Last Will and Testament
Humphrey Drewry, Jr. (1794 - ca. 1848)
Stewart County, Ga.

In the name of God, Amen. I Humphrey Drewry of said state and county being of sound mind & memory & knowing that I must die and depart from this world deem it right and proper both as respects myself and family that I should make a disposition of the property which a kind (Provider) once has blessed me. Therefore make this my last will and testament hereby revoking & annulling all others heretofore made by me.

Item First. I desire and direct that my body be buried in a decent & Christian like manner in my family grave-yard. My soul I trust shall return to rest with God who gave us. I hope for eternal salvation through the Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ whose religion I profess which I humbly trust I do & ever shall enjoy.

Item 2nd. I desire and direct that the (railing) around the graves be completed shortly after my death and that my Executors hereinafter named pay without delay all my just debts.

Item 3rd. I give and devise to my beloved wife Catharine lots of land No. 4, one hundred & fifty six (156) & one hundred fifty seven (157) in the twenty fifth district of Stewart County, the place whereon I now reside with all the (rights) members & appurtenances to said lots of land in any (wise) belonging to her (and proper) use benefit & (relief) forever with full power (to) dispose of the same as she may think proper. I also give & bequeath to my wife Catharine in the same () reserved manner such a portion of every description of farming tools used & belonging to said plantation as may be necessary to be used by the hands left on said farm after taking out those I bequeath to my daughter Frances Ann Virginia also a like portion of horses & mules (one) of every description of stock belonging to said (finmise) also one years supply of port & of corn & fodder. I also give & bequeath to my beloved wife in the same (consessive) manner my negro woman Mary about twenty one years of age & her child Nancy about fifteen months old with all their increase also my buggy and all my household & kitchen furniture except two beds & bedsteads & all my former wife's bed furniture & the large chest all which I give & bequeath to my daughter Frances Ann Virginia her only surviving child. I also desire & direct that my executors buy for my wife a good gentle buggy horse out of the portion of money hereinafter to be named.

Item 4th. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel my negro man Randal about twenty eight years old & his wife Cinthia about twenty-four years old & their four children to wit. Stephen about nine years old, Viola about eight years old. Henry about six years old, & John about two years old, also my woman Ede about twenty one years old & Martha a girl about seven years old.

Item 5. I desire & direct that all the property herein above bequeathed to my beloved wife Catharine & to my son Samuel to be kept together during my wife's widowhood or till Samuel becomes of age. In the event my wife should marry again before Samuel becomes of age I desire & direct that my executors take the management & control of his negroes specified in the fourth item, keeping them separate from his mother's till he arrives at twenty one years of age at which time they are to be given up to him together with all their increase & the (amt) proceeds if any arriving from the heirs. If my son Samuel should die before he arrives at twenty one years of age having no child born to him in lawful wedlock my will & desire is that my daughter Frances Ann Virginia have his portion of negroes specified in the fourth item with all their increase, also his portion of money hereinafter to be named under the same (vertsictions) however as those hereafter specified in relation to his portion of property. I will & direct however that Samuel's said portion of negroes specified in the fourth item in case of his death as above be kept with his mother's till her death but not subject to her disposition or to the disposition in any wise of any future husband (should she marry) to prejudice & injury of my daughter Frances Ann Virginia nor to be moved beyond the supervision of my executors.
Item 6th. I desire & direct that my executors after paying all my just debts divide into three equal parts my notes & money on hand & what may arise from the sale of my crops & from the sale of surplus stock & provisions over & above supplying the farm in manner mentioned in the third item, and give one third of such sum so arising to my beloved wife Catharine without any (restriction) whatever, and the other two thirds one each to my son Samuel & to my daughter Frances Ann Virginia, under the restrictions attended to in the fifth item. The said two thirds of money so bequeathed to my son and daughter to be kept at interest by my executors as to be laid out in active property as they may think best.

Item 7th. I wish and desire that my beloved wife Catharine have all the (mill) proceeds of the farm mentioned in the third item which (hers) & Samuel's property (and) kept together under the provisions of the fifth item. Provided (nonetheless) that the first pay all the expenses that may be incurred on Samuel's account while he is receiving a liberal education which I desire & direct he should have. If there should not be a sufficiency so arising from said farm to defray all his expenses as above I desire & direct that my executors sell so much of his property as shall be sufficient for this purpose not however till his third of the money mentioned in the sixth item be exhausted.

Item 8th. I give and bequeath to my daughter Frances Ann Virginia & to her children not subject to the disposition of her husband (should she marry) nor to the disposition of any one also the following negroes to wit: My negro man Howell about twenty eight years old and his wife Caty about thirty years old & their six children to wit: John about twelve years old, Susan about ten years old, Mary about seven years old, Nanny about five years old, Jane about three years old, and Patience about nine months old. Also my boy (Juerto) about nineteen years old, Maggy a girl about thirteen years old. I also give and devise to my daughter Frances Ann Virginia one third of my money mentioned in the sixth item. I also devise to my daughter Frances Ann Virginia at her marriage the two beds, bedsteads, bed clothing & large chest mentioned in the third item. All under the same restrictions as above. If my daughter Frances Ann Virginia should have no child and should live to be twenty one years of age then she may dispose of the above named property by will or otherwise as she may please, but in case she should die before she arrives at twenty one years of age having no child, I devise & direct that my son Samuel have all her property herein specified together with all its increase & with income to be managed for him by my executors according to the provisions & directions of item fifth, sixth & seventh.

Item 9th. In the event I have no child to bear or have issue survive to the age of twenty one years. I devise & direct that all the property herein above bequeathed to my children above named to be kept with my wife's under the same provisions & restrictions mentioned in the fifth item till her death at which time I will & bequeath five hundred dollars to my executors namely James Glass and Henry Davenport Jr. provided they met as such and five thousand dollars to be appropriated by my executors to the use & benefit of the Methodist church at Tabernacle where my membership is and the ballance of my property to be divided equally between my nephews and nieces.

Item 11th. I desire and direct that my executors at any time sell any and all surplus property and divide and manage the same according to the provisions and directions of the sixth item.

Item 12th. I constitute and appoint my beloved wife Catharine executrix and my worthy friends James Glass and Henry Davenport Jr. executors to this my last will and testament and also appoint them guardians for my children. This 25th October 1847.

Humphrey Drewry