The Will of Robert Pickens

part of the Pickens Genealogy Information Group

courtsey of Pamula Burback

The Will of Robert Pickens

_____In the name of God Amen

I Robert Pickens of the state of South Carolina and District of Pendleton being in health of body and of perfect mind and memory. Thanks be given to God. Calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament. That is to Say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my Soul into the had of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to th Earth to be buried in a decent christian like maner. And as touching such wourdly estate as it hath pleased God to Blefs me with in this life, I give, devise, and dispose of the sme in the following Manner and Form.

_____Item first, My two old negro women, Rachel, and Mima I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Dorcas Pickens, and to be disposed of by her at her death as she may think proper.

_____Item second. I give and bequeath to my son Robert Pickens all the land and plantation on which I now live at the death of my wife Dorcas Pickens. And it must be understood to be my will, and I do so devise, that my son Robert Pickens shall have the use of, and be allowed to oultivate the same during the natural life of his Mother, and that she shall have a support on the land, and have the exclusive right to the house in which I now live, and the orchard about it durning her life. And at her death, if it shall be the pleasure of my two Daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth, who now live with me, to live single, and live together, they shall have the use of the house, and orchard above mentioned, during their lives if they choose to stay on the place.

_____Item third, I do devise that my wife Dorcas shall choose two negroes from among all my negroes, one of which I give and bequeath to her, and to be disposed of by her at her death as whe many choose, and the other to belong to my setate at her death. And after my wife Dorcas shall have chosen two negroes as above deised, my son Andrew Pickens shall choose one, and the negro that he shall choose I give and bequeath to him and his heirs forever. And after my sone andrew Pickens shall have chosen one, my son Robert Pickens shall choose one, and the negro that he whall choose I give and bequeath to him and his heirs forever. And after the above mentioned choices, the balance of my negroes shall be valued by three good men chosen by my executors herein after named for that purpose; and after such valuation shall be divided by lot among the balance of my children viz John Pickens, John Smith, Margaret Pickens, Elizabeth Pickens, Mary Bowman, Dorcas Paris, and Ann Bolding: eachone of them to take the negro that may fall to them by lot at the valuation thereof, and the average amount of the valuation be equally divided among them all: those of them who by lot get the most valuable negroes to pay up those who get negroes that are lefs valuable until all are made equal.

_____Item fourth, I do devise that if it is the wish of my son Robert Pickens at the death of his Mother to take the negro that she may choose at my death, that will at her death belong to my estate, and give up the one that he may first choose, he shall be allowed so to do and the negro gelonging to my estate be sold and equally divided among all my children.

_____Item Fifth, I do devise that if any of my negro women have ifsue after the date of this my last will and testament, and before a division is made as herein devised that such ifsue be sold and divided among all my children. Neverthelefs, and I do so divise, that if any of the negroes die, so that there is not one for everyone, of my children when a division shall take place as herein divised that such deficience be supplied out of the price either of the negro that shall belong to my estate at the death of my wife or those that may be hereafter born according to the average amount of the valuation of those that are valued.

_____Item sixth, I do devise that my waggon, gear, plantation and carpenters tools shall remain on the plantation for the sue of my wife Dorcas Pickens and my son Robert Pickens, and at thie death of my wife Dorcas shall be the property of my son Robert Pickens.

_____Item Seventh, All my stock of every discription with all my household and kitchen furniture I give andbequeath to my wife Dorcas Pickens to be disposed of by her as she may think proper among all, or any of my children at her death, or in her life time if she chooses so to do.

_____Item Eight, I do also devise that any crop that may be on the plantation, or grain ready made shall be for the use of my wife Dorcas. and if any crop unfinished be on the Plantation until my death, all the negroes shall remain on the plantationuntil such crop shell be saved And I do hereby appoint my wife Dorcas and my two sones Andrew Pickens & Robert Pickens Executors of this my last will andtestament. And I do hereby disallow, revoke and disanul all and every other former wills, testaments, legacies, Bequest and executors by me in any ways before named, willed and bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament.

_____In witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this third day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and twenty three
Signed Sealed pronouned ___Robert Pickens (SEAL)
and declare by the Said Robert Pickens
as his last will and testament
in the presents of us who in his
presents and in the presents of
each other have hereunto Subscribed
our names
J. Douthit
Jas Oliver
James Smith

CODICIL

I Robert Pickens, being os sound mind and memory, did on the third day of January in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twenty three, execute my last will and testament; and in my said will, did leave certain goods and chattels to my wife Dorcas Pickens, to be disposed of by her at her death as she might think proper; and as she has since departed this life; I think it my duty to dispose of that part of my sestae in my life time, that I then left to be disposed of by here at her death; and I do herby revoke the first item of my said will and do divise that which ever of my children shall choose, or get by lot, my negro man Cato, shall have his mother Rachel. And as I diid by my siad will give to my said wife Dorcas, one negro, that she might chose to be disposed of by her; and as my negro man Abraham was the negro that she intended choosing and isposing of, I now give and gequeath him, and his mother, Mima, to my sone Robert Pickens. And I do hereby revoke the seventh Item of my siad will, and give and bequeath to my two Dauightrs Margaret & Elizabeth, each of them two feather beds and furniture, and all my live stock, to be divided equally between them, together with all my other house hold and kitchen furniture, except beds. In Witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty Eight.
Signed sealed and pronounced as a codicil to my last will and testament in presents of
J Douthit
Jas Oliver__________________Robert X Pickens (SEAL)
J Smith
Recorded in Will Book A, Page 405
Recorded September 6, 1830
Proved September 6, 1830
John Harris, O.A.D.
Roll No. 534

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