52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 8: Where There’s a Will: the Will of James Loveless of Greenville Co, SC

I am working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I’m looking forward to writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

I do not have many wills for my direct lines on my mother’s side of the family. I have some cases where the estate was probated intestate. Here is one will for my 4x-great-grandfather, James Loveless of Greenville County, South Carolina, who died in 1846.[1] 

I had previously written about James' will in 2013 but I have not done more with this research. Looking at this again is a very good idea and when I visit the Family History Library next month, this would be a good subject to work on. 

James Loveless (1771-1846) died sometime in between 28 Aug 1845 when he signed the will and 13 Jul 1846 when the will was recorded. He was my fourth great-grandfather on my maternal grandmother’s side.

Here is the transcription:
[p 215]
James Loveless Will
SOUTH CAROLINA       }                              
GREENVILLE DISTRICT  }                In the name of God Amen           
     I James Loveless Senr. Being of sound and
disposing memory but weak in body and
calling to mind the uncertainty of life
and being desirous to dispose of all such
worldly estate as it hath pleased God to
bless me with do make and ordain this
[p 216]
my last will and testament in manner fol=
lowing.
        First) I desire my executors herein
named to pay all my just debts and funeral
expenses.
       I give unto my wife Linna Loveless Senr.
my home tract of land whereon I now live con=
taining two hundred acres more or less during
her life and at her death to go to my son
James T. Loveless by his paying my three
daughters that is Mary Loveless Ruth
Loveless and Linna Loveless Jr one hundred
dollars each.
     I also give my wife Linna Loveless Senr.
a negro boy named Ben and at her death
she has the liberty to dispose of him as she
may think proper. __ I also give her two
nags my black mare ?ol [Sol?] and my black
horse Dunk our cow and calf  two beds and
furniture a trunk and small chest and the
small cupboard one table the wheels and cards
the chairs and Kitchens furniture I also give
her my stock of hogs and my sheep my wag-
gon & gear and plantation tools.
     I also give unto my wife Linna Loveless
a Negro woman named Charlott during
her life and at her death for said negro
and her futer [future] increase to be equally
divided between my son James T Love=
=less and my three daughters Mary
Loveless Ruth Loveless and Linna Love=
=less Jr.  _____    I desire that my executors
hereafter named sell the whole of the re
==sidue of my property consisting of a tract
of land containing two hundred and fifty
acres more or less and six negroes

p 217
named Jim, Abby, Bob Mary Martha and
Rachel and the whole of the balance of my
personal estate that is not heretofore dis-
posed of and that the proceeds be equally
divided between my sons William Loveless
Levi Loveless Thomas Loveless Hazle Love
less Allen Loveless and Jesse Loveless and
my daughter Elizabeth Crawford and
John Loveless’s children to come in for his
equal share in the above dividend. ----
     To each of my daughters Mary Ruth
and Linna  I have given a cow and calf a
bed and furniture I have also given
them bills of sale to a negro each and
they have some household furniture
consisting of bedsteads bed clothing a
table and crockery ware which they have
bought themselves & which is not included
above as I have no clam to them.  ----
     I also wish that the crop that's
growing on the land at my decease or
if it is gathered to belong to my wife
and that it be not sold.  ---------------------
      And lastly I do constitute and ap
point James T Loveless my son and Ira
Arnold, Executor of this my last will
and testament in testimony whereof
I have set my hand and seal this twenty
eighth August 1845 -- Signed sealed and
acknowledged in the presence of
George Gambell        }
Archibald Johnson    }                 James Loveless Senr. (L.S.)
Mason N Gambell     }

p 218
James T. Loveless &           }  Greenville dist. S. Carolina
Ira Arnold Exts           }
Of James Loveless’ will      }
vs.                  }  Probate of will in
The heirs of said         }  solemn form
James Loveless dec’d         }  in the court of ordinary

   Personally appeared Archibald Johnson
and Mason N. Gambrell and after bring
duly sworn saith on said oath that the
said James Loveless late of said district
deceased sign the annexed writing an?? [in binding]
and heard him declare the same to be
his last will and testament.  The said
deponents further state, that at the time
the said testator signed and declared the
above stated he was to the best of their
knowledge and belief of said deponents
of a sound mind memory and un
=derstanding and that the said de
=ponents with George Gambrell did
at the request and in the presence of
said testator and in the presence of each other
sign the said will as witnesses. – Sworn
13th day of July 1846.
Jno Watson                      Mason N. Gambrell
O.G.D.                                 Archibald Johnson

The above is all the testimony offered in the above
case none of the parties appeared to contest the
will. – It appearing that all the parties in
this state were duly cited and notified
and that those out of the state were
notified by advertisement in the Greenville
Mountaineer paper for three months
Previous to this day none of them ap
pearing to object their consent is then for

p 219
taken as confest [I think that is the word]. Ordered and decreed
that the ??m said will stand proven in solemn
form and that the same with the above pro-
ceedings be recorded --- July 13th 1846
                                    Jno Watson
                                    O. G. D.


From this will, I extracted the following information:
--James Loveless wrote his will and it was witnessed on 28 Aug 1845
--James Loveless' will was proven in court on 13 Jul 1846
--His wife was Linna Loveless Senr.
--His sons who were living were: William, Levy, Thomas, Hazle [Hazel], Allen, Jesse, James T.
--His son who had died: John. His unnamed children were also to receive a share
--His daughters living were: Ruth, Mary, Linna Junr. & Elizabeth Crawford
--8 slaves were mentioned: Ben and Charlott, Jim, Abby, Bob, Mary, Martha, and Rachel
--Son James T. Loveless and Ira Arnold were executors.
--He gave wife: tract of land where she lived, slave named Ben, slave named Charlott, two nags, a black mare, horse named Dank, cow & calf, two beds and furniture a trunk and small chest and the small cupboard, wheels and cards, one table, chairs, kitchen furniture, stock of hogs and sheep, wagon, and plantation gear and tools.
--land from mother was to go to James T. Loveless upon her death
--$100 each to be given to daughters Ruth, Linna Junr, & Mary Loveless paid by James T. Loveless after death of mother
--He desired the rest to be sold (250 acres land, 6 slaves, personal estate) to be divided equally among sons, daughter Elizabeth Crawford, and children of John Loveless.
--Crop on land now was to be given to wife
--James Loveless and Ira Arnold brought will in to ordinary court to be filed
--The notice of the will was listed in the Greenville Mountaineer for three months
--No one contested the will so there were no further records.

Further work with I should do with this document is to follow the slaves by checking the slave schedule in 1850 and by checking land records for possible sales. His wife was given two of the slaves and the other six were probably sold to distribute the money to the children. Keeping track of these slaves might help African Americans who are researching their ancestors.




[1] “South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977,” digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : 22 Dec 2013), Greenville District South Carolina, Wills book 1840-1852, vol. C,  p 215-218, James Loveless.

Copyright © 2018 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family

Comments

  1. Thank You Lisa for researching and writing about the Enslaved with your Ancestors. These are the documents that are so pertinent in People of Color research. Rest in Power Ben and Charlotte! Jim , Abby, Bob , Mary, Martha, & Rachel. ����

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I'll try to do my part. I just need to now follow through on the trail.

      Delete

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