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 1799 - 1855 (55 years)
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| Name |
William Zeigler |
| Born |
15 Nov 1799 |
Orangeburgh District, South Carolina  |
| Gender |
Male |
| WILL |
29 Jan 1855 |
Crawford County, Georgia |
John Washington Dent (1817-1880) Executor of will of his uncle
Page 29
Georgia
Crawford County
I William Zeigler of said County
being of sound mind & disposing
Memory & conscious that I must die do make,
Ordain and Publish this my last Will & Testament
Hereby Revoking all others by me made.
Item 1st My soul I submit to God with a hope that he
may Transport it to Eternal Bliss its passage I hope
having been provided for, as I hope by the Blood of
our saviour Jesus Christ.
My Body I direct my Executor hereafter
to be appointed to dispose of in the following
manner to wit--To procure a patent Coffin (Fetche,
Metalic or some other Patent Coffin of like nature).
Let it be placed therein in a neat Christian
Manner in a shroud of the neatest and best
material. Let it there remain until the following
preparations are made. Obtain a plat of ground
in Rose Hill Cemetery Macon Ga -- sixteen feet
square, as near the plat upon which is Erected the
Monument to the late Oliver H. Prince & Lady as
may be practicable. And erect thereon a vault of
sufficient thickness to Guarantee its durability
above the ground Plat the ground having been
first leveled -- to be supplied with a suitable Iron
Door & proper & secure fastenings -- and arched
roof made of the best brick and the best Workmanship
The whole of the said vault to be cemented with the
best Hydraulic cemment and the whole Plat to be
surrounded with Iron paleings & proper Gates of Iron
with security fastenings. The vault to be of sufficiant
size to admit the Coffin and persons to arrange it.
Then let my Coffin be placed therein with
a proper Monument in front of my vault --
suitable to my condition in Life and the Expenses
I direct to be paid by my Executor out of my Estate
for which a sufficient sum is hereby appropria
-ted and bequeathed to my Executor for the use
& Purpose aforesaid
Page 30
Item 2 I give devise and bequeath unto my beloved Nephew
John W. Dent the following described family of
Negroes to wit -- Sampson and his Wife Hannah &
their children Julia Tom & Nathan & their Increase
forever in fee & the settlement of Land, which I
now own that I bought from Isaac Dennis Sr
& which is fully described in the Deed which was
executed to me by said Dennis. All of the Lands
which I bought at Sheriffs Sale as the property of
Eleanah Sawyer and which is fully described in the
Sheriff's Deed conveying said Lands. The Lands which
I have since sold being hereby excepted, and the
Lands which I bought of Watson Sawyer a portion
of which I bought of him as his own and another
of him as guardian which is also fully described
by his Deeds -- And all the Lands which I bought
of Thomas Stripling which is fully described
in his Deeds to me -- and all of the Land which
I bought of Thomas H. Hill, being fully described
in the Deed to me from Hill to Myself and all the
Lands which I bought of William B. Jordan fully
described in his Deed to me And the Lot of Land
Known as the Gafford lot, being the Lot where on
Mrs Gafford lived a number of years and after
-wards Mrs Taylor lived, the whole of said Lot
as described by the Original Plat is hereby devised.
All of the above Lands described in this Item is
and are hereby devised unto the said John W
Dent forever in fee simple.
Item 3 I give and bequeath unto the son (William) of
my Nephew John W. Dent five hundred Dollars
in fee.
Item 4th Is my desire, and so I direct, that the colored
children of my Woman Slave Mary, be taken
to a state where the laws thereof will tolerate their
Manumission, or freedom & that they be there put
under Competent and proper Teachers Keeping
them together if possible where they may be properly educated
according to the Means hereinafter set forth. That
they be provided with good & suitable board and
lodging having an Eye in this as with selection
Page 31
of Teachers, to Strict Morality, also that they be
properly Clothed. And in respect to the said
William Henry -- it is my will and desire and so I
direct my Executors to do that he shall receive a
good Collegiate Education fiting him for any
Profession he may choose & I, wish him to be allow
-ed when he attains to the age of dicretion and is
qualified so to do to choose his profession, and
that this & the next Item may be faithfully and
effectually caused -- I hereby Nominate appoint
and depute my beloved Brother Henry Zeigler
Guardian of the person of Malinda Ann and
my Nephew John W. Dent guardian of the person
of William Henry and my Brother Lewis Zeigler
guardian of the person of Octavius.
Item 5th I direct that all my Estate both real & personal
of Whatever Kind, and wheresoever situated
be sold at Public Outcry Upon reasonable Notice
being given by publication except the special
bequest & Legacies to my Nephew John W. Dent.
Then I direct that if the said Malinda Ann
attaining to the age of twenty one the sum of Thirty
Thousand Dollars be paid to her & the interest
of said sum to be applied during her Minority
to her support, maintenance & Education, and
the further sum of thirty thousand Dollars
to be paid to William Henry if he attains
to the age of twenty one years, the Interest to be
applied to the payment of his Board, Maintenance
and Tuition during his Minority. And the sum
of Thirty thousand Dollars to be paid to the said
Octavius if she should attain to the age of twenty
one. Which sums respectively I hereby bequea
-th unto the said Malinda Ann, William
Henry & Octavius Individually & Respectively
When they respectively attain to the age of twenty
one years, & the Interest annually to each
of them during Minority or so much therof as may
be necessary. The Surplus interest if any to be
added to the thirty thousand Dollars & becomes
a part of the principal, and if either of them
should die before the age of Twenty one his or her
Page 32
share of thirty thousand Dollars I desire & so I direct
that the same be divided between the survivors
to be paid to them as when directed upon Majority
and if two of them should die before Majority then
it is my will & desire that the survivor when he or
she attains to twenty one years, shall receive
the whole Ninety thousand Dollars together with
all Interest that may have accrued thereon --
& if Neither of them should attain the age of
twenty one years then it is my Will and desire
and so I direct that it shall return to & become
a part of my residuum or in case it should have
been divided thereto take the same situation
in respect to distribution that it has, as set forth
in Eighth Item, and go to, and vest in the legatees
in the same & by the same Divisions in the same
proportions & to no one Else--Provided never the
less if either the said Malinda Ann William
Henry or Octavius should Marry & have a child
or children & then should die before twenty one,
then it is my will intention and desire
that his or her legacy to which he or she would
have been entitled of thirty thousand dollars,
shall go to and vest in his or her child or
children & not go to, vest in & be divided with and
among the Survivors as mentioned herein
before, and that they may be provided for until
my Estate can be sold & the thirty thousand
dollars apiece mentioned above be raised and
Put to Interest it is my will & desire and so I
direct that they shall be supported, maintained
clothed & educated, out of my Estate.
Item 7th It is my will and desire that my Woman slave
Mary the Mother of the aforesaid children Malinda
Ann, William Henry & Octavius be carried to
a state where she may be manumitted
and set free so soon after my death as it can con
-veniently be done, after which I will & bequeath
the sum of ten thousand Dollars to my Executor
or either of them as she may choose in Trust for
her use, as following to Wit,--the said sum of ten
thousand Dollars shall be kept at Interest
Page 33
at Seven per Cent per Annum or such other per centium
as the Law will tolerate and the annual interest
thereof shall be paid annually to the said Mary
for her support maintainance &c, during her natural
life, with remainder to the said children Malinda
Ann, William Henry and Octavius, or the survivors
share and share alike -- and in case either of them
should die leaving a child or children, the child
or children shalll stand in their place or stead.
Item 8th After paying the Funeral Expences, the foregoing
Legacies Debts & expenses of Administration It is my
will & desire and so I direct that the residium
shall be disposed of in the following manner to wit
it shall be divided into three equal parts one of
which parts I hereby Will & bequeath is unto my
Brother Lewis Zeigler in fee, another of which parts
I will and bequeath unto my Brother Henry Zeigler
in fee, the remaining part I will and bequeath unto
the children of my sister Catharine Dent as follows
to wit one fourth of said remaining part or third
to John W. Dent in fee another fourth of said part
to the said John W. Dent in trust for the use of Jane
White Wife of Joseph White formerly Jane Dent
Sister of John Dent for her sole & separate use
during her life exempt from any liability on
account or control of husband, and free from
his contracts & debts with remainder to her children
in fee, and the remaining two parts of the said
remaining part to the other two sisters of the said
John W. Dent.
Item 9th It is my intention as I have done to exclude
my half Brothers & Sisters.
Item 10th I hereby Nominate & appoint My Brothers Lewis
& Henry Zeigler & John W. Dent provided each of
them give Bond with approved security to the Ordinary
of said County, for the use of the aforesaid children
Malinda Ann, William Henry & Octavius in the sum
of fifty thousand dollars each, and if one should
refuse to act then the other two are to give bond with
like Security & in like manner for Seventy five thous
-and dollars each, & if two should refuse to act
Page 34
then the other is to give like Bond in the sum of
one hundred & fifty Thousand Dollars--my
Executors to Execute this my Will & Testament
In testimony whereof I have this 28th day of
July 1854 to this my Will written on five Thirty
and three lines on this the sixth sheet & 1st page thereof
to the Test signed my name & set my seal.
William Zeigler {LS}
In presence of us the Subscribing Witnesses who
signed this in the presence of the Testator and
in the presence of each other, the Testator,
we certify Signed also in our presence, the day
and year above Written
E.H. Jackson
A.J. Simmons
G.P. Culverhouse
Georgia
Crawford County
Court of Ordinary
July Term 1855
Previously approved in Open Court Edmund
H. Jackson Allen J. Simmons & Green P. Culverhou
-se the Subscribing Witnesses to the within and
foregoing Will & Testament of William Zeigler
and being duly sworn deposeth and saith that
they saw William Zeigler sign the same in the
presence of all of the Subscribing Witnesses -- That
they signed the same in the presence of the said
Testator and in the presence of each other as
Witnesses -- That the said William Zeigler then
and there Published & declared the same as
as his last Will and Testament that at the time
he was of sound & disposing mind & memory
Sworn to and Subscribed
in open court July 2nd 1855.
E. H. Jackson
A. J. Simmons
G. P. Culverhouse
James J. Ray
Ordinary
Page 35
I William Zeigler do hereby annex this Codicil to my
Will, after a sufficient sum has been raised out of my
Estate to pay my debts, funeral & other expenses that
may arise & the sum of one hundred thousand dollars
to answer the bequests in the fifth & seventh items,
I hereby empower my Executor either to sell the
Negroes or have them put up in families and
valued by three persons disinterested & my Executors
Individually, may take said families at the valu
-ation thus put upon them by accounting to my
Estate for the same and those Negroes
which may be sold, I direct my Executors to sell
in families, although they may not bring
so much by being sold in this manner--
And this Item is not to be construed to interfere
with or Controsel(?) my Special bequest in my Will
to which this Codicil is annexed. And I wish
the Seventh Item to be so altered as that instead
of giving Mary the power to choose her trustee
Henry Zeigler my Brother, and One of my Executors
be appointed to be her trustee with all the rights
and powers therein given to her appointee.
And lest there may be some difficulty arise in
consequence of my giving directly to William Henry
Malinda Ann & Octavius the colored children
of My Woman Mary the sums of Money in my
Will bequeathed. It is my will and desire that
the same should be only so far altered and changed
as to vest said sums, so given them respectively in
their guardians & trustees--to wit: Thirty thousand
Dollars to John W. Dent in Trust for William Henry
the sum of thirty thousand Dollars in Henry Zeigler
in Trust for Malinda Ann & the sum of thirty
thousand dollars to Lewis Zeigler in trust
for the said Octavius said amounts to be raised
the Interest thereof to be used and applied and
the Principal as in said Will is heretofore directed
This Codicil to this my last Will and Testament
signed sealed declared & published this 29th day of
January A.D. 1855
In presence
of the undersigned Witnesses who
signed the same in the
Presence of the Testator and of Each other
Page 36
William Zeigler {LS}
Carey H. Smith
Alexander M. Speer
G.P. Culverhouse
Crawford Court of Ordinary
July Term 1855
In open court personally came before me the ordinary in and
for the said County Carey H. Smith Alexander M Speer and
Green P. Culverhouse Witnesses to the Codicil of the Will
of William Zeigler and which is hereto attached and who
being duly sworn depose and say that they saw the said
William Zeigler sign seal and Publish and declare
the same to be a Codicil to his last Will and Testament
voluntarily and freely without compulsion -- and that they
signed the said Codicil as Witnesses in the presence of said
William Zeigler and also in presence
of each other.
Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 2nd day of July 1855
Alexander M. Speer
Carey H. Smith
G.P. Culverhouse
J.J. Ray
Ordinary
The forgoing will & codicil and the orders admitting
the same to record. Recorded this 5th July
1855
James J Ray
Ordinary
Transcribed by Honey Lanham Dodge & Mary Early Dishner 28 Aug 1998. |
| Died |
11 Jun 1855 |
Crawford County, Georgia |
- Obituary
Georgia Journal & Messenger, Wednesday, June 27, 1855
Died at his residence in Crawford county, on the 11th
instant, in the 56th year of his age, William Zeigler.
He was born in Edgefield District, S.C., whence he
removed to Crawford co. GA, in 1827, where he remained
engaged in agriculture to the time of his death.
In his business habits he was very attentive and
economical, whereby he was enabled in twenty-eight years
to increase his capitol from ten thousand to three
hundred thousand dollars; thus furnishing indubitable
evidence that a farmer may become rich.
In his dealings he was strictly honest. In times of
scarcity he would bid the rich and monied, who wished to
buy provisions of him, to go to a distance and buy; that
they had money and credit and could buy anywhere, and
submit to the inconveniences and expense of transporting
or carriage; that many of his neighbors had neither money
nor credit, and that they must have corn and meat; thus
he was a benefactor to the less fortunate. He never
attached himself to any Church, but his faith was right.
Over a year ago he remarked to the writer of this notice,
that he relied upon the mercy of his Maker, and hoped for
salvation through the merit's of the Redeemer's blood.
For the information of distant relatives and friends, it
is proper to remark, that his remains now rest in a
temporary vault in Rose Hill Cemetery, in Macon, Ga.,
where they will remain until a permanent vault shall be
completed according to his directions. He selected this
place himself, while in life, from its peculiar fitness
for the purpose intended. There let him rest in peace.
Friend.
|
| Buried |
Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia |
| Notes |
- WILLIAM ZEIGLER of Crawford County Georgia
1799 - 1855
Although he lived most of his life in Crawford County, Georgia, William Zeigler chose to be buried in the prestigious Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia on Magnolia Ridge block 2 lot 9. In his will, he left detailed instructions for an elaborate burial site to be constructed by his nephew and executor John Washington Dent (who lived in Crawford County and married Elizabeth Hoy, daughter of James Hoy). Outside the vault which was
built into the hillside along the Ocmulgee River, a separate monument was inscribed: "William Zeigler Born Nov. 18th 1799 Died June 11th 1855 He was born in Orangeburg District South Carolina whence he removed to Georgia in
the year 1827 and resided in Crawford County where he was respected and esteemed by many friends during his life of usefulness. He lies here at his special request. May he rest in peace."
William was the son of Nicholas Zeigler (born circa 1765 in South Carolina and died 20 January 1841 in Autauga County, Alabama) and his unknown first wife.
On 4 February 1820 in Richland County, South Carolina, Nicholas Zeigler gave each of his children at that time a Deed of Gift. Nicholas named two slaves, Sy and Phebe, to be given to William when he "attained the age of twenty-one." In 1827, Nicholas and most of his family left South Carolina for Georgia and eventually Autauga County, Alabama. William stayed in Georgia.
William Zeigler had three siblings: Catherine (born 10 May 1797 in South Carolina and died 3 June 1834 at William's home in Crawford County) who married William Dent of South Carolina; Henry (born 1802 in South Carolina) who married Nancy Zeigler; and Lewis (born 1803 in South Carolina) who
married Sarah (Sally) Zeigler. Henry and Lewis moved to Autauga County, Alabama. Catherine and her husband William Dent later separated. Catherine lived with her brother William while her estranged husband lived in Madison
County, Tennessee with Hepsobah Gartman from South Carolina with whom he had three daughters.
There is no evidence that William Zeigler ever married. He was listed on the 1820 Census of Edgefield District, South Carolina with no family and 9 slaves. He was listed in the 1830 Census of Crawford County living with an older male and 25 slaves. In the 1840 Census of Crawford County, he had 67 slaves. In the 1840 tax roll, he had 405 acres in Crawford County and 40 acres in Cherokee County. In the 1850 Census of Crawford County, he was listed as a Planter with property valued at $40,110. It is said that he had
three plantations. Upon his death in 1855, William left cash gifts totaling $432,500 (the equivalent of $11,479,945.51 in 2015).
In his will dated 28 July 1854 in Crawford County, William directed "that the colored children of my Woman Slave Mary, be taken to a state where the laws thereof will tolerate their Manumission." Each child was also given $30,000, and Mary received $10,000 as well as her manumission. Because of his generosity and concern for her children William Henry, Malinda Ann, and Octavius, we can assume that William was their father. (Under Georgia law from 1750 until 1967, whites were banned from marrying all non-whites.) The will also directed that his other slaves be sold in family groups.
William's will directed that John Washington Dent, the son of his sister Catherine, receive five slaves and several pieces of property. William Dent, a great nephew and the oldest son of John, received $500 which was perhaps a namesake gift. After his other properties were sold and his debts paid, the remainder of William's estate was to be divided among his siblings who eventually realized $80,000 each. As his sister Catherine had predeceased him, the will
stated that her share be divided among her four children: Mary (Polly) Caroline Dent May, Jane Ann Dent White, John Washington Dent and Mary Ann Dent Early. William's will specifically excluded his half-siblings from heirship.
John Washington Dent followed the directions of his uncle's will and took Mary and her children to Batavia, Clermont County, Ohio.
An unknown friend penned William's obituary
saying, "In his business habits he was very attentive and economical, whereby he was enabled in twenty-eight years to increase his capitol from ten thousand to three hundred thousand dollars; thus furnishing indubitable evidence that a farmer may become rich. In his dealings he was strictly
honest. In times of scarcity he would bid the rich and monied, who wished to buy provisions of him, to go to a distance and buy; that they had money and credit and could buy anywhere, and submit to the inconveniences and expense
of transporting or carriage; that many of his neighbors had neither money nor credit, and that they must have corn and meat; thus he was a benefactor to the less fortunate. He never attached himself to any Church, but his faith was right. Over a year ago he remarked to the writer of this notice, that he relied upon the mercy of his Maker, and hoped for salvation through the merit's of the Redeemer's blood."
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| Person ID |
I54 |
Root Tree |
| Last Modified |
19 Mar 2016 |
| Family 1 |
Hannah |
| Married |
Type: inter-racial marriages illegal at this time |
| Children |
| + | 1. Julia Zeigler, bur. Piney Grove Cemetery, Rebecca, Turner County, Georgia |
|
| Last Modified |
19 Mar 2016 |
| Family ID |
F1914 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family 2 |
Mary, b. Jan 1830, Virginia , d. 3 May 1908 (Age ~ 78 years) |
| Married |
Type: inter-racial marriages illegal at this time |
| Children |
|
| Last Modified |
4 Mar 2016 |
| Family ID |
F534 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Headstones
|
 | William Zeigler & Catherine Zeigler Dent Tomb
Plot: Magnolia Ridge, Block 2, Lot 9 |
 | William Zeigler
He was born in
Orangeburg District
South Carolina
whence he removed to
Georgia in the year 1827
and resided in
Crawford County
where he was respected
and esteemed by many
friends during his life of
usefulness.
He lies here at his
special request.
May he rest in peace.
Plot: Magnolia Ridge Block 2 Lot 9 |
 | William Zeigler
WILLIAM
ZEIGLER
BORN NOV 18TH,
1799
DIED JUNE 11TH,
1855.
Plot: Magnolia Ridge Block 2 Lot 9 |
 | Catherine Zeigler Dent
She was the sister of
WILLIAM ZEIGLER,
and died in
Crawford County
at the residence of her
brother and was interred
at Pleasant Grove
in said County.
This monument is erected
by her four children
as a testament of their
filial affection.
Plot: Magnolia Ridge Block 2 Lot 9 |
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