James Lawrence Mellett (1815 - 1853)

Born 2 Aug 1815 in Sumter, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 29 Aug 1853 at age 38 in Sumter, Sumter District, South Carolina, United States

Biography

James Lawrence Mellett was born the 2nd of August, 1815 in Sumter District, South Carolina. James is the son of James Mellett and Hulda Wilder

James married Francis Harriet Hodge sometime before 1840. No marriage record has been located.

James appears in the 1840 Federal census in Sumter District, South Carolina. James' household appeared as follows: 1 male ages 20 to 29; 1 female age 10 to 14; 2 females age 15 to 19; and 45 slaves.^[1]

James appears in the 1850 Federal census in Sumter District, South Carolina.^[2] James' household appeared as follow:

J L Mellette Male 34 South Carolina

Frances Mellette Female 24 South Carolina

Yopp Mellette Male 8 South Carolina

Florida Mellette Female 4 South Carolina

James made his last will and testament on the 3rd of December, 1842. James' will reads as follows:

"The last will and testament of James L. Mellett - I James L. Mellett of the District of Sumter in the state of South Carolina, do make, ordain and appoint this to be my last will and testament. 1 It is my will and desire that all my debts be first paid out of money collected from debts due to me and if there should be an insufficiency, then that they be paid out of the proceeds of sales hereinafter directed to be made. 1. It is my will that my Executor or Executors shall as soon as convenient after my decease, make sale of the whole of my real and personal estate, goods and chattels, upon the following terms, to wit, one fourth in cash, and the balance upon a credit of one, two, and three years; the purchaser to give bond with personal security, for the balance of the purchase money, with interest from the day of sale, and a mortgage of the property purchased; and it is my desire that my negroes when sold, shall in all cases, where it is practicable, be allowed to select their owners upon a fair valuation, and to be sold as much as practicable in families. 3. It is my will that the proceeds of sale of my estate herein directed, and all the rest and residue of my estate be disposed of as follows - one third thereof to be paid and delivered over to my widow Fancy Harriet Mellett; and the remaining two thirds to be invested in the best manner at the discretion of my Executor, for the maintenance and education of such child or children I shall have alive at the time of my death, until such child if only one, and if more than one, then until the eldest shall arrive at the age of twenty one years; and then if only one, the whole two thirds to go to such child; and if more than one to be equally divided between them. 4. It is my desire that the said remaining two thirds of my estate shall be kept by my Executor for the purposes aforesaid, until the event above mentioned happens, or until a legally constituted guardian shall be appointed for such child or children. 5. For the purposes of said sale I do hereby vest in my Executor or Executors all necessary powers to carry into effect the said sales hereinbefore directed, and to make titles to the purchasers for any portion of the property sold. 6. I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint Col William Nettles my Executor of this my last will and testament. Signed sealed published and declared as the last will and testament of the said James L. Mellett the 3 day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two. [signed] Jas. L. Mellett - In the presence of us John Nettles, Wm. Nettles, T.L. Jones"^[3]

James died the 29th of August, 1853 in Sumter District, South Carolina. James is buried in the Nettles Cemetery, Privateer, Sumter County, South Carolina.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTZ-P7B : 8 December 2020), Jas Mellett, Sumter, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 14, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8QL-32N : 23 December 2020), J L Mellette, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ Will and loose estate papers in Sumter county, South Carolina - Bundle No 134 Package No. 3; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-F69V-Y
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84135496/james-lawrence-mellett : accessed 22 January 2022), memorial page for Dr James Lawrence Mellett (2 Aug 1815–29 Aug 1853), Find a Grave Memorial ID 84135496, citing Nettles Cemetery, Privateer, Sumter County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Janice Hilton (contributor 47478917) .