Will of William Blakely, Recorded Laurens County, South Carolina
South Carolina, Laurens District
In the name of God amen, I William Blakely Sr of the district and state aforesaid being old and infirm but of sound & disposing mind and understanding and colling to mind the uncertainty of life and being desirous to dispose of all such worldly estate as God has been pleased to Bless me with do make and ordain this my last will and Testament as follows to wit.  It is my wish that as early as practible after my death that all the estate real and personal that I may be possesed of be sold by me Executors here after to be named.  Such credit as is equal in such cases and in the first place all my last debts and financial expenses paid out of the proceeds of said sale.  (Then the balance of the proceeds of the sale ) and all monies notes & accounts that may be owing me at my death.  Those owing by my children as well as others I dispose of as follows.  In Equal Portions to my children which are here named Jonathan John William, James, David, Thomas & Samuel and my daughters Catherine and Isabella and in the event that either of my sons or daughters should be dead for their child or children to take among them the share or shares their parent or parents would have taken if living.  But the share of my son Johathan I give to my son Wm Blakely in Trust for the use & benefit of my said son Jonathan & his family to be applied for said purpose at the discretion of the said Trustee with the exception of fifty Dollars which I direct the Trustee to pay to Allen Barksdale on a Testament he holds against my said son Jonathan out of the share of the said Jonathan.  (The said Trustee to have the power to put the said Trust fund into the hand of the said Jonathan) (at any time he may deem it prudent to do so in the lifetime of said Jonathan) and if he should still retain the Trust fund until the death of the said Jonathan Blakely then I direct the Trustee to pay one third part of what remains to the widow of the said Jonathan that is if it is the wife he now has and the other two third in equal parts to his children as they come of age or marry but should his present wife die and he marry an other.  Then the whole is to go to his children as above directed.  The share of my son John is also a Trust Estate having already deeded to him by a deed of Trust the negroes which deed of Trust I hereby refer to the amount of the value of said negroes which said deed will show.  I direct to do much of his distribute shares of my estate and if that amount should not be his full distribution share I direct that the balance shall go into the hand of the same Trustee subject to the same Trusts & stipulations as the negroes mentioned in said deed of Trust & should the value of said negroes be more than this Equal shares I direct the Trustee named in said deed of Trust to pay back to my Estate so much as is over paid as the intention of this will is to make all my children Equal.  So far as the amount is concerned and to vest the shares of Jonathan & John Blakely in the hands of Trustees.  Lastly I nominate constitute and appoint my son William Blakely Executor of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all other and former wills by me heretofore made.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 13th day of December 1845.
                                                                                                                            his
                                                                                                                     Wm   X   Blakely Sr    (seal)
                                                                                                                            mark
Signed sealed published & ? as and for the last will of the said William Blakely signed in the presence of us.
James L. Young, E M Folker
?
Henry M Bryson

Filed 20 May 1847