Will Book A, pp. 272 - 273
Recorded 9 Nov 1809

In the Name of God Amen, I, William Elam, of the State of South Carolina, Edgefield District, Being Aged and weak in Body But of sound Memory, Do make, Constitute and ordain this my last Will and Testament, Disannulling, and Revoking all others that I have made heretofore in manner and form following, Viz.

Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Son John Elam One Negroe Fellow by the name of Charles, and one Negroe Woman by the Name of Polley and her Child, a boy named Billey and a Bay Horse by the Name of Sterling, and their Increase to him and his Heirs for ever.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Frances Ward One Negroe Fellow by the name of Matt and one Negroe Boy by the name of James to Her and Her Heirs forever.

Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Burress Four Negroes Namely, Peter, Liddy, Sarah And Pink and their Increase to her and her Heirs forever.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Grand Daughter Mary Talbert One Negroe Girl named Mary and her Increase to Her and her Heirs forever.

Item. I give unto my Sons Solomon Harmon and Martin Elam Five Dollars Each, they having been before provided for.

And Lastly I give and Bequeath all the residue of my Estate not before Willed to be Equally Devided Between my Two Daughters Frances Ward and Elizabeth Burress to them and their Heirs forever.

And I do Constitute and Appoint My Son John Elam, and my Son in Law John Burress my Executors to this my last Will and Testament.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and seal this seventh Day of December Eighteen Hundred and five. William (his mark) Elam (Seal)

Signed, Sealed published pronounced and Delivered by the said William Elam as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us: William Tillery, John (X) Dorton, Joseph Brunson, William Wash.

South Carolina, Edgefield District, Personally appeared before me John Dorton, Joseph Brunson and William Wash who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of almighty God do make Oath and Say that he Saw William Elam Sign Seal pronounced and declare the Same to be his last will and
Testament, that he the Said William Elam was then of Sound and disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of the deponants knowledge and belief and that they the Said John Dorton, Joseph Brunson and William Wash did Sign their names as witnesses thereto at the Request of the
Testator in his Presence. at the Same Time Quallified John Elam and John Burris Exectors.
Given under my hand at my office the 31st October 1809, Jn. Simkins, O.E.D.

Will Book C, pp. 157 - 158
17 Nov 1824

In the name of God, Amen, I, John Elam of the State of S. Carolina and District of Edgefield, being weak in body but of Sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed be almighty God for the Same, do make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner and form, following, that is to Say:

First I Leave to my beloved wife Mary Elam during her life all my property both real and personal, and at her death my will is that my Executors hereinafter mentioned Shall sell all my property both real and personal except my negroes the Land on one two and three Years credit with Intrest from the day of Sale and the property on a credit of one year and my will is that they Shall devide the Lands into any size tracts So as to be the most to the interest of my Estate and the money arising from the Sale of my property to be divided in the following manner,

First, I give to my Son in law John Buckhalter the sum of Fifty Dollars, the one half the balance I give to my daughter Mary Davis, and the orher half I give to my Eight grand children, James Buckhalter, Tandy Buckhalter, Christina (?) Buckhalter, Polly Buckhalter, Elizabeth Buckhalter, Martha Buckhalter, Susannah Buckhalter and Martin Buckhalter; share and share a like Except the Sum of one hundred Dollars which I leave to the Children of my grandaughter, Jane Terry.

And my will is that my negroes Shall be put into two lotts, as Equal in value as my Executors probably can. One Lott to be marked with the Letter "P" and the other Lott to be marked with the Letter "S" and my Executors to have them drawn for and the Lott in part marked "P" I give to my daughter Mary Davis and the other lott a part marked "S" I leave to my Daughter Susannah Buckhalter during her life and at her Death I will them to the Eight Youngest Children of my daughter Susannah Buckhalter and to the Children of my grand daughter Jane Terry, that is to say [my] will is that the Children of my Grand daughter Jane Terry one tenth part and the balance to be divided equally between the other Eight children of my Daughter Susannah Buckhalter, but my will is that the part of my negroes Given to my grand children at the death of their mother Susannah Buckhalter Shall not be sold for the purpose of making a division But that They Shall be put into as many Shares as there are Children. Say, nine Shares as Equal as possible and that they Shall Draw for them, but in case any of my Grand Children should happen to die before they become of age my will Is, that their share part Shall be Equally Divided between the Survivors - and in case any Dispute Should happen to arise respecting the right of any of my property my will is that my Executors shall make any arrangement in Settlement that they may think Most to the Interest of my Estate and Lastly I do hereby Nominate constitute and appoint my Worthy Friend George B. Elam, Daniel Brunson, and Charles Hammond Executors to this my last will and Testament.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this Seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty four.

John (his mark) Elam

Signed, Sealed, published and declared by the above named John Elam to be his last will and Testament in the presence of us, who have Subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the testator: Henry Huffman, Thomas Brunson, Joseph Brunson.

Recorded November 17, 1824
Jn. Simkins, O. E. D.

Will Book D, pp. 298 - 300
18 Mar 1847

State of South Carolina, Edgefield District

I, George B. Elam Senr. of the District and State aforesaid, planter, being of sound and disposing mind and Memory, do make, ordain, and declare the following to be my last Will and testament.

1st. I give and devise unto my four sons, viz. William F. Elam, George B. Elam, Jr., Martin B. Elam, and Patrick H. Elam to be equally divided between them and to their heirs forever My tract of land lying in Lincoln County in the State of Georgia on Savannah River adjoining lands of John Hardy, ---Nally & Walker & Sistrunk, near Ferguson Ferry, containing Nine hundred and ninety acres more or less.

2nd. I give and bequesth unto my son William F. Elam and his heirs forever the following negro slaves, viz. Henry, Charles, Emily and her two children Edmund and Caroline, Elbert, Louisa, and Handy and the future increase of the females.

3rd. I give and bequeath unto my son George B. Elam, Jr. to him and his heirs forever, the following negro slaves, viz. Edmund, Phoeby, Lewis, Will, George, Hannah and her two children Sarah and Jim and the future increase of the females.

4th. I give and bequeath unto my son Martin B. Elam and his heirs forever the following negro slaves, viz. Jack, Spencer, Moriah, Solomon Richmond, Lucy and children Andrew & Green, and the future increase of the females.

5th. I give and bequeath unto my son Patrick H. Elam and his heirs forever the following negro slaves, viz. Oliver, Abram, Dolphus, Reuben, Violet, Matilda, Dilay and her two children Peter & Betsey and the future increase of the females.

6th. I may deliver the negroes in the above clauses named in my lifetime to my said sons, if so, it will be as a loan merely until my death.

7th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Carolina P. Elam, the following negro slaves viz. Henry Wood, Moses, Harriet, Elizabeth, Eliza and her three children Rachel, Caroline and Jane with the future increase of the females, to be held by my said daughter for the period of her natural
life, and at her death to be equally divided between such child or children as she may leave living at her death and if any child of my said daughter Should have died in her life time leaving child or children, he or she or they to take their parent's Share.

8th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Cornelia M. Elam, the following negro Slaves Viz. Anderson, Osborn, Cook, Fairee, Harry, Alpha, Nancy and her child Nick with the future increase of the females, to be held by my said daughter Cornelia upon the same terms and provisions as are stated above in regard to the slaves given to my daughter, Carolina P. Elam.

9th. It is my will that out of the residue and remainder of my estate real and personal my just debts be paid, and the balance of my said estate real and personal after payment of my debts I direct to be kept together for the use and benefit of my wife Mary Elam and my Mother Judith Elam during their lives, and the life of the survivor of them, and at the death of the Survivor it is my will that all the Estate real and personal hereby given to my wife and mother Shall be sold and the proceeds equally divided between all my children in fee simple.

10th. It is my will that if any of my said children should die without leaving a child or children surviving them, that the share of my said child so dying Shall be equally divided between my surviving children, the child or children of a deceased child to take the share of the said deceased child, and this provision to relate to all the bequests of my will.

11th. It is my Will that the foregoing specific bequests of slaves to my two daughters shall be delivered to them respectively as they severally marry or reach lawful age. And so in reference to their Share of the estate given to my wife and mother for life, if the Estate of my wife and mother should end before my daughters Marry or attain lawful age. Otherwise when the said estate shall be ended as the case may be.

12th. I nominate and appoint my Wife Mary Elam, Executrix and my sons William F. Elam and Patrick H. Elam Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all others.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this the twelth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and forty-five and in the Seventieth year of American Indendance.     Geo. B. Elam, Sen. (Seal)

Signed, sealed and Acknowledged by the Testator in our presence  & by us subscribed at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other:
John Adams, James D. Hammond, John (x) Jones.
March 18th, 1847, John Hill, O. E. D.