A Friend of Friends Friday: African American Slaves Named in the 1834 Will of JOHN GAMBRELL of Anderson District, South Carolina

Note: "A Friend of Friends" was a password used on the Underground Railway

WILL of JOHN GAMBRELL
South Carolina Anderson District.
I, JOHN GAMBRELL, of the State & District aforesaid do make and ordain this my last will & testament for the disposal of such property as I may die possessed of.

First- I give to my wife BARBARA GAMBRELL a negro woman Slave named JANE together with all the household and Kitchen furniture in fee Simple forever- I also give and bequeath to my wife a negro man Slave named FRANK during her natural life & after her death the said Slave to my Son MATTHEW GAMBRELL in fee Simple forever.

I also direct my executors to invest the sum of five hundred dollars (to be raised out funds as hereafter directed) in the purchase of such property as in their discretion shall be best adapted for the comfortable Support & maintenance of my wife, to remain with her during her life & at her death Such of Said property as may not have been necessarily consumed for her support to be sold by my Executors & the proceeds thereof to be equally divided between all my children-

Second- I give and bequeath to my Executors hereafter appointed the following property in trust for the uses and purposes hereafter named to wit Negro Slave MASNECK & negro woman named ELIZA together with her four children RACHEL, GRACE, MARIA & JENNY with their future increase and also a tract of land situate on waters of Broadmouth Creek containing one hundred & Eighty acres more or less and adjoining lands of Reuben Cox beginning on a maple 3 S72 E 40, 50 t o B.O. 3X S 12 W 16-75 to a Pine 3X on a branch thence down the branch to a Sassafras 3X s 4 0 W 39-50 to an ash 3X on the reedy fork branch, thence up that branch to the begining. The Said Negros & Land to be held by my Executors in trust as aforsaid for the support, use and benefit of my Son HENRY GAMBRELL during his life and at his death to be equally divided between the heirs of his body and SUSANNAH his wife for the purpose of carring the forgoing provisions into effect my said Executors as trustees are hereby invested with full & complete discretion in the execution of Said Trust & may either hire the property & rent the land from time to time accounting to my Son HENRY for the proceeds thereof or may permit the Same to remain the possession of the Said HENRY for any length of time or during his life as to them shall seem best and my Said Executors are also invested with full power to distribute the said property Real & personal amongst the Sd. heirs of the Said HENRY after his death either by selling the same and dividing the proceeds or distributing the property if in their opinion it be Susceptible of equal distribution.

Third- My will is that all outstanding debts be collected and that all the balance of my property of which I may die possessed be Sold by my executors on such terms as to them Shall seem best and out of this fund my debts to be paid- Five Hundred Dollars to be used by them as directed in the first clause for the benefit of my wife- One Hundred Dollars to be paid to my Son HENRY GAMBRELL and the balance of said money to be equally divided between all my children Vis. WILLIAM GAMBRELL, HENRY GAMBRELL, JOHN GAMBRELL, JAMES GAMBRELL, DAVID GAMBRELL, MATTHEW GAMBRELL, ELIZABETH COX, NANCY BRAZEALE-

Fourth- Having heretofore advanced to my children various descriptions of property & which I cannot now enumerate Some by deed & others by parole I hereby ratify & confirm all such gifts if need be & declare it to be my intention that the Same is not hereafter to be taken in to estimate in making divisions among the children-

Fifth- I appoint my Sons JOHN GAMBRELL & MATTHEW GAMBRELL Executors of this my last will & testament-
Given under my hand and Seal this tenth day of may one thousand eight hundren and thirty and in the fifty fourth year of the Independence of the United States of America.

JOHN GAMBRELL

Signed and sealed in the presence of Samuel Hammond, Elijah Griffin, Barbara Casey
Recorded in Will Book A page 500
Recorded September 29, 1834
Proved September 29, 1834
John Harris, O. A. D.
Roll No. 228

Have a Great Day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2013