as herein before deposed of I give devise and bequeath to my Son John E. Gandy to him and his heirs forever.
Item 4th I nominate constitute and appoint my Son John E. Gandy the executor of this my Last Will and Testament.
In testimony whereof and Revoking all former Wills and testaments I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this the fourteenth day of January in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and forty-five.
Singed Sealed published and declared as
and for the Last will and Testament of                            Delilah X Gandy {Seal}
Delilah Gandy the testatrix in the presence
Of us who Subscribed our names hereto as
Witnefses in the presence of said Delilah
Gandy in the presence of each other.
The words due me between 1st  2 lines of 3 clause underlined
before signing.
John F. Ervin
C. H. Nettles 
J. A. Dargan
 
The State of South Carolina}
Darlington District}
                              Personally appeared before me the subscribing officer – J. A. Dargan one of the subscribing and after being duly sworn Says that he was present and did see Delilah Gandy the within named Testatrix Sign seal and publish the within instrument of writing as and for her Last Will and testament and that she was at the Same time of Sound and disposing mind memory and understanding as this deponent Doth believe and that he together with John F. Ervin and C. H. Nettles witnefsed the due Execution of the Same at the same time in the presence of each other and the testatrix.
Sworn to before me                                             J. A. Dargan
This 2d day of January 1860
John J. Rufsell
 
The State of South Carolina}
Darlington District}
                    John E. Gandy was this day duly qualified Executor to the within Last Will and Testament of Delilah Gandy, January 2d 1860
                                                           John J. Rufsell
                                                           D. D. D.

In this Will, Delilah named 11 individuals as her children, to wit: “Darius Gandy, Max B. Gandy, Abel Gandy, Elizabeth Tolson, Eleanor Fort, Darius Gandy, Jane [H]owl[e], Damarius Johnson, Delilah Mercer & Aaron Gandy and my Son John E. Gandy".

There are over 200 Trees online at Ancestry and the FamilySearch World Tree that are explicit in stating and naming Nancy Gandy, daughter of Booker Gandy and Delilah Edmonds, as the wife of Jeremiah Polson/Polston. This is very concerning, but with the lack of sources and the massive copying by “Desk Chair” family history enthusiast it’s not a surprise. Yet, no mention of a daughter, Nancy Gandy or Polson/Polston, was mentioned in the above Last Will and Testament.

So if there is no Nancy Gandy in the Booker & Delilah Gandy Family; Who is the Nancy (b. abt. 1815 - d. bef. 1870) married to Jeremiah Polson/Polston?  Who are Nancy's parents? 



From a DNA perspective, I have a total of 122 matches that say the Nancy Gandy and her Father Maximillian "Booka" Gandy are my 3rd and 4th Great Grandparents.

I have not found a death date or source for Nancy (Gandy) Polston; but, there are hundreds of trees on-line stating she died in 1870 and 1880. If she passed away, it was before 1870 because Jeremiah Polson/Polston had a wife named Ausby, age 63, living in his 1870 household. 


Is Delilah (Edmunds) Gandy my 4th Great Grandmother? I think more research is needed to conclusively prove that she is my 4th Great Grandmother.

___________________

1. Delilah Gandy (1845), WILL BOOK: Will Book 11; page 9; Probate Office, Darlington, Darlington County, South Carolina

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