Will of Joseph J. Battle

Georgia Marion County
In the name of God. Amen

I Joseph J. Battle of the County and state aforesaid knowing the uncertainty of
this mortal life and the certainty of approaching death and being in my sound
and perfect mind & memory blessed be God for the same do make Constitute ordain
and publish this my last will and testament in manner & form following
to wit: 1st. I do give & bequeath unto my son Lazarus Warren Battle four certain
negro slaves to wit: Millidge a man about 24 years old, Mary a woman about 20 years old
and her two children William a boy about 2 years old, Alfred a boy about 1 year old
2nd. I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah E. F. Battle three certain negro slaves
to wit: Hunt a man about 25 years old, Francis a Girl about 14 years old, Mariah a girl about
12 years old. 3rd I do give and bequeath unto my son Jesse Randolph Battle three certain
negro slaves to wet: Virgil a man about 21 years old, Areliu a girl about 16 years old,
Ben a boy about 8 years old. 4th I do give & bequeath unto my daughter Missaure
C. Battle four Certain negro slaves to wit: Zada a woman about 40 years old, Caster
a girl about 12 years old, Lucy a girl about 10 years old & Hagar a girl at about 5 years old
I do give and bequeath unto my Wife Rhoda Battle four certain negro slaves to wit-
Ned a man about 40 years old, Dennis a Man about 32 years old, Patimer [?] a woman about
40 years old & Sally her child about 10 years old, one lot of land containing two hundred two
& a half acres more or less lying, situate, and being in the third district of formerly Muscogee now
Marian County Known & Distinguished as lot number forty eight the lot whereon I now live
with all the improvements thereon & also an yoke of oxen & cart all my household & kitchen
furniture & stock of all times equivalent & provision enough for her support one year
during her natural life & after her death to be equally divided among my Children and
grand Children as the balance of my property herein after mentioned.
6th. I do give and bequeath unto my dear son Lazarus W. Battle one lot of land containing two hundred
two and half acres more or less in the third district formerly Muscogee now Marian County known
as lot number eighteen with all the improvements therein
7th. I do give and bequeath unto by son Jesse R. Battle one lot of land containing two hundred
two & a half acres more or less known as lot number seventeen in
now Marian with all the improvements therein.
I Joseph J. Battle considering the above named property an equal portion with my other children
whom I have given property unto and which they are now in possession of or have had possession
of except certain negroes which I have loaned to them, viz: Nancy a woman about 17 years
old and her child Bob about eighteen months old in the possession of my son William W. Battle
and Matilda a woman about 18 years old & two children Hegg [?] a girl about 9 years old
and Sip [?] a girl about 7 year old [?] in the possession of my son Bennett S. Battle [?] and Adahie [?] a
girl about 13 years old in the possession of my daughter Eliza W. Jeter and Vina a girl about 9 years old
in possession of my daughter Martha I. Hightower the above named loaned property to be appraised
or valued with the balance of my undivided property and after paying all my just debts
it is my will and desire that the balance of by property be equally divided among my children
& my grand children in the following manner:
I do give unto my grand Children the legal Heirs of the Body of my son William W. Battle
one equal portion with by children, he the said William W. representing there in the
division & drawing one equal portion only an do hereby appoint my son William W. Battle
the natural guardian or agent for his children by giving him the entire control and manage-
ment of the portion of property which may be allotted to them during his natural life
I do give unto my grand Children the legal Heirs of the Body of my daughter Emily G. Blount
one equal portion with my children, she representing them in said division and drawing
one equal portion only and I do hereby appoint John H. Blount the husband of my
daughter Emily G. the natural guardian or agent for his children by giving him
the certain control & management of the portion of property which may be allotted
them during his natural life
I do hereby appoint my sons William W. & Bennett S. Battle my Executors to this my
last will & testament setting aside all others heretofore made or instituted by me
and having faith in Lord Jesus Christ I hope to depart the world in peace and
rise to a blissful immortality.
This twenty seventy day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and forty three
Signed & sealed in presence

[remainder of document destroyed]

[002]

The Last Will
and Testament
of
Joseph J. Battle