Slave Name Roll Project # 5 ~ From the Will of James Gregorie

Earlier this week I had a request through Ancestry to share my tree with someone looking at the Rivers family. The Rivers family is a direct line for my children through their paternal great grandmother Annaleize Edmondston (Rivers) Plowden. I make it a habit to review any lines I haven't worked in a while before sharing my tree to make sure I have no new hints to follow and my "i's and t's" are crossed. In doing my review, I discovered a will for James Gregorie. James Gregorie was born about 1740 in Edinburgh, Scotland. James wrote his will on 31 December 1806 in Charleston, South Carolina where he lived and it was proved on 4 December 1807. James Gregorie died at sea onboard the Huntress Breeze enroute to New York for his health. 

                                          Mortuary Notice for James Gregorie, published 17 July 1807. Image from GenealogyBank.com

Here is a brief genealogical sketch of the connection between the Rivers family and the Gregorie family. My children's 2nd cousin, 4x removed is Emilie Rivers Venning (1848-1921) who married Edmund Gregorie (1848-1924). Edmund is the great grandson of James Gregorie (1740-1807). James suffered a tragic loss in 1784 when he lost his wife Ann and three of their five children at sea. On 22 February 1789, James remarried in South Carolina to Mary Christina Hopton. James and Mary had no children together. The only heirs in his will beside his wife Mary, are his two sons, Alexander Fraser Gregorie and James Gregorie II (some records list him as Jr.) from his first marriage. James II, is the father of Edmund Gregorie. 

Today I am posting the pages of James Gregorie's will that details the names of slaves that he willed to his wife, Mary Christiana and his sons, Alexander Fraser Gregorie and James Gregorie, II. I will also be posting the page from Mary Christiana's will that pertains to the slaves she inherited from her husband.

Will of James Gregorie, page 2, the names of 31 slaves he willed to his wife, Mary Christiana (Hopton) Gregorie. Image from FamilySearch.org

Also the following thirty one Slaves, to wit. Old Robin, Davey, Kitt, Lewis, Adam, Jacob, Old Nelly,  Miley, Old Sarah, Katey, Jefsey, Grace, Judy, Nanny, Katey, Nancy, Cato, Fanny, William, Little Nanny, Dick, Lucy, William, Amos, Jamey, Mingo, Dick, Motley, George and Richard together with the future issue of the females of them from the date of this my will.

Will of James Gregorie, page 3, the names of 25 slaves he willed to his son, Alexander Fraser Gregorie.Image from FamilySearch.org

Item I give and bequeath to my son Alexander Fraser, his Executors Administrators and Assigns, the following twenty five Slaves, to Wit. Abram, Mulatto Billy, Empy, George, Johnny, Harry, Abram, Billey, Bob, Phil. Jamey, Thomas, Nelly, Franky, Penney, Alice, Jenney, Nancy, Suckey, Charles, Mary, Little Nelly, Little Franky, Little Jonney and Polly together with all the Children of the females of them, who have been born since who have been born since their Parents have been in the possession of my said Son, as well as those which shall be born after the date of this My Will.

Will of James Gregorie, page 5, the names of eight slaves that he will to his s on James Gregorie II.Image from FamilySearch.org

Item I give and bequeath unto my Son James, his Executors Administrators and Assigns the following eight slaves Viz. Nelly and her son Ben, Richard, Faddy, Shadwell, Dinah, Matilda and her child Bella, together with the future issue of the females of them from the date of this my will.

In all there were 64 slaves listed in the will of James Gregorie. I have not yet found any type of estate inventories that may have additional names of his slaves but will continue to keep looking. I have also not been able to locate the wills or any type of estate inventories for Alexander who died in 1848 and James who died in 1852 at this time.

I also found the will of Mary Christiana (Hopton) Gregorie at FamilySearch.org on page 4 of her will, I discovered what happened to a few of the slaves that she was willed by her husband, James. For several of them who appear to be families she requested their freedom while others went back to heirs of her husband James.

Will of Mary Christiana Gregorie, page 4, Image from Ancestry.com

Whereas my husband, Mr Js Gregorie did by his will leave me the Life possession of Certain Negroes belonging to his Estate, the Same to revert to his heirs after my decease but giving me the power and permission to leave said Negroes to Such heirs of his as I might think right and proper and also with the Consent of his Executors any of the Said Slaves might be Sold ye Amount to descend as the Negroes to his heirs. I therefore with their Consent having had ye following named Negroes lawfully appraised have purchased them 6 p ^r C ^t  United States Stock Viz^t . Dick or Richard, a Carpenter, Caty, Fanny and her Son William to these four and any future children Fanny may have, I hereby Leave and bequeath their full freedom, requesting my heirs and Exors: to confirm it to them as fully as ye Law Will allow 6 p^r  C^t  ye Six p.^r  C.^t  Stock for which these Slaves were Sold I leave and bequeath to J. Ladson Gregorie ye Son of James Gregorie Sen and also ye price of Cato, who also sold for 6 p^r C^t United States Stock ye others. ye remainder of ye negroes I will and bequeath altogether to Alex Fraz. Gregorie and to his heirs, requesting he permit Mingo a cooper to remain in Town with his Family to work his Trade and pay him Wages, Nelly the wife of Mingo with her Son an' daughter, Jack and Phoebe being my property purchased and paid for with my own Money Some years ago I bequeath as follows Viz. to Nelly I leave and Will her to have her freedom requesting it may be Lawfully Confirmed to her her children Jack a  cooper and Phoebe a washer whom I esteem to be good orderly people I Leave and bequeath to my niece S Dehon her heirs and assigns forever, Bob whom I purchased since ye death of Mr Gregorie I Leave and bequeath to Mrs Alicia Middleton her heirs and assigns forever I also leave her in like manner Cretia and her only child  June requesting that they not be Separated and I earnestly request if any of my people s be sold they may Chuse their purchasers.

Today, I release the names of the slaves belonging to James Gregorie and who he willed to his wife and sons. I hope that they are now at peace and that their families will find them soon. They are Old Robin, Davey, Kitt, Lewis, Adam, Jacob, Old Nelly, Miley, Old Sarah, Katey, Jefsey, Grace, Judy, Nanny, Katey, Nancy, Cato, Fanny, William, Little Nanny, Dick, Lucy, William, Amos, Jamey, Mingo, Dick, Motley, George, Richard, Abram, Mulatto Billy, Empy, George, Johnny, Harry, Abram, Billey, Bob, Phil, Jamey, Thomas, Nelly, Franky, Penney, Alice, Jenney, Nancy, Suckey, Charles, Mary, Little Nelly, Little Franky, Little Jonney, Polly, James, Nelly and her son Ben, Richard, Faddy, Shadwell, Dinah, Matilda and her child Bella, Jack and Phoebe.
 
Sources:

 "James Gregorie," mortuary notice, People's Friend (New York, New York), 17 July 1807, vol. I, issue 271, page 3; online index and digital image, GenealogyBank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 9 March 2017), Newpaper Archives, 1690-2010; this image and index is through online subscription only.

"South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 9 March 2017), Charleston County, Wills, 1807-1818, Vol. 031, image numbers 38-47 of 497 images; entry for James Gregorie.

"South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 9 March 2017), Charleston County, Wills, 1818-1826, Vol. 035, image numbers 427-432 of 437 images; entry for Mary Christiana Gregorie.


Editor's Notes: 

The will of James Gregorie was recorded in Will Book E - 1807-1818 and recorded on page 11. This is a typescript of the original will and this is my translation of this copy with spelling and punctuation as it was found at FamilySearch.org.

The will of Mary Christiana Gregorie was recorded in Will Book F - 1818-1826 and was recorded on page 483. This is a typescript of the original will and this is my translation of this copy with spelling and punctuation as it was found at FamilySearch.org.