In the name of God, Amen. This the second day of September, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty, I Richard Richardson, of Saint Mark's Parish, Craven County in South Carolina, being weak of body, but of perfect mind and memory for which I think my God; nevertheless calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die, do make and ordain this my lat Will and Testament. Principally and first of all I give an recommend my immortal Soul into the hands of God that gave it and my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors. (or others wheresoever I may be) nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the might power of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, whereby he is able to do all things. And as touching my worldly Goods wherewith it has pleased God of his great bounty to bless me in this life: I give, bequeath and dispose of in the following Manner and Form
IN PRIMUS, I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife, Dorothy Richardson, the thirty-four following Slaves or Negroes (vis) Tom the Carpenter, Judy, Ned & Agar, his wife & 2 children, Tommy, Thisby, Tommy & Fally, Devonshire, Nanny, Paul, Qui, London, Silcey, Moses, Fam, Tohan, Kate, Peter, Peggy, Jack, Pollipus, Balliss, Billy, Stump, Phebe, Gabriel, Phebe, Rachel, John, Priscilla, Fusy, Judah, Balina with their and each of their Issue & Increase; her riding Chair, three feather beds & furniture, also I give her one purse of Hold, seven hundred pounds more or less, now in the house in mill'd doubloons: and also I leave her the use of my Manor Plantation whereon I now live containing three hundred acres of land, one other tract of land joining below of two hundred acres, and the use of all the land between the Manor Plantation and Half Way Swamp, the use of that part of my River Plantation on the Swamp left to my Children, by her, till they may one of them come of age, (the others during her natural life or Widowhood) as also all of my stock of horses, mares & black cattle left, between her and her four children, (except four cows and calves, which I gave to my daughter, Susannah, with hose of her own mark) also the stock of sheep, hogs, fowls & C&C and also the use of my wagons and Plantation tools, household furniture that's remaining after what I may hereafter dispose of.
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Susannah[1], my beloved sons—James Burchell, John Peter, Charles and Thomas Richardson, ten Negroes each, to be of equal value and worth with the use given to my other children, and the remaining part of my Negroes to be equally divided between my nine children and that my beloved daughter, Susannah, have the following ten Negroes, being the Tenth part allotted as above (viz) Sarah, Cyrus, Peter, Juky, Jefe, Hancel, Nill Beck, Home, Toby and Jack's Creek Betty with their future Increase.
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved son, Richard Richardson[2], one tract of land containing one thousand three hundred acres, joining a tract of twelve hundred acres of his and his brother Edward's, on the Main Road, one tract of three hundred acres whereon he now lives; one large Silver Tankard, my watch, Sword, Buckles and my wearing apparel.
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved son, Edward Richardson[3], one tract of eight hundred acres river swamp, one tract Swindles of one hundred acres, one tract of four hundred acres whereon he now lives called Scipio's and joining the other two, also all the land bought of Doctor Farrar, beginning from Sabbifield and upward to Mr. Sinclair's line.
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved Grandson, Richard Richardson, one tract of land on Puller's Earth Creek granted to Benj. Singleton, as also two hundred and fifty acres of land joining granted to myself.
Item. I give and bequeath to my sons by my last wife as follows....
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved son, James Burchell Richardson, the Manor Plantation whereon I now live, one other tract or plantation adjoining containing two hundred acres, one other tract or plantation containing One thousand acres joining, and one other tract joining the aforesaid Half Way Swamp, called Sabbifield containing one thousand acres...
Item. I give and bequeath the rest and residue of my lands to my beloved sons, John Peter, Charles, and Thomas Richardson, to be divided in equal valuation between them, unless my wife should prove pregnant[4], in such case (if it should prove a Son) then he shall be entitled to an equal part of lands with the three last mentioned and ten Negroes & an equal part of the Surplus, and if either of my three last sons mentioned should die, before they come of age, then that part shall be divided between the surviving ones-------------*************-------------"*************
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Susannah, one feather bed & furniture, one riding horse, saddle & bridle for herself, and one horse, saddle & bridle for her Waiting Boy.
Item. I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved wife, Dorothy Richardson, one more Slave, named Mulattoe Bob, the weaver, besides those before mentioned...
And Lastly, I do nominate and appoint my loving wife, Dorothy Richardson, my Executrix, Richard Richardson and my beloved friend Peter Sinkler, Esqr.[5], my Executors, of this my last Will and Testament. And I do hereby revoke and utterly disannul and disallow all and every other Testaments, Wills, Legacys, and Bequests, Executors, (also my Executrix is hereby appointed my children's Guardian & Trustee, during their Minority, or her remaining my Widow; together with my Son, Richard Richardson and Peter Sinkler, Esqr. My Executors above named) by me in any wise before this named will'd and bequeathed ratifying and confirming and constituting this and no other to be my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT to be taken in the Literal Sense and Meaning of the same.
IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal, the day and year first above written...
SIGNED, SEALED, Published, pronounced, and declared by the Said Richard Richardson as his LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT in the presence of—
Thos. M. Jenkins
Joseph Terry
J. Mason
Notes:
There were four children born of Richard's second wife, Dorothea/Dorothy Sinkler: James Burchell, John Peter, Charles and Thomas. Since they were born between 1770 and circa 1775, they all would have been minor children at the time of the writing of his will.