Estate Records of Betsey M. Adams
The State of Alabama
Macon County
I Betsey M. Adams wife of Robert Adams of said County & State being possessed of a separate estate and desiring of disposing of the same after my death do make, declare and publish this my last will and testament, hereby provoking all others previously made by me.
Item 1. I give, bequeath and devise unto my brother, Henry H. Grimes the following Negroes namely, Nancy a woman about twenty one years old and her children now born and that may be hereafter born and all their of issue increase and also the tract of land which I own situate in Russell County and State of Alabama and lying between the lands at present owned by my brother, the said Henry H. Grimes and my brother-in-law George A. Moore, all of said Negroes and said land being now in the possession of the said George A Moore. The said Henry H. Grimes to leave and to hold the above quartered Negroes and devised land in trust for my sister, Ann Moore, wife of said George A. Moore for her sole and separate use during her natural life and at her death, to be equally divided between the children of the said Margaret(?) Moore, except for her daughter Elizabeth Moore, who is ----provided for------. The children of the said George Moore, should die leaving no issue surviving them, such child's portion to be equally divided between such child's surviving brothers and sisters or the descendants of such as may have-----are to take their parents portion. Provided, however, that the said Henry H. Grimes is hereby provided and authorized to take and keep said bequeathed regions and devised lands, discharge of said trust, as such valuation as may be placed upon said Negroes and land by those disinterested persons of whom shall be---by the said Henry H. Grimes and another by the said Ann Moore, and the third by the two ----- chosen; and the said Henry H. Grimes is to hold the amount of said valuation in trust as provided in reference to said Negroes and land or to invest the same in other property as may be agreed in writing by the said Ann Moore, such property to be held subject to the trusts above specified and to the conditions above mentioned and provided in regards to said Negroes and land being understood that the said Henry H. Grimes can -----by valuation said Negroes or said and or both at his option.
Item 2. I give and bequeath unto my niece Sarah Jane Burdell the following Negroes namely Berriese(?) a boy and Eliza a girl and her children that may be hereafter born; said, in the event of the death of the said Sarah Jane Bur, leaving as children said Negroes and increase to be equally divided between the children of my brother, the said Henry H. Grimes.
Item 3. I give and bequeath unto my niece Elizabeth Moore the following Negroes, namely Sarah and her children now born and that may be thereafter born and all their future increase and Flora and her children now born and that may be thereafter born and all their future increase, and my household furniture and one third the valuation of the lands, hereafter devised to my brother Henry H. Grimes. And in the event of the death of the said Elizabeth Moore leaving no children, said property herein bequeathed to her, is to be equally divided between the children of my brother Henry H. Grimes and my niece Sarah Jane Burdell, share and share alike.
Item 4. I give and bequeath all the remainder of my personal estate, consisting of Negroes, stock, cattle, carriages & horses viz. viz. comprising every part and kind thereof and Negroes enumerated and specified in the above three items and of which I may be possessed at the time of my death unto my brother Henry H. Grimes.
Item 5. I give and devise unto my brother the said Henry H. Grimes, the following situate in said county of Macon, namely sections thirty six (36), the south half of section twenty-five (25) the west half of section thirty-one (31); the south east half of the south east quarter of the south east quarter of section thirty-five (35) all in Township Eighteen (18) of Range twenty four (24). The said land are now with the said Henry H. Grimes with the encumbrance of the purchase money for the same, which may be ---- unpaid at the time of my death and which it is my will and desire shall be paid out of said lands and subject also the farther encumbrance that the said Henry H. Grimes shall pay one third of the valuation of said lands to the said Elizabeth Moore.
Item 6. It is my will and desire that out of the income of my estate herein before bequeath to my brother, Henry H. Grimes, he shall purchase a Negro girl about ten years old and give the said Negro girl to Betsey Adams, daughter of Jesse L. V. Adams and in the course the said Betsey Adams should die leaving no children, said Negro girl increase to be divided between the children of the said Jesse L. V. Adams.
Item 7. It is my will and desire that my brother, Henry H. Grimes shall provide out of the income of my estate bequeathed to him, an ample and comfortable support for my nephew Robert W. Burdell.
Item 8. I do hereby appoint my brother, Henry H. Grimes my executor to carry unto his will. In writing, whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal ---- day of September 1855 declaring and publishing this last will and testament in presence of
Tom B. Campbell
James E. Dryer
B. M. Adams
Document 71
Loachapoka AL
H. H. Grimes, Exec for estate of Mrs. Betsey M. Adams, decd
to W. W. Bloodworth, Dr.
1860
Nov 27 to visit girl Sarah
4.00
Nov 28 to visit Sarah & Blister 4.50
Nov 29 to visit girl Sarah 4.00
Document 75
The State of Alabama, Macon County received of H. H. Grimes Executor of Betsey M. Adams decd the following Negroes to wit, Eliza, Bob & Berryan the said Negroes are bequeathed to Sarah Jane Burdell now Sarah Jane Fletcher in the 2nd item o f the last will & testament of the said Betsey M. Adams decd.
December 22, 1860
Witness
W. T. A. Kennedy
John A. Kennedy
W. W. Fletcher
S. J. Fletcher
Document 77
Received of Henry H. Grimes , Exe of the estate of Betsey M. Adams Eleven hundred dollars,
it being for the purchase of a Negro girl Gracy, said Negro girl being
purchased for Betsey Adams (daughter of Jesse L. Adams) which is in compliance of Betsey
M. Adams last will & testament the 2nd Apr AD 1861.
Johnson & Orr
Documents 95 & 96
The State of Alabama
Macon County
By virtue of an order issued by the Hon Lewis Alexander, Judge of Probate for Macon County & to the undersigned, W. J. Tally, James S. Zachery & W. H. Ezell directed for the purpose to make a just and true appraisement of the personal estate of Mrs. Betsey M. Adams, Dec'd. the following is a true schedule of the same.
| Bill a man | 69 years of age |
$50.00 |
| Lawson | 67 |
$50.00 |
| Miles | 58 | $50.00 |
| John | 67 | $100.00 |
| John Riley | 40 | $1000.00 |
| Calvin | 28 unsound | $1000.00 |
| Hal | 32 | $1200.00 |
| Jeff | 25 | $1500.00 |
| Henry | 38 | $600.00 |
| Riker | 22 | $1500.00 |
| Lewis | 17 | $1450.00 |
| Leander | 20 defective in mind | $500.00 |
| Isaac | 22 | $1400.00 |
| Ben | 16 | $1400.00 |
| Berry | 13 | $1200.00 |
| Taylor | 7 | $800.00 |
| Perry | 8 | $800.00 |
| Easter a woman | 60 | $50.00 |
| Francis | 27 and her child Ader | $1200.00 |
| Betsey | 12 | $900.00 |
| Aggy | 26 and her three children - Wesley, Rebecca & Effa | $1200.00 |
| Pleasant | 29 unsound | $400.00 |
| July Ann | 24 her two children Carline & Anna | $1600.00 |
| Ellen | 22 her three children Jesse, Junison & Wise | $1400.00 |
| Louisa | 14 | $1200.00 |
| Catherine | 12 unsound | $300.00 |
| Sally | 25 | $700.00 |
| Mary | 24 | $800.00 |
| Eliza | 24 her child Robert | $1700.00 |
| Sarah | 32 her three children Mary, William & Toby | $1900.00 |
| Nora | 18 | $1600.00 |
| Emeline | 13 | $1300.00 |
| Jin | 9 | $1000.00 |
| Flora | 27 her two children Florida & Elizabeth | $2100.00 |
| Nancy | 26 her three children Henry, Amanda & Oscar | $1700.00 |
| George a boy | 9 | $700.00 |
| Perry | 7 | $500.00 |