Will of Richard Bedon, Colleton County SC, 03 Oct 1738

South Carolina;

In the name of God, Amen; the third day of October, Anno Domini, One Thousand Seven Hundred and thirty eight [03 Oct 1738]; I, Richard Bedon of Colleton, being sick and weak, but of sound mind and memory (all praise be given to God) Do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say:

First and principally I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God, my Merciful Creator, and to Jesus Christ my only loving Saviour and Redeemer, by whose merits I hope for life Everlasting–my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the direction of my Executors hereafter named, in sure and certain hope of a joyfull [sic] Resurrection at the last day.

My worldly goods which it has pleased God to bless me with I order and dispose of, in manner and form following, viz; First it is my expressed Will and Desire that all my just Debts and Funeral Expenses be duly paid and satisfied as soon as possible.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my loving daughter Mary Hewett one Negro Girl named Lucy, and a riding Horse named Frolick, to her and the heirs of her body forever; and not to be disposed of by her husband by any manner of ways or means whatsoever.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my loving daughter Ann Barnett one Negro Girl named Rose, and a Bed and furniture to her and her heirs forever; and it is my Will that my Son-in-law George Barnett have the use of Thirty [30] Acres of Land during Six years–to be allotted to him out of the tract I now live on, (he paying a Yearly acknowledgement of twenty shillings to my loving wife for the same) where my Executors shall think most proper.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my loving Son Richard Bedon, my Sword and Cane, a Stone Ring and a pair of Silver shoe-Buckles to him and his heirs forever.

Item, it is my express Will and desire and I hereby give full power in ordering my Executors to sell and dispose of a tract of land at Pon Pon River containing Eighteen Hundred [1800] Acres, and to ratify, make and confirm good and sufficient Title or Titles thereunto to such person or persons that shall purchase the same.

Item, Whereas I have already given unto my other children a sufficient part of my Estate, therefore I now give and bequeath unto my loving wife Elizabeth Bedon all the rest and residue of my personal Estate and the free use and improvement of my home and all the lands belonging to it, not already disposed of, during her natural life–and after her decease, then I give and bequeath the said house and lands of my loving Son Richard Bedon and to his heirs forever.

Lastly, I do make and ordain my loving wife Elizabeth Bedon Executrix, and my loving Son Richard Bedon, and my Son-in-law John Norman, Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and I do utterly revoke and annul all former Wills by me heretofore made.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the day and year above mentioned.

Rich'd Bedon. (Seal)

Signed, sealed and declared in the presence of us.

Tho's [Thomas] Waring.
John Prentice.
Samuel Balor.

• James Barnwell Heyward, compiler, The Genealogy of the Pendarvis-Bedon Families of South Carolina, 1670-1900: Together With Lineal Ancestry of Husbands and Wives Who Intermarried With Them; Also References to Many Associated Southern Families (Atlanta, Georgia: Foote & Davies Company, 1905), 62–63.