KERSHAW COUNTY (CRAVEN COUNTY), SOUTH CAROLINA - WILL OF Edward MCGRAW - 1781

N THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.I, EDWARD MCGRAW, SENR. of Craven County and Providence of South Carolina am weak in body but of perfect sound mind and memory expecting shortly to die and come to judgement, do make and ordain this my last will and testament and as I hope to die in the Christian Faith and be buried in a Christian like manner shall add no more words to that preamble-but as touching what worldly goods it hath been pleased God to bless me with I give and devise in manner and form following that is to say first of all it may be remembered that all my former children Viz. James McGraw, William McGraw, Edward McGraw, Arthur McGraw and Enoch McGraw, deceased, Sarah Sharpton and Mary Wrandel have formerly res’d their legacies of my estate and fully satisfied---

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son John McGraw one hundred acres of land laid out to him by marks and bounds known to be called his part of land: Elizabeth McGraw, Obedience, Lucy, Martha, Patience McGraw I give and bequeath to each and every one of them one shilling sterling to them and their heirs for ever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto Jacob McGraw my one hundred acres of land already laid out to him, to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son Reuben McGraw one hundred acres and to contain the plantation whereupon I now live. Observing that fifty acres of the same is already laid out to my son Benjm McGraw so that the hundred acres divided between my sons Benjm &Reuben McGraw to them and their heirs for ever: Percilla, Janit, Dorcas & Solomon McGraw my children also I give and bequeath unto each and every one of them one shilling sterling to them and their heirs forever. So that four substances of the whole my tract of land whereon I now dwell, containing three hundred acres is already divided between four of my sons to wit 100 acres to my son John; 100 acres to my son Jacob, 50 acres to my son Benjamin and 50 acres to my son Reuben including the plantation whereon I now dwell, to them and their heirs for ever & as for the remainder of what stock and house hold goods I have, I give and bequeathe unto my well beloved son Reuben, only observe to be lent to my well beloved wife Aimay McGraw her life time and then to return to my son Reuben & his heirs for ever.

IN WITNESS thereof, have hereunto set my hand and seal the 10th day of January in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one and in the twenty first year of his Majestys reign. In presence of us his Jacob Gibson Edward  X  McGraw

Jesse Fort (mark not recorded), proved 3 February 1784