1804 – In the name of God Amen that I JOYCE DRAKE of Union District State of South Carolina being weak in body & finding that awfull messanger Death approaching and being of sound memory & judgment blessed be God do this first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & four & of the Sovereignty & Independence of the United States of America the twenty ninth do make & publish this my last will & Testament – First, I give my Soul to God who gave it and I do hope that through my redeemer Jesus Christ who son livith it will be raised at the last day, my body to be buried in a decent Christian manner at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named.
Item I will & bequeath to my daughter MARY ABBOT one Negroe girl named Jenny
Item I will & bequeath to my daughter SARAH CLARK one negroe wench named Ninah
Item I will & bequeath to my son AQUILLA CAVENAH one negroe boy named Dembo and one negro girl named Easter & one horse & the stock of cattle
Item I will & bequeath to my son WILLIAM CAVENAH one negro boy named Charles
Item I will and bequeath to my sons DAVID and CHARLES CAVENAH the household furniture to be divided equally
Item also my will is that all my estate as I have divided it to my sons & daughters be to them & their heirs forever. Also appoint make & ordain my son AQUILLA CAVENAH & ROBERT STEEN Executors of this my last will contained to take care & see that same performed to my true intent & meaning. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day & year above written.
JOYCE “X” DRAKE (seal)
Witnesses: JOSEPH SMITH
JAMES STEEN
South Carolina} By Benjamin Haile Ordinary of
Union District} Union District personally came
Before me JAMES STEEN & JOSEPH SMITH & being duly sworn on the Holy Evangilest of Almighty God disposeth Saith that they were present & saw the within named JOYCE DRAKE sign seal and acknowledge the within instrument of writing to be and contain her last will & Testament that they believed her then to be of sound disposing mind memory & understanding & that then subscribed their names thereto as witnesses. Sworn to the 29th October 1804.
At the same time qualified AQUILLA CAVENAH Executor
BEN HAILE
Ordy
Recorded 29th Oct. 1804
(Image 116 & 117, Union Co., SC Will Books 1792-1814 found on Family Search)
NOTE: Joyce was the widow of Richard Braswell who left a will in Orange Co., NC. Richard must have died very young because his widow Joyce remarried to Aquilla Cavenah and had five more children. After Aquilla Cavenah died, Joyce married Francis Drake and they moved to Union Co., SC. See posts 1761 - Richard Bracewell's Will & 1769 - Valentine Jacob Braswell, and the following will of Francis Drake.
Court of Pleas and Quarter Session Book B 1780-1785
1784 Aug. 9, Aquilla Cavanah estate admi granted to Joice Cavanah She giving bond with Abner Hall (Hill) and William Clark Security and returned an Inventory Nov. 2nd. Tuesday 1784 page 89-A account sales of the Estate of Aquilla Covenah Dec'd
1784 - Aquilla Cavenah
Acct of the Sale of Aquilla Coveners Estate Sold the 3d - day Septembr 1784
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
1 Negro Wench & Child---------------Jocie Covenor--------151-1
4 Beds------------------------------Same--------------------28
3 Mores 1 Colt-----------------------Same---------------23-11
2 Cows------------------------------Same------------------5-1
2 Basons----------------------------Same-------------------16
Plates & Spoons---------------------Same-----------------17-6
1 Linnen Wheel----------------------Same---------------------7
1 Chest-----------------------------Same---------------------2
1 Table Table-----------------------Same---------------------1
2 Plow Hoes------------------------Same------------------8-6
4 Hoes------------------------------Same----------------11-6
2 Axes------------------------------Same------------------9-6
1 Hand Saw-------------------------Same--------------------7
Carpenter Tools---------------------Same--------------------7
1 Brand Iron------------------------Same--------------------1
2 Reap? Hooks----------------------Same--------------------2
2 Borrells---------------------------Same--------------------4
1 Grind Stone-----------------------Same--------------------1
1 Box Iron--------------------------Same--------------------7
3 Bottles---------------------------Same--------------------6
3 Chairs----------------------------Same--------------------2
2 piggins---------------------------Same------------------3-6
1 Sto?------------------------------Same--------------------1
____________________________________
L213:7-6
Brought Over----------------------------------------L213-7-6
2 Old Saddles------------------Jocie Covenor----------------5
1 Bridle Bit----------------------Same-----------------------6
1 pott & Hooks----------------Same-----------------------7-6
Knifes & forks------------------Same------------------------2
pin? & ?--------------------------Same-------------------4-1
1 Bell------------------------------Same--------------------1
1 f? Cards-----------------------Same----------------------6
1 f? Cort Wheels--------------Same-------------------------1
3 Slays---------------------------Same---------------------9
1 Churn---------------------------Same---------------------2
1 pr Sizers?---------------------Same-----------------------1
L216 " "
1 Bed & c-----------------------William Clark-----------------9-2
1 More & Colt-------------------Same-----------------------5-16
2 Cows--------------------------Same-----------------------5-1
5 Head of Hogs------------------Same---------------------2-10
1 Woolen Wheel-----------------Same-----------------------6-8
1 Grubing Hoe for JS-------------Same-----------------------5-6
2 Drouing knifes for WC----------Same-------------------------3
1 looking Glass------------------Same------------------------7-6
1 Frying pan for NH--------------Same-------------------------2
1 Razer-------------------------Same------------------------5-6
23:19:2
1 Set Iron Wedger Set----------Same-------------------------11
William Clark----24:10:2
2 plow Hoes--------------------William Copland----------------12
1 Gun--------------------------Same--------------------------3
3--12
Carried Over L244-2-2
Brought Over-------------------------------------------L244-2-2
1 Cow-----------------------------Ishum Daniel-------------2-10
1 Sifter paid Wm Covenr------------William Linn---------------1-4
2 Books----------------------------John Willson----------------7
1 pr Spoon Molds-------------------Same---------------------16
18 Geese--------------------------Briton Drake-----------------2
1 pr Cort Wheels-------------------John Avent-------------1-6-8
Totall Amt L251-3-2
Sheriff Commiss---------------------------------------------7-10
Roger Griffith Sheriff
August the 7th 1784 An Inventory of the
Estate of Aquilla Carvena Deceased
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One Negro Woman and one Negro Child
Five Feather Beds Two bed steads & some Furniture
Four Mares and six Cows
Five head of hogs and one sheep
Two Basons
half Dozen plates and Eleven spoons
three spining Wheels and one Chests
One Table One sifter four plow hoes
1 gubing hoe four Weading hoes and three Axes
One hand saw Two Drawing knives and one gimblt?
One Auger one Chisel and two Reap hooks
Two Cyder Barrels and one Grind stone
One Rifle Gun and some Books
Eighteen head of geese and one box Iron heeter?
One looking glass and three Bottles
three Chares one pale and a piggin and one stand
Two old saddles one hammer and two bridle bitts
one pott and hooks and one frying pan
Two knives three forks one pair of pinchers & one peging awl
Two bells one pair of spoon Molds
One pair of Wool Cards and --------
Two pair of Cart Wheels and three slays
One Churn one pair of Iron weges and one branding Iron
Jocie her mark Covenah
(Chatham Co., NC)
1784 - October 30, John Steen, Sr. and wife Martha of 96th Dist. S.C. to Francis Drake of NC for 126 lbs Sterling, 350 acs. on Griffin's Branch of Thickety Creek in SC granted by NC patent to John Steen. Wit: John Harrington, Wilson Jolly. Signed John and Martha Steen. Recorded 27 June 1786. (Union Co. SC Deed Bk A:145-148)
1791 - September 30, Wilson Jolly and Mary his wife to Francis Drake, all of Union Co. for 65lbs Sterling, 200 acs on waters of Guilky's Creek. Part of a 400 acs grant to John Steen by the state of SC dated 1 Jan. 1785. The 200 acs bounded by the grant (no other adjoining owners given]. Signed by Wilson Jolly and Mary (x) Jolly. Wit: James Thompson, William Clark, Mathew Jones. Recorded 1 April 1793. (Union Co. SC Deed BK C:242)
1794 - In the name of God Amen, I FRANCES DRAKE of the County of Union, Pineksey District, State of South Carolina, being weak in Body and finding that awful messenger of Death approaching and being of Sound Memor and Judgment Blessed be God . . . Do this Eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Ninety four and of the soverenity and Independence of the United States of America the Eighteeneth, do make and Publish this my last wil and Testament first I give my soul to God who gave it, & I do hope that through my Redeemer Jesus Christ who Ever liveth it will be raised at the Last Day – my Body to be furied ina decent Christian manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter mentioned. Item, I do will and require that all my Just and Lawfull Debts be paid also I do will and bequeath to my well beloved wife JOYCE DRAKE that negros Woman called Dinah and One Girl called Nell, and a boy by the name of Dembe, & Girl named Fit & One called Hester also three Feather Beds & One Bay Horse called – Bull four cows and one Iron pot & two Basons & two Dishes & half a Dozen plates all of pewter – also three sows & Twelve pigs, One large Chest, two pair Bedsteads, one Table six chairs skillet & Loom, a pair Cards, a Big and Little wheel, one Steer and five hundred weight of Tobacco also my will is that my wife do enjoy all said mentioned property during her life and to dispose at her death to whom she pleases, also my will is that my wife JOYCE DRAKE may live on the plantation she now liveth on as long as she pleases and to enjoy the profits arising from the same, but if she chooses to leave said Plantation she is not to have no more wright to Said Plantation in no Manner. Item my will is that there be a Crop made this year with the hands that is now on Said Land & my wife JOYCE DRAKE to Receive the third of said Crop for her part. Item I will & Bequeath to my son WILLIAM DRAKE one Negroe man named Bob, and one Negroe named Charles & one sorrel Mare and a two year old Colt. Item I will and Bequeath tomy loving Daughter MARTHA HINTON one Negroe Woman named Cloe & a Negroe named Quam. Item. I will and Bequeath to CLIAS DRAKE my Grand Son two hundred Acres of Land lying on Gilkies Creek formerly called Nathaniel Jefferies Cap. Item I will and Bequeath to my Grandson FRANCIS DRAKE One Black Mare & Forty Dollars in Money. I bequeath to JOHN PARHAM Grandson & WILLIAM WALLACE the Plantation whereon I now live containing three hundred and fifty Acres, also two hundred Acres of Land Called Wilson Jollys joining said land whereon I now live sd. Land to be equally divided between them. Item, Also to MATHEW HINTON Grandson One bay Horse called Dart and two cows & Calfs & ten dollars in money. Item, to JOSEPH HINTON Grandson One bay Mare called Lub, One Feather Bed and One pot & a Dutch oven also ten dollars in Money. Item my will and Desire is that my Granddaughter called MARGARET DRAKE, Daughter of BRITTON DRAKE to have one feather bed and twenty Dollars in Money said property to remain in the hands of my Executors until she doth come of age, also my will is that all my Estate as I have divided it to my son & Daughter and my Grand Children be to them and their Heirs forever. Item and all the Remaining part of my Estate to be sold at vendue and the profits arising from the same to be Equally divided amongst all the above mentioned Grand Children Also I do appoint make and ordain my son WM. DRAKE and my Brother RICHARD DRAKE Sole Executors of this my last will contained to take care and see the same performed to my true interest and meaning. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written. FRANCIS DRAKE (Seal) Signed, sealed & delivered in presence of us JAMES THOMPSON NATHANIEL GOFFERS (his mark), WILLIAM THOMPSON
RICHARD DRAKE being appointed executor in the Said will came in Open Court and was qualified According to Law as Executor thereof.
Recorded in Will Book A, page 21, Box 1, Package 52, Recorded 2nd day of June 1784. Ben Helle, C.C. (Will Book A, page 21)
NOTE: JOYCE DRAKE was FRANCIS DRAKE's second wife. She wrote her will June 1, 1804 and did not name FRANCIS DRAKE's children. Her children mentioned in her will were: daughter MARY ABBET, daughter SARAH CLARK, son AQUILLA CAVANAH, son WILLIAM CAVANAH, son DAVID CAVANAH, son CHARLES CAVANAH. The CAVANAHs are from Chatham Co. Witnesses to will: JOSEPH SMITH, JAMES STEEN. She did not mention three of her children, TABITHA BRASWELL, VALENTINE JACOB BRASWELL, and RICHARD WILLIAM BRASWELL. It is not known what happened to the BRASWELL children of RICHARD & JOYCE BRASWELL. Daughter MARY BRASWELL married and ABBOTT. It has been speculated that Valentine Braswell of Walton Co., GA descends from one these Braswell sons, but proof has never been found.