Last Will and Testament of Jacob Sims

Last Will and Testament of Jacob Sims ^[1]{Jacob Simms owned 1830 acres of land in Liberty County circa 1850 according to the book “Sweet Land of Liberty” A History of Liberty County, Georgia by Robert Long Groover page 147 in … Continue reading

State of Georgia
Liberty County

In the name of God Amen,

I Jacob Sims of the County of Liberty and State of Georgia, Being of Sound mind and desposing memory and Knowing the uncertainty of Life, And that it is appointed to all men once to die, do hereby make and ordain this to be my last will and Testament hereby revoking and Setting aside all others by me heretofore made,

Item 1st, After my decease, I will and desire that all my Just debts be paid.

Item 2nd It is my will and desire that if my wife Loanzy Sims Should Survive me that She have the unenterrupted use and enjoyment of the Plantation on which I now reside, together with all plantation privileges during her natural life, or so long as she remains a widow or so long as She remains and lives on Said plantation Together with my female Servant Rose and my stock of hogs, cattle, horses, kitchen and household furniture and plantation tools together with the balence of my Real Estate all lying and adjoining to the plantation on which I Reside. But it is Expessly my will and desire that the property hereinbefore bequeathed to my wife Loanzy Shall be in liew of dower and that She have the use and Enjoyment of the Same only during her life of the time that She remains a widow or so long as She Remains and lives on said place, And in the Event of her marriage or death or removing from said plantation then it is my will and desire that said property shall be devided as follows.

Item 3rd, I give and bequeath unto they beloved daughter Seley Knight five head of Cattle marked poplar leaf in one ear and under bit in the other Branded J.S. with all the increase from now forward also sixteen_head marked poplar leaf in one ear _________ branded |C| to the Sole and Separate use of the Said Seley Knight and Such children as She now has by Said Charles Knight or any future husband not to be Subject to the debts, Contracts, or Control of the Said Charles Knight or any future husband for and during the life of said Seley Jointly with Said Children and after the death of Said Seley I give Said Cattle to Such Children as She may have living at the time of her death to them and their heirs forever,

Item 4th. After the decease of my wife Loanzy I desire and Request my Executors here after named to Safely Collect together my Estate both Real and personal of what Ever it may consist not hereinbefore desposed of And Equally devide into four Equal Shares one Share to the children of my Daughter Mary Bell, deceased one Share to Moses Taylor the husband of my daughter Sarah Taylor one Share to the Children of my Daughter Elizabeth Jones And one Share to the use of my Daughter Seley Knight, while She lives then I give it to her Children forever not Subject to the Debts or Contracts of the Said Charles Knight.

Item 5th I appoint my Executors hereinafter named as trustees to Retain in their possion the Shares of the Children of Elizabeth Jones And Mary Bell Deceased and despose of the same for the best Intrust of Said Children as they Shall See proper.

Item 6th Lastly I do hereby appoint Charles Knight and William Grice Executors to this my last will and Testament. Signed Sealed and published and declared to be my last will & Testament this the nineteenth day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and Fifty two in the Presence of us at the Request of the Testator and in the presence

INCOMPLETE COPY

Liberty County Codicil

Whereas I Jacob Sims did on the Nineteenth day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty two, Sign, Seal declare and publish my Last will and Testament in the presence of Z.S. Boggs Micajah Stephens and Charles Knight Joseph Whitton who signed the said will and Testament as witnesses And whereas I am desireous of Altering And Changing a devise in Said will and Testament I therefore make and publish this Codicil to Said will,

First I Revoke And Change so much of the Second Item of Said will as Relates as to my wife Loanzy Sims Retaining one Lott of Land dontaining four hundred Acres Warrent dated 3rd day of January 1843 Surveyed 10th January 1843 And So much of my Stock as my Trustee and Wife Loanzy may See proper to despose of the proceeds to be taken in charge by my Trustee For the Support and maintainance of my Said wife Loanzy the proceeds to be put at Intrust or otherwise as they may deem best for her Support & comfort

My Friend William Grice I Appoint Trustee of this property as well as that mentioned
in my Said Will January 5th 1853 Jacob Sims LS

Signed Sealed declared and published by Jacob Sims as a Codicil to his will and Testament, of the Nineteenth day of October Eighteen hundred & fifty Two, in the presence of us the Subscribers Who Subscribed our names hereto in the presence of Said Testator and of Each other this January Fifth Eighteen hundred and Fifty three,

Z. L. Boggs
J. W. Stephens
M. S. Wells

Submitted by: Palmer Rowe of Alabama and Andy Sims of Virginia