Joseph Adair, Sr. – 1788

In the name of God Amen I Joseph Adair of the State of So Carolina & County of Laurens, Cooper; being Through the abundant Mercy of God — Tho weak in body yet of a sound & perfect understanding & memory; Do Constitute This my last will & Testament & desire it may be received as Such first I most humbly bequeath my soul to God my maker, beeching his most gracious Exceptance of it, Through the all sufficient merits & Meditations of my most Compassionate redeemer Jesus Christ who Gave himself to be an attonement for my sins & is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intersession for them & who I Trust will not reject me a returning penetant Sinner when I come to him for mercy; In this hope & Confidance I render up my soul with Comfort, humbly Beseeching the most Glorious & blessed Trinity, one God most Holy most merciiulh & Gratious to prepare me for my desolution & then to take me to himself into that plan of rest & incomparable felicity which he hath — Prepared for all that Love his holy name Amen; Blessed be God I Give my Body to the Earth from whence it was Taken in full assurance of its resurrection from Thence at the last day; As for my burial I desire it may be Decent without Pomp or state at the Discretion of my dear wife who I dout not will manage it with all prudence —

As to my worldly Estate I will & posotively order that all my Debts be paid — & next I Give & bequeath to Susanna my dearly beloved wife all my Stock of Black Cattle & Hogs with all the pewter of my Dresser; and one hundred & Sixty Continental dollars which is in the hands of my son Joseph Adair & all the store of my grain that may be mine at the time of my death for her Support also all the farming utentials that belongs to me at my Death, Also my beads & Bedfurniture to possess the same during her life, & at her decease to Go to my son James Adair;

also to my son Joseph Adair I give & bequeath the remainder of the Continental money that remains in his hands; Also one long posted beadstead & my armed Chair; Also I Give & Bequeath unto my son James Adair the one half of my Coopers Tools; & other utentials belonging to my trade with the whole of my wearing apperrel, as also my Chest at the decease of my wife; Also to my son Benjamin Adair, I Give & Bequeath the other half of my Coopers Tools; & utentials belonging to my trade; as also the half of that Twenty pounds old Currency which he had of me for which he was to have pailled a Grave yard which he never performed;

also to my Daughter Jean Rammage I give & Bequeath my Brass Scales; Also to my Daughter Sarah Adair I Give & bequeath that other half of that Twenty pound old currency which is in the hands of my son Benjamin Adair; also I give her at the death of my wife that Iron pot that was her mothers with my Iron crook; also I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter mary Owins my bigest Iron Pott; & my coarse flax Hackle at the Decease of her mother, & to her Husband John Owins the one half of the Sawed plank of my loft & floor; & if it shall please God to Call me home by This present disease, it is my will that the money he owes me should go to defray my funeral Charges; also to robert Long my son inlaw I give & bequeath the other half of the plank of my loft; & floor;

and I Do by these Presents nominate constitute & appoint & ordain as the Executors of This my last will & Testament; my truly & well beloved Sons Joseph & James Adair; and I do hereby Revoke & disavow & make Null & void Every former will by me made, ratifying & confirming This & no other to be my last will & Testament; In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal This Ninth day of January in the year of our lord one thousand Seven hundred & Eighty Eight

Sign.d & Sealed in the presence of
James Montgomery
Wm Bourlande
his
James (I) Greek
mark
Joseph Adair (Seal)

Recorded in Book A, Page 19. Proven date not available. Original will not in files of Probate Judge office.