Will of Richard Singleton

State of South Carolina

Sumter District

I Richard Singleton of Sumter District in the State aforesaid being aware of the uncertainty of life, and enjoying at this time the perfect possession of my intellectual faculties do make and

publish the following as my last will and testament.

1. It is my will and I hereby direct that my debts be paid as soon as the same can be conveniently done; and I hereby constitute and declare the following to be the fund for the payment thereof

to wit all monies on hand at my death; all monies due to me by bond, note or otherwise, all the market crop remaining unsold, all that portion of the crop planted or growing at the time of my

death which can be spared from the support of the family and plantation; and if these funds prove insufficient, the balance shall be charged upon the estate generally.

2. I devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Rebecca Singleton for and during the term of her natural life my residence and the plantation whereon I have always resided called the Home place, adjoining the Midway plantation on the North and bounded by Mathew S. Moore’s plantation on the South, by Willis Ramsay’s on the West, and East by lands granted to Thomas Jones, situate and being on both sides of the great Charleston Road, the whole supposed to contain Two thousand and fifty acres, with every thing thereon as I may leave the same at the time of my death, including the slaves, furniture, stock &c. I also give and devise to my said wife Rebecca for and during the term of her natural life my house and Summer residence in the Sandhills, known by the name of Gilman’s, together with one hundred and five acres of Pine land attached thereto,, which I purchased from Jacob Belser.

3. I give and bequeath to my wife Rebecca one hundred shares in the South Western Rail Road Bank, and one hundred shares in the Stock of the South Carolina Rail Road, which shares were originally subscribed by me.

4. It is my will and desire and I hereby direct that my Execu tors herein after named shall make proper and ample provision for the entire maintenance of the family in every respect, and for the support of the slaves, horses and all other stock on the said Home place for the remainder of the year in which I may die, as well as for the year following.

5. I give and devise to my son John C Singleton all that plantation I purchased from Colonel Wade Hampton, known by the name of Gadsden, situate on the Congaree river, containing Sixteen hundred and thirty acres and also a tract of land containing three hundred acres, which I Purchased from Colonel Hampton at the same time; of which tracts or land the said John C Singleton now has possession: I devise the said two tracts of land to him for and during the term of his natural life; and at his death I give and devise the same to his sons who may be then living; but if he shall die without leaving any sons alive at the time of his death, I devise the same to his children to be equally divided among them, share and share alike forever, the issue of a deceased child taking one share among them.

6. The plantation on Raifords Croak and the slaves and other property purchased by my son John C Singleton from William M. Myers were paid for by me, but the titles there for were taken in the name of my said son; I hereby confirm the said titles to him and his heirs forever, as part of his share of my estate.

7. I give and bequeath to my son John C Singleton all the slaves and other property of which I have heretofore put him in possession, for and during the term of his natural life; and at his death I give and bequeath the same to his children living at the time of his death, to be equally divided among them share and share alike forever; but if any child shall have died during his life leaving

children, such children shall take among them the share their parent would have taken if living. I have not made provision for the wife of my said son in the event of his death, relying confidently upon him that out of the profits of the property I have given him he will make such provision as his affection may dictate.

8. I give and bequeath to my sons John C Singleton and Mathew R Singleton all my blood horses, to be equally divided between them, as they may think proper.

9. I give and bequeath to my son John C Singleton my gold mounted double barrelled gun imported and willed to me by my father, and one of my silver mounted guns imported by me, and my gold watch.

10. After the death of my wife Rebecca I devise to my son John C Singleton during the term of his natural life my residence and plantation known as the Home place together with the slaves and other property thereon described above and devised to my wife for life; and at the death of my said son I devise the same to his eldest male ifsue living at the time of his death forever; but

if my son John should die without leaving male issue living at the time of his death, I devise the said Home place and property, to my son Mathew R Singleton for and during the term of his natural life, and at his death to his eldest male ifsue then living; but if my son Mathew shall die without leaving male ifsue living at the time of his death, then I devise the same to the lineral descendants of my son John, they taking per stirpes and not per capita.

11. I devise and bequeath to my son Mathew R Singleton for and during the term of his natural life the plantation in Richland District which I purchased from Edward Craft known by the name of “Head Quarters” together with the slaves and all other property thereon as I may leave them at the time of my death; And at the death of my son Mathew I devise the plantation so given to him for life, to his sons who may then be living, forever; but if he shall die without leaving any sons alive at the time of his death, I devise the said plantation known by the name of “Head Quarters”

to his children to be equally divided between them share and share alike forever, but the ifsue of any child who may have died during his life shall take among them one share. The slaves and other property at Head Quarters above bequeathed to my son Mathew for life I give and bequeath at his death to his children living at the time of his death, to be equally divided between them share and share alike forever; but if any child shall have died during his life leaving children, suchchildren shall take among them the share their parent would have taken if living. I have not made provision for the wife of my said son Mathew in the event of his death relying confidently upon him that out of the profits of the property I have given him he will make such provision as his affection may dictate.

12. I give and bequeath to my son Mathew one of my silver mounted double barrelled guns imported by me and my short steel mounted double barrelled gun given me by Wm Stevenson my friend.

13. It is my will and desire and I do hereby direct that all my lands comprising what is known as my “True Blue” Estate in St Mathews Parish together with all the negroe slaves and other personal property thereon as I may leave the same at the time of my death, and also all my lands comprising what is called and known as my Fork plantation in Richland District, together with all the negro slaves and other personal property thereon as I may leave the same at the time of my death, shall be kept together and managed by my Executors upon each estate where the property may be found respectively, and worked for the Joint and common benefit of my wife Rebecca and my daughters Marion Deveaux and Angelica Van Buren, to each of whom shall be paid by my Executors one third of the annual profits of the two estates aforesaid. But upon the death of my wife I bequeath the annual profits of the True Blue estate and slaves thereon to my daughter Marion Deveaux during her natural life and the annual profits of the Fork plantation aforesaid and the slaves thereon to my daughter Angelica Van Buren during her natural life.

14. Upon the death of my daughter Marion Deveaux I devise to her sons living at the time of her death the plantation called True Blue to them and their heirs forever; l,at. if the eldest of such sons shall not have attained twenty one years of age at the period of his mother’s death, it is my will and desire that the annual profits of the said land and the negroes thereon shall until one son

attains the age of twenty one years be equally divided between him and the other children of the said Marion Deveaux share and share alike

15. When any son of my daughter Marion Deveaux shall have attained twenty one years of age, it is my will and desire that all the slaves attached to the said estate called True Blue shall be equally divided among all, the children of the said Marion Deveaux who shall be then living, share and share alike, the children of any child who shall have previously died representing their

parent, and taking among them the sharer to which their parent would have been entitled, if living.

16. It is my will and desire that if such son of my daughter Marion Deveaux shall have attained twenty one years of age at the period of his mothers death, then the said slaves attached to the

True Blue estate shall upon the first day of January succeeding the death of the said Marion Deveaux be equally divided among all her children then living, share and share alike, forever; the children of any deceased child, who shall have died before the said division representing their parent, and taking among them the share their parent would have taken if living.

17. If it should so happen that my daughter Marion Deveaux should die without leaving any sons alive at the time of her death, then and in that event I devise and bequeath the said landed

estate called True Blue and all the slaves and other property attached thereto, to her children living at the time of her death, to be equally divided between them share and share alike forever;

the children of any child who should have died before the period fixed for division, taking among them the share their parent would have been entitled to if living.

18. Upon the death of my daughter Angelica Van Buren I devise to her sons living at the time of her death the plantation in Richland District known as my Fork plantation, to them and their heirs forever; but if the eldest of such sons shall not have attained twenty one years of age at the period of his mothers death, it is my will and desire that the annual profits of the said land and slaves thereon shall, until one son of the said Angelica Van Buren attains his age of twenty one years, be equally divided between him and the other children of the said Anglica share and share alike.

19. When any son of my daughter Angelica Van Buren shall have attained twenty one years of age, it is my will and desire that all the slaves attached to the said estate called the Fork plantation shall be equally divided among all the children of the said Angelica Van Buren, who shall be then living, share and share alike; the children of any child who shall have previously died representing their parent and taking among them the share to which their parent would have been entitled if living.

20. It is my will and desire that if any son of my daughter Angelica Van Buren shall have attained twenty one years of age at the period of his mothers death, then the said slaves attached to the said Fork plantation shall upon the first day of January succeeding the death of the said Angelica Van Buren be equally divided among all her children then living, share and share alike forever, the children of any deceased child who shall have died before the said division representing their parent, and taking among them the share their parent would have taken if living.

21. If it should so happen that my daughter Angelica Van Buren should die without leaving any sons alive at the time of her death then and in that cane I devise and bequeath the said landed

estate called the Fork plantation; and all the Slaves and other property attached thereto, to her children living at the time of her death, to be equally divided between them share and share alike forever; the children of any child who shall have died before the period fixed for division taking among them the share their parent would have been entitled to if living.

22. It is my will and desire that the stock, horses, mules, wagons and farming utensils upon the said Fork and True Blue estate shall be deemed and held part of the said estate respectively and go with the land in all cases.

23. If either of my daughters should die before my wife, it is my will and desire that the children of the daughter so dying shall receive among them by equal division one third of the annual profits of the True Blue and Fork plantations and slaves until the death of my said wife.

24. (This part of the will crossed out)

25. It is my will and I do hereby devise and direct that all the rest and residue of my estate both real and personal not here in before or after disposed of in my will shall be equally divided between the four branches of my family John C Singleton, Mathew R Singleton, Marion Deveaux and Angelica Van Buren, share and share alike forever; In the event of the death of either before me, the children of the deceased shall take the parents share among them.

26. I do hereby nominate and appoint my sons John C Singleton, Mathew R Singleton and my friend Benjamin F Taylor Executors of my will; hereby publishing and declaring this to be my last will & testament.

27. I hereby revoke the twenty fourth clause on the preceeding page and substitute the following to wit “ I bequeath to my son John C Singleton all the slaves at True Blue who shall b found at the time of my death to exceed two hundred in number upon that estate; and I bequeath to him all the slaves at the Fork plantation who shall be found at the time of my death to exceed two hundred in number upon that estate; but it is expressly my will and I hereby direct that such excess shall be taken off in families.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty second day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty eight -

Richard Singleton (SEAL)

Signed sealed published and declared by the Testator as and for

his last will and testament in our presence, who in his presence

& in presence of each other have subscribed our names in witness

hereto-with the following encertions first made 13 line 2 sheet

of his death interlined- In the 14 clause he erased & one son

interlined- 15 clause the eldest stricken out & any interlined

16 clause together with the slaves and other property thereon

interlined‑, and the words and property

W F DeSaussure

J Dyson

J A Harvin

Recorded in Will Book D-2, Pge 436)

Recorded 3 Day of Dec. 1852

W Lewis Ordy

Bundle 127, Pkge 26