Will of Robert Seabrook

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Colleton, South Carolina
Surname/tag: Seabrook

Transcribed Will of Robert Seabrook of Colleton, South Carolina, written on 20 September 1720.^[1]

The image quality was fair and the handwriting very legible. Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document. Crossings through have been included struck out Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading. Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]

Persons Listed

• Robert Seabrook, Testator
• Mary Seabrook, Testator's wife
• Sampson, Enslaved person
• Will, Enslaved person
• Ratt, Enslaved person
• Little Sambo, Enslaved person
• July, Enslaved person
• Aphey, Enslaved person
• Jeny, child of Aphey, Enslaved person
• Lattero, Enslaved person
• Nancy, Enslaved person (Mustee girl)
• Toby, Enslaved person (Indian boy)
• Lucy, Enslaved person (Indian female)
• Major Arthur Hall, Testator's brother-in-law, sold property to Testator on Wadmalaw Island
• Joseph Seabrook, Testator's brother, Executor
• Old Sambo, Enslaved person
• Peter, Enslaved person
• Catherin, Enslaved person (Indian)
• Phillis, Enslaved person (Indian)
• Florah, Enslaved person (Indian)
• Juno, Enslaved person (Mustee Boy)
• Ann Parrott, Testator's sister
• Jack, Enslaved person (Indian)
• Moll, Enslaved person (Indian)
• Ann Parrott, Testator's unmarried cousin (possibly sister's daughter)
• Sampson, Enslaved person (Mustee)
• Honorable Landgrave Joseph Morton, Executor
• Will Parrott, Testator's brother-in-law
• Captain Robert Seabrook, Testator's deceased father
• Samuel Underwood, Witness
• William McGillivery, Witness
• Daniel McFarland, Witness

---

In the name of God Amen. I Robert Seabrook of
Colleton county & province of South Carolina being
sick and weak in body, butt of a sound and perfect
memory Praise be given to God for the same, and
calling to mind the uncertainty & Instability of this
Transitory Life, & being desirous to settle things in
order I do make ordain constitute and appoint this
my Last will and Testament in manner and form
following, that is to say, first and principally I comend
my soul unto Almighty God my creatour Assuredly
believing that I shall receive full Pardon and re
mission of all my Sins in & through the Merits of
my blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and my
body I committ to the Earth to be decently buried att
the Direction of my Executor hereafter nominated
and appointed, And touching Worldly Estate as
the Lord in Mercy hath lent me, I give bequeath and
Dispose Thereof as followeth

Imprimis I give
bequeath and devise unto my Loving Wife Mary
Seabrook and her heirs and assignees forever fourteen
negroe and Indian Slaves, whose names are as
followeth Viz: Sampson, Will, Ratt, Little Sambo and
July, Male Negroes Aphey and her childe Jeny & Lattero
female negroe Nany a Mustee Girl, Toby an Indian
Boy, and Lucy an Indian female, Three Hundred
Seventy and Two acres of Land and Plantation on
Wadmalaw Island, lately purchased of my Brother
in Law Maj^r Arthur Hall, w^th my stock of Cattle, horses
Mares Sheep and Hoggs thereon and one halfe of all
my stock of Cattle, Horses, Mares, Sheep & Hogg that are
upon my Island, comonly known by the name of
Seabrook Island together w[i]^th all and Singular my
household goods and furniture tool and utensils, of what
nature or kind soever, with all my ready Cash whether
Gold Silver or wrought Plate, which said Negroe &

Page 2

Indian Slaves w[i]^th the above bequeathed stock of Cattle, horses
Mares, Sheep & Hoggs and all and every of their future
respective increase and all and Singular the above
bequeathed three hundred seventy two acres of Land
and all and Singular the appurtenances thereunto
belonging or in any way appertaining I bequeath
unto my aforesaid Loving Wife Mary Seabrook
forever, free and clear and freely and dearly
acquitted Enumerated & Discharged of & from the
payment: of all and all manner of Debts, Dues and
Demand, whatsoever, according as the same was
formerly by me given unto my aforesaid Loving
Wife and her heirs and assignees forever by the
name of Mary Seabrook in all and every the before
mentioned & bequeathed & peticulars, by a Deed of Gift
bearing Date the Eight Day of August in the year
of Our Lord one thousand and seven hundred & Twenty
w[hi]^ch said Deed of Gift in all the part thereof, according
to the express tennor and word therein contained
and in every sentence Perragraph and Line thereof
I thereby Declare Firm and Effectual both in Comon Law
and equity to any aforesaid Loving Wife Mary
Seabrook and her heirs and assignees forever.

Secondly,
I bequeath unto my aforesaid Loving Wife Mary Seabrook
liberty during her widowhood to reside at my
Island as formerly, and thereto enjoy all the privalidges
I am now seized of In and to the said Island comonly
known by the name of Seabrook Island, w[i]^thout any
Impeachment of, or for any manner of waiste, or any
Person or Persons whatsoever During the time of her
Widowhood aforesaid.

Thirdly, I will and bequeath
unto my loving brother Joseph Seabrook and his
Heirs and Assignees forever all my Island comonly
known by the name of Seabrook Island (excepting
and forever Observing) and reserving the afores^aid
Liberty for my aforesaid Wife during her Widowhood and

Page 3

and the other half of my stock of horses, mares, Cattle
Sheep and hoggs thereon that are properly mine
thereon together w[i]^th Old Sambo and Peter negroes
Catherin, Phillis and Florah Indians and Juno
a Mustee Boy to him the said Joseph Seabrook
his Heirs and Assignees for Ever with all the
Respective futures Increases of the aforesaid bequeathed
Slaves, and stock as well as the aforesaid bequeathed
Island in all the parts thereof, w[i]^th all and Singular
the appurtenances thereunto belonging or in
any way appertaining Always Provided that
my aforesaid Loving Brother Joseph Seabrook
his Heirs Executors or Administrators shall and
will and truly pay or cause to be paid unto all my
respective Creditors all and every Sum and sums
Debt and Debts, Legacies and bequests herein given
as well as all my funeral Charges w[i]^thout any Trouble
Vexation or Demand to be made by any Person or
Persons whatsoever of any of my Debts which I owe
or any Legacies that all or shall be given by this
my Last will and Testam[en]t of my aforesaid Loving
Wife Mary Seabrook (and that he finish or cause
to be finished, for my said Loving Wife Mary
'Seabrook in all respects Workman like the new
house now begun on Wadmalaw Island, on the Land
and plantation bequeathed to my aforesaid Loving
Wife Mary Seabrook and her heirs and assignees forever
And furtherly: in case my aforesaid Brother Joseph
Seabrook shall Refuse or neglect to pay all and every
my lawfull Debts and Legacies that are or shall be
given by this my Last Will and Testament then and
in such case and for such cases I will and bequeath
unto my aforesaid Loving wife Mary Seabrook and
her heirs and assignees for Ever all and Singular my
Island, Slaves, Stock and whatsoever Else is herein
bequeathed unto my Brother Joseph Seabrook

Page 4

unto my aforesaid Loving Wife Mary Seabrook and
her heirs and assignees forever upon prove to that she
shall & do well and truly pay unto all my Creditors all
my Lawfull Debts and Defray my funeral Charges
and well and truly pay unto my sister Ann Parrott or her
heirs two Indian Slaves Jack and Moll w[hi]^ch I hereby
bequeath to her & her heirs for Ever and also to my Cousin
Ann Parrott fifty pounds Curr[en]^t money att the day of
marriage w[hi]^ch I hereby bequeath to her & her heirs for
ever.

Item I give & bequeath unto my Loving Brother
Joseph Seabrook all my wearing apparell and fifthly
I hereby renounce make void and of none effect all other
Will and Testam[en]^t by me heretofore made and declared
this & no other to be my last Will & Testam[en]y.

Sixthly I will and bequeath unto my Mustee fellow Sampson
his freedom immediately after my Decease and my
will is that two Indian Slaves bequeathed to my Sister
Ann Parrott be delivered to her immediately after my
decease.

Lastly I will and appoint my loving Brother
Joseph Seabrook and the Hon[ora]^ble Landgrave Joseph Morton
whole and Sole Executors of this my Last will and
Testam[en]t willing them to deliver unto my brother in
law Will Parrott thirty head of year old Cattle of my
Island w[hi]^ch were bequeathed him by my Deceased father
Capt[ain] Robert Seabrook and also to suffer all those who
have any stock upon my pull thereby my permission
to take them off, In Witness whereof I have hereunto
set my hand & Seal this 22 Day of September 1720
Enterlined in the (69) line of my aforesaid
Living Wife Mary Seabrook

Robert Seabrook (Seal)

Signed Sealed Published &
Declared in presences of
Sam Underwood
Will McGillivery
Dan McFarland

Memorandum: that on this day of 1720
I personally came & appeared
before me hereto named Sam[uel] Underwood
William McGillivery who being duly sworn
on the Godly Evangelist say that they and each of
them formally present and did see the
Testator Robert Seabrook Sign, Seal, Publish
Provinance and Declare this w[hi]<ch</su> in wording to
and heared as asked for his last will and Testam[en]t
Day of the Date there of and that there said Testator
was of sound and Disposssing mind and memory
that Dan[iel] McFarland was present at that time
and did sign his name as a Witness

Sources

1. ↑ "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-NQ9H-V2?cc=1919417&wc=M6N4-CP8%3A210905601%2C211310401 : 21 May 2014), Charleston > Wills, 1694-1729 > image 260-263 of 555; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia. Will of Robert Seabrook