Petition #21381006

Abstract

William Wightman, the administrator of the late Benjamin Paul Williams, seeks the court's "interference & direction" in executing Williams's will. He states that Williams directed in his will that six of his slaves "be set free from all manner ... of slavery or servitude." His will also gave the "two wenches Catharina & Charlotte the sum of one hundred dollars each, to prepare their way in some measure to make an honest Livelihood;" the other four mulatto slaves, three of whom are minors, were to be provided for by Williams's close friend, Elias Ball, to whom he devised "my East Tenement" in Charleston, "the main end & chief purpose of this my gift to him the said Elias Ball Esqr. is as a means to protect & support the helpless slaves above mentioned." He reports that the "slaves are not yet emancipated according to the directions of the said Testator & therefore have applied to your Orator to comply with the will ... & also to pay unto them the Pecuniary Legacies which have been bequeathed to them." Wightman "cannot see any sound objection" to their emancipation; however, he conceives that payment of the legacies presents problems due to "the youth of some of them." Noting that Elias Ball died shortly after Williams, he is unsure as to how to proceed without injuring the rights of the parties or involving "himself in responsibility." He therefore prays that the court "may be pleased to make such Order & Directions" on the said questions "as to your Honors shall seem fit."

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Citation information

Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina

Subjects