In the Name of God, Amen! I Guilford Alford, believing that I must shortly die, and having
a desire to arrange the distribution of the substance a Kind Providence has blessed me with
among my children, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in relation thereto.
Item 1st. I direct that all my just debts be paid.
Item 2nd. I give and bequeath unto my son James H. Alford, my negro man Harry (called Harry
Briscoe), his wife Mariah and their three children Dick, Harry & John, also my four negro
men Ned, Primus, Wiley, and Shop Harry, also a woman Caty and her two youngest children Ann
and James, & I hereby confirm unto my said son the gift of two negroes Johnson and William
heretofore made.
Item 3rd. I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Henrietta A. Wimberly, my three Negro boys
Bob, Washington and Isaac (called young Isaac), also a woman named Lucy and a girl named
Florinda, for the use of said daughter and her children, free from the disposition of her
present or future husband. I also confirm unto the said daughter the gift of six negroes
Joe and his wife Patience, and their four children, heretofore made.
Item 4th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Ann Barnett my negro woman Moll and her
child Frank, a negro girl named Lavinia, and my negro man Aaron, for the use of said daughter
and her children, free from the disposition of her present or any future husband. I also
confirm unto the said daughter the gift of six negroes, a negro man Buck and a negro woman
Amanda, and their four children heretofore made.
Item 5th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Caroline Augusta Alford my negro woman
Lucinda and her four children viz: Benjamin, Eliza, Allen and Mary, also negro woman
Julia and her two children Jane and Dilsey, a negro girl named Selina, a negro man
named Obe, and old Isaac, for the use of said daughter and the lawful issues of her
body; should the said daughter marry, said bequeath property to free from the disposition
of said or any future husband. And I hereby constitute and ordain my son James H. Alford
Master for said property.
Item 6th. As it is my desire that all of my children shall share equal in my property, I
direct that my Executor hereinafter named shall appoint three men as appraisers to value
the property bequeathed to each of my children including the Negroes mentioned as before
given to said children and upon a comparison of the expressed valuation of the present
given to each, he, my Executor, shall make up the difference to such as may have received
less than others, out of the residue of my estate hereinafter described.
Item 7th. I direct that my Executor hereinafter named shall dispose of the residue of my
property (including the negroes not bequeathed) and all the real and personal property I
may be possessed of at my death, using his own discretion, as to disposing of the negroes
and lands at public or private sale. And the balance of my property, after the settlement
of my debts, and necessary expenditures, and after carrying out the provisions contained
in the preceding Item, I direct shall be equally divided among my four children.
Item 8th. I appoint and constitute my son James H. Alford Executor of this my last Will
and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of September 1856.
G. Alford
Signed, sealed and declared to be the last will and testament of Guilford Alford, in the
presence of said testator and of each of us this 17th day of September 1856.
Joseph H. Stockton
Thomas S. Harrison
James S. Jones
Georgia
Columbia County
Personally came into open court Joseph H. Stockton and James S. Jones two of the subscribing
witnesses to the within will & testament, who being duly sworn say that they saw the testator
sign & seal the same, declaring it to be his last will & testament; that he was of sound mind
& memory; that they signed the same at the request of & in the presence of the testator, & of
each other, that Thomas S. Harrison also signed the same at the request of testator & in his
presence & in the presence of affiants.