The Last Will and Testament of Abner Green[i]

From: Will Book #-I.-p-149—Chancery Clerk’s Office, Natchez, Miss – copied verbatim with no corrections to grammar, punctuation, capitalization or spelling.

In the name of God, I Abner Green of the Mississippi Territory, in the county of Adams do make this my Last Will and Testament, I give and bequeath, and dispose of my real and personal property as follows. It is my will that all my debts which are few in number, be punctually paid by the Executor of this my will. To my dearly beloved Wife Mary Green, I give and devise, all that tract of land, on which I now live containing four hundred and thirty four Acres, together with all and singular, the privileges and appurtenances, thereunto belonging to her, her heirs and assigns forever, and I give and devise all that tract of land containing five hundred Arpents, (adjoining the aforesaid tract, granted to my Said Wife by the Spanish Government) to my dearly beloved Wife aforesaid her heirs and assigns forever; to her also, the tract of land I purchased of William Vousdan, adjoining the aforesaid tracts, containing two hundred and fifty Acres, and a tract lying in the St. Catherine’s Swamp, granted to me by the Spanish Government containing one hundred and thirty five Arpens; during her natural life to be disposed of by her, to one or more of my Children, as she may think proper, I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife; Aggy, Easter and her children, Dick, Gilbert, Betty and Celeste; Bess and her two Sons, Joby and Joseph; Jude and Andrew her son to her, her heirs, and Assigns forever, I also give to my Said beloved Wife Six other negroes of her own choice, during her natural life.

And—concerning all other my Estate, real and personal, it is my will and desire that it be equally divided among my children hereinafter named. Viz: James Green, Elizabeth Celeste Green, Charlotte Caroline Green, Susan Matilda Green, Anne Magdaline, William Green and Maria Green, at the time and in the manner hereinafter named, to their heir and assigns forever; I give and bequeath, the use and profit and benefit of my whole Estate, both real and personal to my beloved wife aforesaid during her natural life, to and for the uses, intents and purposes and Subject to the provisos, or powers hereinafter mentioned, that is to say, to the use and intent, and purposes of maintaining and educating all my Children aforesaid during their minority. And it id further my desire, that my dearly beloved Wife aforesaid, with the assistance of my Friends and brothers-in-law Bryan McDermott, John Hutchins, and Joseph Bowman, or my Executors hereinafter named, do as Soon as my Children aforesaid, respectfully attain the Age of Twenty one years, or marry, assign, and transfer to them their respective Shares or parts of Said Estate, which as aforesaid, they may be entitled to, according to this my last Will and Testament; it is further my will and desire that out of the proceeds of my present Crop, my beloved Wife, or my Executors purchase one dozen Silver table spoons, one dozen Silver tea Spoons, one large Silver Ladle, & one Side board, for my daughter Mary Ann Martha Mead which I give her in addition to what she has already received, to her, her heirs, and Assigns forever; It is also my will and desire, that my beloved wife, or my Executors, as each of my daughters as aforesaid, marry or come of age, purchase for them one dozen Silver table spoons, one dozen Silver tea spoons, one Silver ladle, and one Side board. I give to my son James Green, the negro Boy Grainger, to him, his heirs, and Assigns forever; to my son Thomas Hutchins Green, I give in addition to what has already been given to him one breeding mare of fifty dollars value, and three Ewes and lambs, one young negro I direct shall be purchased for him, of the value of two hundred dollars, which I give him in lieu of Milly’s Child. As my Estate will in all probability increase under the care of my beloved Wife, or my Executors, it is my will and desire, that the whole, both real and personal property with such increase be laid off into as many shares, as there are of my Children to be provided for, and the one to receive his or her Share, shall draw for the same, and that the Negro Boy, given to James Green, shall make a part of his proportion; to reward that fidelity and honesty, which I have found in so great a degree, in my Negro fellow Belile, whom I have owned twenty five years, I do will and desire, that he Belile, and his wife Bess, be free, and that my Executors take Such Steps as the law requires to make them so, and that they pay to him, this honest African, Seven hundred dollars in Cash, three Cows and Calves, three breeding sows, two good work creatures, one yoke of Oxen, one hundred pounds of Bacon and fifty pounds of Sugar and Coffee, which I give him forever, and that my Executors lay out for him, on some part of my land, (given my beloved wife during her natural life) twenty Acres of ground, which shall be his during his natural life. It is my wish, that the best possible Education, be given to my Children and to my Son James Green, and Cowles Mead, I give in charge the education of my Son William Green. Finally, I do nominate and appoint my Said Wife Mary Green, the Sole Executrix of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made. It is further my will and desire, that should my wife live, until my Son James, attain twenty one years of age, that he be joined with her as Executor in carrying this my last will and testament into full effect, and it is further my will and desire that in case my Wife aforesaid should marry or die before my Said Son shall attain the age of twenty one years, as aforesaid, that the office of Executor of this my last Will and testament, devolve on Cowles Mead, John Hutchins and Bryan McDermot, with my Son aforesaid when he shall attain the age of twenty one years, as before mentioned, I do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed my Seal the nineteenth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and nine.

Abner Green

Signed and executed in presence of Louis Dulseckey—Joseph Collins, --Jos. Bomar