Will of Benjamin Lanier, Screven County, Georgia WB 2B:26 (image 35), dated 21 Apr 1817, probated 3 Nov 1817.
[Note that Scriven was an old spelling of Screven.]
In the name of God Amen, I Benjn Lanier of the State of Georgia and County of Scriven being of sound & perfect mind & memory thanks be to god for he same & bearing in mind the uncertainty of this mortal life, Do make Establish confirm and acknowledge this to be my last will and testament revoking and annulling all other heretofore made by me - In manner & form following to wit,
1. Item I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Ann Lanier my manor plantation and one hundred acres of land adjoining the said plantation & one Horse, for & during her natural life to her own benefit & behoof, & after her decease the same to be divided between my then surviving children.
2. Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved daughter Mary & her daughters Sally, Lucy, Betsey & Hannah six hundred dollars to be equally divided between her & her said daughters as aforesaid.
3. Item I give & bequeath unto my grandson Benjn Wammock four hundred dollars & one feather Bed & furniture.
4. Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved son Clement six hundred dollars to be equally divided between himself and his children, to wit, Ben S, Bird J, Eliza W, Sally M & Susannah.
5. Item I give & bequath unto my grandson John J Lanier one negro boy named Tom commonly called little Tom.
6. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Lucy one negro woman named Mary & her increase except little Tom.
7. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Nancy two negro women, to wit, Hannah & Dorcas & their increase except Isaac she paying on hundred dollars to my daughter Mary.
9. [sic, there is no #8] Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter in law Hannah Lanier two negro men, to wit, Summerset & Bob, to be equally divided between herself & children Clement, Elizabeth, James, Auguston, Anna, Solitzan & Lucy she paying one hundred dollars out of the price of Bob to my son Clement.
10. Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved grandchildren, to wit, John & Thomas of my son Bird fifty dollars each.
11. Item I give & bequeath unto my grandson Bird Newton fifty dollars.
12. Item I give & bequeath unto my son in Law Phillip Newton & Robert Dickson five dollars each.
13. Item All the property belonging to my Estate both real & personal herein not mentioned to make up the legacies which require or call for money & should the property sell for more than each legatee requires by this will, then in that case the the residue of money shall be equally divided amongst all the legatees except Phillip Newton & Robert Dickson.
14. Item I further & lastly constitute & appoint my sons in law Thomas Mills & John Wolf my Executors to this my last will & Testament revoking all others heretofore made by me,
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 21st day of April in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & seventeen, __
Benjn Lanier (Seal)
Assigned & acknowledged in presence of us
John Mills
John Hendricks
Joshua Daughtry
Georgia Scrivin County Personally appeared in open Court John Mills Junr who being duly sworn maketh oath that he saw the within named Benjn Lanier sign seal & acknowledge the within instrument of writing as his last will & Testamant & sd deponent further saith that John Hendricks & Joshua Daughtry were subscribing witnesses thereto with himself to the same -
John Mills Junr
Sworn in open Court this 3rd November 1817
Seaborn Goodall Clk
Recorded in Book B folios 26 & 27 this 6th Novr 1817
By me Seaborn Goodall CCC