WILL OF WILLIAM MILL


In the Name of God, Amen—I, William Mill, of Salem County in the State of South Carolina being in weak and low health of body but of sound mind but knowing it to be appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament—

First of all, I direct that all my just debts be paid.

It is my will and desire and my executors herein after to be named and appointed—are authorized and directed to choose three or more disinterested freeholders and that they value my Negro woman Jane and her three children Judy, Becky and Lydia—and that they be offered to Dr. Robert Muldrow to purchase at the price for which they may be appraised on a credit of twelve months with interest—from the date unless he should prefer paying the cash for them—and that all my other Negroes be likewise valued by the same or other freeholders and that they be allowed to choose their masters the persons so selected as purchasers giving their bonds with such securities as my Executors aforementioned—shall approve payable to my Executors twelve months after date with interest—unless they should prefer to pay the cash—And it my will and desire that the proceeds arising from the sale of my Negroes—as before directed be equally divided between my grandchildren James A. Mill, Jacob Mill, Jane Mill, Sarah M. Mill, Esther A Mill, Martha M Mill and Elam B Mill, all the children of my son Elam J Mill-- John Anderson Mill, Sarah Eliza Mill, and Wm Eleas Mill, children of my deceased son Jacob Mill, my grandson William Edwards Stewart and my granddaughter Elizabeth Hepburn—share and share alike.

It is further my will and desire that said or other freeholders do value all my other personal property and that the same be set off to my son, Elam J Mill, or as much of the same as will make his portion equal to the portion of each of my grandchildren and should be a surplus the same to be returned to my Estate and be equally divided between my aforementioned grandchildren making their shares individually and my sons share equal—but should said Estate before devised to my son Elam J Mill not amount to a sum equal to that devised to each of my grandchildren he shall have no claim upon them for said deficiency—

It is further my will and desire that my Executors do retain in their hands the portions of such of my grandchildren as are underage or unmarried and keep the same at interest until my grandchildren respectively come of age or marry—at which time my Executors are directed to pay them their portions with such interest as may have accumulated on the same.

I nominate, ordain, and appoint Dr. Robert Muldrow, Wm Harris, Robert Hepburn, and my grandson, Jacob Mill, Executors to this my last will and testament, and I do hereby disannul and make void all other wills or bequeaths and hereby ratify and confirm this and this only to be my last will and testament

Signed, Sealed and declared
in presence of January 6^th AD 1827

John Bradley
Robert Nisbet
John Nisbet Wm Mill [Seal]



Recorded Will Book D-1, Page 130
Recorded Jan 9^th, 1827
William Potts, Ordy. SD
Bundle 68 – Package 5