Return to Descendants of Moses CHRISTMAS
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In the name of God amen. I Moses Christmas of Sumter District, South Carolina, being weak and afflicted in body but of a sound and disposing mind and memory do make this my last will and Testament as follows; principally and first of all I recommend my soul to Almighty God who gave it hoping through Jesus Christ to receive forgiveness for my sins my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor, and concerning my worldly estate I give order and dispose of the same in manner and form following--
Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Sarah Christmas; all of my household and kitchen furniture & my mare to be disposed of at her discretion, also the use of my plantation during her widowhood and no longer.
Item I give and bequeath unto my four children, Charlotte, Sarah, Elisha [possibly Eliza?] and Moses my plantation, negroes & the residue of my estate to be equally divided between them share and share alike, and should either of my children die without lawful issue or before they arrive at age the Surviving children or child shall share the property of the deceased. And it is my Will and desire that none of the property be sold, but that my children do share it in manner following, i.e. when each of them arrive at age they shall receive their proportionable [sic] part of my land and should the increase of my negroes be such as to allow one for each of my children, in that case it is my will and desire that
(page 2 - on back of will)
they should be possessed of one of the younger negroes as they Severally arrive at age; but should the increase not be sufficient, the division of the negroes shall be suspended until my youngest child shall arrive at age, and no Sale of the negroes shall be made before that period. Lastly I nominate and appoint my friend Gabriel Capers executor of this my last Will and Testament in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen & in the forty second year of American Independence.
Moses Christmas L.S. [signed by mark]
Page 2
Signed Sealed and acknowledged by the said Moses Christmas to be & contain his last Will and Testament, revoking all other wills by him made, in the presence of us who by his desire and at his request do subscribe our names as witnesses thereunto-
Joseph Sullivan /s/
Epsy Christmas [signed by mark]
Samuel Murrell [signed by mark]
(Page 3 - handwritten)
State of South Carolina
Sumter District By William Potts Esquire Ordinary for Sumter District
Personally appeared before me Joseph Sullivan who being duly sworn made oath and deposit that he was present and saw Moses Christmas Sign Seal and Acknowledge the within Instrument of writing to contain his last Will and Testament and that the said Moses Christmas was at the time of Sound and disposing mind and memory and understanding as far as he (the defendant) knows or believes and that Epsy Christmas and Samuel Murrell did subscribe their names with himself as witnesses thereto by the request of the testator and in his presence and in the presence of each other.
Joseph Sullivan /s/
Sworn to before me this
24 day of May Anno Domini 1819
William Potts /s/
Ordy. S.D.
(On cover - back of page 3)
The last Will and Testament of Moses Christmas 1818
Filed in Ordy Office May 24 Anno Domini 1819
Recorded in Ordy Office for Sumter District June 29
Anno Domini 1819 in Book AA for Wills and pages 193 & 194