Norman/Maxwell Family

removed from Dorchester, SC

This William Norman is contemporarily referred to as William Norman I, the first in a line of several William Normans from Liberty Co., GA. This line is described in an article on the Liberty Co., Georgia GAGenWeb Project site at http://www.rootsweb.com/~galiber3/norman.html (which was taken from William Harden, "A History of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II," The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1913, pp. 641-642). A descendant of the article's subject (Newton J. Norman, Sr.) was a DNA match to a descendant of William Norman I's uncle, John Norman, born ca. 1711. Many of John Norman's Norman descendants are densely concentrated in present-day Colquitt Co., Georgia and surrounding areas.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~galiber3/norman.html

In the name of God Amen. I William Norman of Saint John's Parish in the Province of Georgia, being infirm in Body, but of sound mind and Memory, Do make, ordain, and Rattifie this my Last Will and Testament, Hereby Revoking and Disannulling all others whatsoever, as followeth, I recommend my Soul to God _____ _____, and _____ I commit to the Earth, to be decently Bury'd according to the Discretion of my Executor[in] hopes of a Glorious Resurrection through Jesus Christ to Eternal Life. My lawful [debts] first being paid, I dispose of all my Worldly Estate as followeth. ~~~

Item, I give and bequeath unto my Loving Wife Mary Norman, One fourth part of my Personal Estate, together with a Riding Chair, Two Horses, and a Negro Boy named Plymouth, to Her, her Heirs and assigns forever. It is my Desire and Will also that my Wife shall Live on my Plantation as long as She shall remain my Widow.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my Loving Daughter Mary Norman, One Third of my Personal Estate to be Deliver'd to her by my Executors, when she arrives to the age of Eighteen Years or Marriage, to her, Her Heirs and assigns forever. ~~~ Item, I give unto my Loving Daughter Renchy Norman One half of my Personal Estate to be deliver'd to her when she arrives to the Age of Eighteen Years or Marriage. ~~~ Item, I give unto my Loving Son William Norman the Remainder of my Personal Estate, and it is my Desire and Will, That my Son (at the age of Eighteen or Marriage) shall have his Choice of Either One of my Tracts of Land I now Possess in this province, to him, his Heirs and Assigns forever. I will further, that my other Tract of Land, be Sold, and the Money be Equally Divided betwixt my Wife Mary Norman, and my Children, Mary, Renchy, and William Norman's, to them, their Heirs and assigns forever. I desire and Will, That if Either of my Children should Die before they arrive to the age of Eighteen or Marriage, Then that part so Bequeathed unto them, to Return and be Equally Divided amongst the Survivors, to them, their Heirs and assigns forever.

Lastly, I constitute and appoint my loving Wife Mary Norman my Executrix, and my Trusty Friends, John Elliott and Joseph Way my Executor's of this my last Will and Testament to Manage and Dispose of all the wordly [sic] Estate that it has please Got to bless me with, as above mention'd.

In witness whereof I have set my hand and Seal this third-day of March in the thirteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Third King, and Defender of the Faith &c. Anno Dommina [sic], One Thousand Seven hundred and Seventy three.

Signed, Sealed, publish'd and Deliver'd by the above nam'd William Norman }
as his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us who have }
Subscrib'd our names as Witnesses, In the presence and at the }
Request of the said Testator the day and year above written ~~~ } Willm Norman

Lazares Mallard
John Bacon Junr.
Rebekah Elliott

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Georgia

Before His Excellency Sir James Wright Baronet Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief of His Majesty's said Province of Georgia Chancellor and Ordinary of the Same

Personally appeared Lazarus Mallard of the Parish of St John Planter[?] one of the subscribing witnesses to the within written Last Will and Testament of William Norman of the same Parish, Planter deceased who, being duly sworn on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God made Oath that he was present and did see the said Testator Sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the same to be and Contain his last Will and Testament, and that he was of Sound and disposing mind and memory to the best of His Knowledge and belief and that he with John Bacon Junior and Rebekah Elliott subscribed their names as Witnesses to the said Will at the request and in the presence of the said Testator and in Each other's Presence

At the same time John Elliott and Joseph Way two of the Executors named in the said Will Qualified as such, Given under my Hand the 3d day of April 1773

Jas. Wright

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Georgia

By His Excellency Sir James Wright Baro't Captain General Governor in Chief of his Majesty's said province & Ordinary of the same

To Parmenas Way & Audley Maxwell Esquires ~~~

I Reposing Special trust and Confidence in the Fidelity care and Circumspection of you the said Parmenas Way and Audley Maxwell Have given and Granted and by these presents Do Give and grant unto you the said Parmenas Way and Audley Maxwell or either of you full power and authority to Administer the Oath of and Executor named in the annexed Will of William Norman of the parish of St. John Planter deceased on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God before you the said Parmenas Way and Audley Maxwell or either of you to be taken, which so don you are to return with all Convenient speed to the Secretary's Office of the province.

Given under my hand and Seal at Savannah the Third day of April in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy three and in the Thirteenth year of the reigh of his Majesty King George the Third ~~~

James Wright

By his Excellency's Command

Thos. Moody Sec'ry

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You Mary Norman do Swear that you believe the annexed to be the last Will of William Norman Deceased and that you will produce to them and inform the appraisers that shall be appointed by the Ordinary all and singular the goods and Chattels of the said William Norman deceased as already have or shall before the day of making the appraisements come into your hand, Possession or knowledge, and that you will well and truly Administer all and singular the goods Chattels rights and Credits of the said Deceased and pay his debts and Legacies as far as his Estate will Extend and the Law Charge you and that you will make a true and perfect Inventory of all the rights and Credits of the said deceased whether the same be in ready money, Judgements [sic], Cash or other _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Has worth, a List or Schedule of the Books of Accounts of the said Deceased and Exhibit or cause to be Exhibited the said Inventory or Schedule together with the Appraisement the said deceased's goods goods [sic] and Chattels Certified the hands of three or more of the appraisers aforesaid into the Secretary's office of this province within the time Prescribed by Law ~~~~ So help you God.

                                    Mary Norman

These do Certify that the above oath was duly administered to Mary Norman and Transcribed by her the Twenty first day of April 1773

                                    Parmenas Way J.P.