Last Will and Testament of Thomas Thorn

I Thomas Thorn of Chester District and State of South Carolina, being weak of body, but possessing sound mind and disposing memory do declare this my last will and testament; to wit, in the first place I will let my body after death be desposed of by my executors in a decent manner and that the necessary expenses thereon be discharged out of my personal property.

Secondly, I will and bequeth to my wife, Mary Thorn the dwelling house and plantation on which I now live to her entire use during her life.  I also will and bequeath to my wife Mary the four following Negroes, George May, Alsy and Rachael, and as much of the plantation tools, household and kitchen furniture as she may think necessary and convenient for the proper cultivation and support for the aforesaid plantation bequethed my wife. I also further will that my wife Mary have choice of my houses now in my possession and three cows and calves such as she may chuse out of my stock of cattle and also two yolk of oxens and the stock of hogs commonly fed by my negro fellow, May, all the foregoing bequathed, the real and personal property I will to the used of my wife during her life.

Thirdly, I will and bequeath to my son-in-law William Becham in trust for my daughter Susanah Morrison, one negro fellow called Jesse and one negro girl named Sooky and the fether bed and furniture belonging to the same for the use of my daughter Susanah during her life, which property I will to my daughter Susanah, is to remain the possession of my wife Mary during her natural life or to be delivered to my executor if she may think proper, after my death, to the use of my daughter Susanah and the same to go to her lawful issue of body, if she should have during her life, if there should be no lawful issue left of the body of my daughter Susanah, the aforesaid property, so bequathed her shall return back to my estate-other daughters who survive her without issue to be divided, share and share alike.

Fourthly, I will and bequeath to my daughter Sarah the following property, to wit; One negro girl called Annaca, to my daughter Elizabeth I will and bequeath one negro girl called Amy, also each of the last mentioned daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth are to have the bed and furniture now in my possession called theirs.   I will and bequeath that all my personal property not before disposed of to my wife and daughters hath got at their marriage, so as to make all equal one with the others, Susannah Morrison execpted as before, I further will that all my real and personal estate after the death of my wife Mary Thorn, now bequeathed, to be equally divided amongst my seven daughters, Susannah Morrison execpted, if it can be divided equally without injury or if it cannot be devided without injury let it be sold by my executors adn the property thereof be equally divided amongst my seven daughters with the exception aforesaid, but if either of the daughters, Sarah or Elizabeth, or both of them should remain single after the death of my wife, they or either of them to be allowed to live on the plantation before bequeath to my wife, until their marriage or death.  If they chuse to remain on it and if either of them should remain single I allow her to have the right of living on it until her marriage or death and if any of daughters should die before issue of their body, their share to go to their living sisters Susannah Morrison, execpted.

Next, I will and bequeath to my son Charles Thorn seventy five dollars in cash to be delivered to him by executors after my death and I hereby constitute and appoint my worldlyfriends William Beckham, Robert Winfield Eckles, Charles Wall and James Dye, executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke all other wills testaments and codicils by me before made acknowledge and publish this to be true and lawful will and testament dated this 19th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundre and fifteen.

Signed, sealed and published by the testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us: John Robinson, Joseph T. Love and Daniel McNeel.