Rachael (Payne) Leigh (1762 - 1849)

Born 14 Jan 1762 in Kershaw, Lancaster, Camden District, Province of South Carolina

Ancestors

Wife of Samuel Belton — married [date unknown] in Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

Wife of Archibald Watson — married [date unknown] in Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

Wife of George Miller — married [date unknown] in Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

Wife of Alexander Stewart — married 1809 in Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

Wife of David Greenhill Leigh — married 25 Jun 1841 in Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

Died Aug 1849 at age 87 in Kershaw, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

Rachael (Payne) Leigh was a South Carolinian.

Rachael was born in 1762 and passed away in 1849. Buried in the Leigh Place Flat Rock in Kershaw County, South Carolina.

Birth

Date: 14 JAN 1762

Place: Kershaw County, South Carolina^[1]

Marriage

Husband: David Greenhill Leigh

Wife: Rachael Payne

Note: From the Camden Chronicle: "18 Jul 1841/ Mrs. Rachel Miller aged 77 m. 25 Jun 1841 for her fifth time, at Hanging Rock to David Leigh for his third time."

Date: 25 JUN 1841

Place: Kershaw County, SC^[2]

Husband: Samuel Belton

Wife: Rachael Payne

Child: John Belton

Date: ABT 1780:Place: Kershaw County, SC

Husband: Archibald Watson

Wife: Rachael Payne

Date: ABT 1800:Place: Kershaw County, SC^[3]

Husband: George Miller

Wife: Rachael Payne

Date: BET 1810 AND 1813:Place: Kershaw County, SC

Death

Date: AUG 1849

Place: Kershaw County, South Carolina^[4]

Will

Date: 7 AUG 1849

Place: Her will was recorded at Camden, Kershaw District, SC^[5]

Notes

Rachel was married 3-5 times. Other husbands: 1st, Samuel Belton; Archibald Watson; Alexander Stewart; George Miller

Note: Information discovered about Rachael Payne has been a key factor in putting together a portrait of her family of origin.

Rachael Payne Leigh was quite wealthy and had a very good business sense about her. Rachael's will, dated 1846 and recorded in 1849 bequeathed a total of 58 slaves to members of her family, none of whom were her direct offspring. If Rachael had her own children, it was by her first husband, Samuel Belton. Only the youngest two of Samuel's five children could have been Rachael's (given her date of birth recorded in the John Payne family Bible): John and Charlotte Belton. But there is no proof that even these two were Rachael's. All we have is John Belton's will from 1808 which gives everything he owns back to "his mother". There are other records in existence which name Daniel Payne, Rachael's brother, as Charlotte Belton's guardian following the death of Samuel Belton, Sr. in 1793.

Rachael was married a total of five times. Her first husband was Samuel Belton, a wealthy planter who bequeathed her with significant assets. The portions of Samuel Belton, Sr.'s estate that his five children inherited (and increased) eventually came back to enrich Rachael even more, as several of them died prior to 1810. Following Rachel's first marriage, she subsequently married Archibald Watson, Alexander Stewart, with whom she negotiated a marriage contract according to Alexander's will dated 1809, George Miller, and finally David Greenhill Leigh -- all of whom were men of some substance. In a day when women had very few rights and privileges, Rachael Payne managed a significant achievement in preserving and increasing her personal wealth over time. Below is Rachell's will in its entirety as recorded in Will Book A page 137 of Kershaw County Wills:

Will of Rachael Payne Leigh 29 of January 1846: South Carolina Kershaw District:

"In the name of God Amen. I, Rachael Leigh, now wife of David G. Leigh, of the aforesaid State and District, being weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, praised be God for the same, do hereby in pursuance and exercise of the power and authority given and reserved to me, in and by the settlement made previous to my marriage with the said David G. Leigh, and by force and virtue of all and every power and powers, authority and authorities in me being or enabling me thereto, do make constitute and ordain this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former will or wills by me heretofore made. In manner and form following.

"First I will and desire that I may be decently buried at the discretion of my executors herein after named. My desire is that all my just debts should be paid, I give and bequeath to my beloved husband two thousand dollars.

"Item: I give and bequeath to the Protestant Episcopal Church in Camden in this District two hundred dollars to be paid to any person authorized by said church to receive the same.

"Item. I give and bequeath to the Baptist Church at Flat Rock one hundred dollars to be paid to any person authorized by said church to receive the same.

"Item. I give and bequeath to the Hanging Rock Methodist Church one hundred dollars to be paid to any person authorized by said church to receive the same.

"Item. I give and bequeath to Mount Bethel Presbyterian Church one hundred dollars to be paid to any person authorized by said church to receive the same.

"Item. I give and bequeath to my brother ARCHELOUS PAYNE five Negroes. Viz. Bill, Savannah, George, Littleton and Cupe. Also a tract of land known as the Hardy Norton Tract, during his natural life, at his death the value of the land and Negroes to be equally divided with my nephews and nieces.

"Item. I give and bequeath to KESIA ANDRE (daughter of my nephew ALLEN STEWART) Negro woman Sally: children Fanny, Lewis, and George and their increase to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to CAROLINE DOBBINS (daughter of ALLEN STEWART) Negro woman Sylvia and her increases to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item I give and bequeath to my niece JANE WILSON one Negro woman Glory and children Martha, Maria, Solina, Glory, Ann and Isabel. Also woman Lucinda and her children Milton and Ellen and their increase to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item I give and bequeath to my brother ZACHARIAH PAYNE four Negroes, viz. Alfred, Thomas, Lienus, and Nellie to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to BANYON PAYNE (son of brother DANIEL PAYNE) two Negroes viz: Joe and Ben, to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to WILIE PAYNE (son of brother DANIEL PAYNE) two Negroes viz: Stephen and Bob, to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to ELIZABETH EVANS (sister Kesia's daughter) three Negroes viz: Peggy, Netty and Henry and their increase to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to ELIZABETH BETTS (daugher of brother DANIEL PAYNE) one Negro woman Betsy and child Gilbert and their increase to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to JAMES STEWART (son of ALLEN STEWART) one Negro man viz: Vieham to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to DANIEL STEWART (son of ALLEN STEWART) one Negro man Cage to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to WARREN STEWART (son of ALLEN STEWART) one Negro boy Jerry to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to ALEXANDER STEWART (son of ALLEN STEWART) one Negro boy John Wesley, to him and his heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to NAOMI WILLIAMS (sister MARY's daughter) fifty dollars to her and her heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to RICHARD SAMUEL USSERY AND CHARLES EVANS (sons of MUMFORD USSERY) one hundred dollars to be divided equally between them and their heirs.

"Item. I give and bequeath to DANIEL WILSON (son of my niece JANE WILSON) two Negroes, Leah and Daphney to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to MARY WILSON, three Negroes, William, Jackson and Dave, to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to SARAH WILSON three Negroes viz: Robert, Hannah, and Frank to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to SUSAN WILSON three Negroes viz: Mary, Missouri, and Ely to her and the heirs of her body.

"Item. I give and bequeath to ELIZABETH WILSON nine Negroes viz: Naney, Wilie, Cage, Phebe, Isaac, Winny, Harriet, Jim, Simon to her and the heirs of her body, also any increase which may arise from the above named Negroes.

"Lastly, it is my desire that all my remaining estate both real and personal shall be immediately sold by my executors hereinafter named. My will and desire also is hereinafter named or either of them that have full power and are hereby authorized to make full and permanent titles to all my estate both real and personal that I have desired to be sold. My desire is, if after all my just debts have been paid, expenses and bequests, there remains a surplus in the hands of the executors which has arisen from the property desired to be sold it shall be equally divided between my nephews and nieces. And I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my husband David G. Leigh and John U. Ingram executors to this my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 29th day of January in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Six and in the Seventieth year of the sovereignty and independence of the United States of America.

RACHAEL LEIGH (Seal)

Signed, sealed, acknowledged and delivered in presence of FRANCIS F. INGRAM, DAVID G. FLETCHER, GEORGE W. POPE.

Recorded in Will Book A Page 137. Recorded August 7, 1849. Ord. K/D. JOHN R. ROY

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S4554 p. 235
2. ↑ Source: #S4565 Research in the files of the Camden Archives and Museum, 1314 Broad St. Camden, SC 29020
3. ↑ Source: #S4563
4. ↑ Source: #S4578
5. ↑ Source: #S4554 p. 236

• Source S4554 Saville, Reba Christine Payne, Our Payne Heritage: Personal Index with Photographs and Family Histories (Pub. 1992 by the author, 245 South Street, Fern Park, FL 32730)
• Source S4563 1800 Census for Kershaw District, SC
• Source S4565 Descendants of John Payne
• Source S4578 John Payne (d. 1780) Family Bible Record; Note: This Bible record was found among the Family Bible of the Wilson and Swilley Families of Kershaw County, SC.
• Pat Iverson aka "indygrandma" on Ancestry.com. Ms. Iverson states she has a copy of pages from the Payne Family Bible (John Payne, the blacksmith) of Kershaw Co., SC

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95403661/rachael-leigh

Acknowledgement

This person was created through the import of indygrandma.ged on 02 January 2011.