Marion County, SC Wills, Estate & Probate Records

Transcribed by Dixie Cardoza, 28 March 2001

Rachel Ballards Will


In the name of God Amen this the eighth day of November one thousand eight 
hundred and seven, I Rachel Ballard of Marion District and State of South 
Carolina, being weak  of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory 
and calling to mind the uncertainty  of the present life and knowing that 
is appointed for all persons once to die do make and ordain this my last will 
and testament that is to say principal and first of all I give and
recommence to the earth to be buried in a decent christian burial at the
discretion of my Executrix and Executors nothing doubting but at the general 
resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God as 
touching such wordly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me within 
this life I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.  
I appoint my funeral charges and all my other first paid.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my well beloved mother Ann Rourk, twenty two
dollars to be ...  years after my death.  

2nd I leave all my personal estate .....estate to my two daughters Ann Ray 
Ballard and Caroline Ballard during their natural life which said
property .... either their marrying or to the age of twenty to be equally to
be divided between them for which they are to have the rents of all my land or to
cultivate the same and the labour of all my negroes and at the death of one or 
both of them the property to be divided between their child or children each 
ones part to their child or children and  should either Ann Ray Ballard or 
Caroline Ballard ... & having living a ... there part to go to
the other sister the very day that she departs this life should they both
die without issue then the whole of Doth Rule & personally I give and bequeath 
to my nephew James McRee Daniel son of Mary Daniel should he die without having 
issue then to his mother Mary Daniel and should she the said Mary Daniel die 
without leaving any living issue then for all my persoanlly and Real Estate to 
be divided between the then living children of Judah White now wife of 
Joseph White share and share alike.

Item  I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Blackman forty dollars in cash.  

Item....  if Samuel Rourk should die before my mother Ann Rourk that my 
executors to have her a house built, as good a one as can be for fifty dollars 
on any part of my land and to have six squire acres around it and to have 
forty dollars worth of corn pork and sugar bought for her each year
as long as she stays on the said land or her lifetime to be both out of the
profits arise from the rents of my land or the labour of my negroes but if she 
should not live on the said land she is not have the use of it nor to have any 
part of the forty dollars nor to put anyone in the house or to rent it to anyone 
nor for no one that is any then or related to the Rourk family to live with her.  
if she do it is my will that she is not to receive one cent of the
forty dollars not to allow to live on said land and I likewise constitute
and appoint as my only and sole Executrix and Executors of this my last will 
and testament Mary Daniel and John Gibson.  I do Hereby renounce and revoke and 
disannul all former wills, testaments and bequeaths by me in any wise made before 
this time and hereby ratify and confirm this and no other to be my last will and 
testament.  In ... whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this day and year 
above written.  Signed, sealed and published and declared by the
said Rachel Ballard to be her last will and testament in the presence of the
subscribers ... the ... September ... and November ... before signed.

John Gibson, Samuel Platt, Silas White                    Rachel Ballard

Proven before Samuel Cooper Esquire   ... of Marion District this twelfth
day of December one  thousand  eight hundred and eight. 
 
Saml Cooper
Ordy   M.D.



Note:  See Benjamin Port Barrow will.
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