SOUTH CAROLINA BEST LANDS
(Created November 15, 2011)
ORDER OF BEST LAND RECORDS IN BARNWELL AREA
Granville County was created in 1683 by the Crown as one of the original seven precincts of districts for administrative purposes. It ran along the length of the Savannah River in South Carolina to include part of what later became Orangeburg. Granville was discontinued in 1769 when the Orangeburg District was created. Records prior to 1785 were filed in Charleston. From the late 1780's until the Barnwell District was formed the area was known as the Winton District. In 1798 the Barnwell District was formed from the south part of the Orangeburg District. The Orangeburg courthouse was burned in 1865 by Federal troops. As far as I know Barnwell records survived the war. Allendale County was formed in 1919 from Barnwell and Hampton Counties.
(Note: Without more property records it may be impossible to ever establish the relationship of HENRY BEST (killed by Tories in 1780) and ABSALOM BEST (died abt. 1790) to the HENRY BEST, MARY BEST, and SARAH BEST and those in their households in the 1790 South Carolina, Orangeburg District Census. Those in their households should include at least JOHN BROWN BEST (May 5, 1773 - 1841), BENEJAH BROWN BEST (1775 - abt. 1824), and TARLTON BROWN BEST (October 13, 1789 - 1824). TARLTON B. BEST is listed in the JOHN BROWN BEST Bible but no relationship is given. A good starting place would be to located the property of ABSALOM BEST and find who had the property after his death in 1790. Was the 50 acres on Kings Creek that TARLTON BROWN BEST mentioned in his Will in 1821 originally part of the land of ABSALOM BEST mentioned in 1802?)
1770 ABSALOM BEST, Surveyed for him 100 acres in Granville Co on April 4th., now Allendale Co on the Savannah River at Little Briar Creek bounded SW by Savannah River, to the NW and NE by WILLIAM BROWN lands, to the SE partly by JAMES SIMPSON lands and partly by land laid out to JAMES COLDING. His 100 acres was a memorial gift given on September 19, 1770 on Little Briar Creek bounded by the property of WILLIAM BROWN,, JAMES SIMPSON and SAMUEL COLDING (the father-in-law of JOHN B. BEST was HENRY COLDING) and Savannah River. He was a neighbor of WILLIAM BROWN who signed his memorial on October 10, 1770 whose property also bordered on the Savannah River. After two years he had to pay on the land. (Note: A memorial recorded October 10, 1770 for WILLIAM CALVERT on Little Briar Creek bordered the lands of JOHN GREEN, WILLIAM BROCAS, WILLIAM BROWN and BARTLETT BROWN.) (copy) Little Briar Creek is in Allendale Co. near the location of Burtons Ferry where Hwy 301 crosses the Savannah into Screven Co., Georgia. WILLIAM BROWN, father of TARLTON BROWN and MARY BEST, wife of HENRY BEST, settled near Burtons Ferry.
1772 BARTLETT BROWN, Laid out for him 744 acres on Little Briar Creek and bounded by the Savannah River and NE by BLAKES and SW by MACKAFUS lands. A copy was given to RIGHT MUNSON in 1800 who bought the land and see below in 1809 he sold it to BARTLETT BROWN, (probably son of BARTLETT BROWN) and JACOB KITTLES. (Note: This BARTLETT BROWN is probably the brother of WILLIAM BROWN. In the book, The Families of Burke Co., GA 1755-1855, BARTLETT BROWN is from South Carolina. He has five children and 11 slaves. In 1767 he asks for 150 acres on Briar Creek located 8 miles from Rae's Cowpen.)
1784 ABSALOM BEST 200 acres of land surveyed "between the Bull Pond and Coosawhatchee" River in the Orangeburg District on August 30, 1784 by WILLIAM GREEN. His 200 acres contained Oglesby Pond. Survey done pursuant to a warrant from JOHN WYLDE. Recorded May 1, 1785. (Note: In 1784 BARTLETT BROWN (SR.), brother of WILLIAM BROWN, was killed by Indians. His wife, CATHERINE HOLCOMBE, had been a widow. ABSALOM BEST paid the tax for BARTLETT BROWN (SR.) in 1784 for the North Fork Edisto and Savannah River. BARTLETT BROWN (JR.) who died 1822 is buried in the Bull Pond Cemetery as is his mother-in-law, SARAH (BOOTH) OVERSTREET. The COLDINGS settled on Bull Pond. In 1803 THOMAS COLDING sold HENRY COLDING 140 acres butting up to the property of MARY BOOTH and witnessed by JAMES COLDING and JAMES OVERSTREET. NANCY COLDING released dower rights. THOMAS and NANCY COLDING lived on Watchgall Creek. JOHN B. BEST married ELIZABETH COLDING, daughter of HENRY COLDING and JENNETTE BRYAN.) Bull Pond is located at 32.92472 latitude and -81.40722 longitude. Oglesby Pond is located between Bull Pond and the Coosawhatchee River.
1784 ABSALOM BEST, Surveyed for him 260 acres on September 28 by WILLIAM GREEN in Orangeburg Dist. On Nero’s Branch of waters of the Coosawhatchee and bordered on all sides by vacant land. Survey done pursuant to a warrant from JOHN WYLDE. Recorded June 9, 1785.
1785 WILLIAM BROWN 147 acres of land by Savannah River shown in tract of 524 acres laid out to BARTLETT BROWN, son of BARTLETT BROWN. Land of BARTLETT BROWN bordered northwardly by MICHAEL MACKAFOOT, easterly by JOHN BROWN and SSE by WILLIAM BROWN'S land and the Savannah River. The land of WILLIAM BROWN was taken in part for MAJ WYLDE'S land. (Note: WILLIAM BROWN was killed in 1780 by Tories at his home near Burton's Ferry at Briar's Creek. In 1789 ABSALOM BEST was one of the appraisers of the estate of JOHN BROWN. HENRY BEST, husband of WILLIAM BROWN'S daughter MARY BROWN was also killed in 1780.)
1791 ABSALOM BEST, Will. On February 7, 1791 ELIZABETH BEST came into court and made oath that she saw ABSALOM BEST sign the Will that was produced as his last Will and Testament. RICHARD KIRKLAND and BARTLETT BROWN (JR.) were qualified as the executors of his estate. Part of his estate may have passed to his son, BENEJAH BROWN BEST. (Note: This is the only record of ELIZABETH BEST. She is not in the 1790 Orangeburg District Census. A guess is that SARAH BEST in that census is the widow of ABSALOM BEST and perhaps the former widow of JAMES WILSON who was killed in 1784. SARAH was a daughter of BARTLETT BROWN (SR.). If so than RICHARD KIRKLAND and BARTLETT BROWN (JR.) are ABSAALOM's brothers-in-law. SARAH and ELIZABETH could be the same person. Since ABSALOM BEST is not in the 1790 Orangeburg District Census he must have died about 1790. What happened to the property of ABSALOM BEST is unknown. RICHARD KIRKLAND and BARTLETT BROWN as executors are probably closely related to ABSALOM BEST. RICHARD KIRKLAND's mother was MARY BROWN, a daughter of BARTLETT BROWN (SR.) His father was RICHARD SNOWDEN KIRKLAND who died in 1772. RICHARD KIRKLAND in 1775 had bought 128 acres on Kings Creek and 200 acres on Sand Hill Bay near Bull Pond. In 1822 JOHN BROWN BEST is one of the executors of the will of BARTLETT BROWN. A copy of ABSALOM's will or estate settlement papers would help to identify the relationship of the BEST families in that census.)
1790 Orangeburg District Census: HENRY BEST, MARY BEST and SARAH BEST listed next to each other and living by the Browns. (Note: The other known Bests that would be in those households were the wife of HENRY (perhaps a Munson), JOHN B. BEST (b.1773), TARLTON B. BEST (b.1789), BENAJAH B. BEST (b. 1775) LEODICA BEST (b. abt. 1780 and perhaps LUVICY (b. abt. 1782), mother of WILLIAM H. BEST that was born after this census in 1793. Who actually own the property where these three households were located is unknown.)
HENRY BEST in the 1790 Orangeburg District Census is listed with one male under 16, one female and three slaves in his household. There is one other reference to him in Minutes of Winton County Court and Will Book 1, 1785-1791 by Brent H. Holcomb. There is a case starting in 1789 of HENRY HAMPTON, Esq. vs HENRY BEST but the case was never settled in the book. (Note: If he died young his property would have passed to his wife and if she did not remarry to their son although there may have been more children before he died. His wife is probably MARY MUNSON BEST. They could have been living on land belonging to BARTLETTE BROWN that her brother, WRIGHT MUNSON, bought in 1800 containing 744 acres and gave to her in 1801. He could be a son of either ABSALOM BEST or HENRY BEST deceased husband of MARY BEST BROWN. Being born in 1789 the son under 16 is most likely TARLTON BEST BROWN. What happen to the land where he lived is unknown.
MARY BEST was the widow of HENRY BEST who was killed in 1780 by Tories. MARY BEST was the daughter of WILLIAM BROWN and an older sister of TARLTON BROWN. Her brother was born in 1756. She was born ca. 1750. Her husband was from Georgia and born ca. 1748. If so he was around 32 years old when he was killed by Tories. Like her husband, her father and her youngest brother were also killed by Tories. In the 1790 Orangeburg District Census she is listed with one male over 16, one male under 16 and two other females in her household.One of her neighbors in the 1790 Census was JAMES JOICE. Her sister, ELIZABETH BROWN, married JOHN JOICE. (Note: In her father’s estate settlement she could have received property where she was living which could have passed on to her children if she did not remarry. Her husband coming from Georgia during the Revolutionary War probably did not acquire property in South Carolina before being killed. Being born in 1773 the male over 16 is probably JOHN BROWN BEST. The male under 16 is unknown. The two females were most likely LEODICA and LUVICY. )
SARAH BEST in the 1790 Orangeburg District Census is listed with one male over 16, one male under 16, three other females and three slaves in her household. No other record has been found of her in the Orangeburg District area. (Note: She may be the widow of ABSALOM BEST who deceased in 1790 and the mother of BENEJAH B. BEST. Since the 100 acres in Granville Co. that ABSALOM BEST received on April 4th. located on the Savannah River at Little Briar's Creek was bounded NW and NE by the lands of WILLIAM BROWN, she was probably living on this property. At the death of her husband his property could have been divided between her and her children. BENAJAH B. BEST was most likely the male under 16 being born in 1775 and a stepson but names for the three females and one male over 16 living with SARAH BEST are unknown. There are also three slaves. She may have had children by a prior marriage, most likely to JAMES WILSON who was killed in 1784 and the husband of SARAH BROWN, another daughter of BARTLETT BROWN (SR.). She is probably the SARAH BAST with two females in her home in the 1800 Barnwell Census. She is on the same page as VALENTINE GILL. In the 1810 Barnwell Census she is not listed but BENAJAH BEST is on the same page as VALENTINE GILL. BENEJAH is the only member of his household. He has five slaves.
1800 MARY BEST, Her brother RIGHT MUNSON purchased 744 acres on Brier Creek from BARTLETT BROWN. Deed recorded 1801. She lived on the land. The land was measured and laid out to BARTLETT BROWN June 11, 1792 and bounded NE by BLAKE's land and SW by MACKAFUS's land. It contained two laggons and a mound. Surveyed on Feb. 26, 1785 was 534 acres for BARTLETT BROWN, son of BARTLETT BROWN bounded W by MICHAEL MACAFOOT. (Note: There are some other MUNSON records concerning BESTs relations. The first record of BENEJAH B. BEST other than the 1800 Barnwell Census record is a case in 1801 when he was sued by SALLY MUNSON and had to pay $200. Later in 1807 WILLIAM CAMPBELL, father-in law of LEODICA BEST CAMPBELL the wife of ISRAEL CAMPBELL, apparently had a land dispute with WRIGHT MUNSON resulting in the land being resurveyed.
1801 MARY BEST, Gifted property on March 28 by her brother, RIGHT MUNSON to include 35 head of cattle, 4 mares and 100 head of hogs, one wagon gear Plantation Tools, household furniture the corn I have in the crib as well as the crop for this present year but not the land. His land is not described. It was witness by C.D.WYLD and JOSEPH HARLEY, signed] RIGHT MUNSON. (copy) (Note: It is not known who the husband of this MARY BEST is or what happened to her property. No record has been found of a BEST being the husband of a MUNSON. Perhaps this MARY BEST she is the wife of the HENRY BEST in the 1790 Orangeburg Census. See RIGHT MUNSON on his purchase of the land in 1809. In the 1790 Census for Orangeburg District, PATIENCE MUNSON was the head of a family and a neighbor of the three Best families in the census. The family included another female and four slaves.)
1802 ABSALOM BEST, In sale of 270 acres on Kings Creek by ABRAHAM MIXSON to GEORGE BRASIE on 13 March this property bordered KIRKLAND, WHITTENTON, ABSALOM BEST and others. It was surveyed for BENJAMIN BUXTON and granted to GEORGE BRASWELL. Sale was witnessed by C.D.WYLD, ABRAHAM MIXSON and RIGHT MUNSON. (Note: ABSALOM BEST has been dead since 1790 but no record of when he acquired land by Kings Creek. JOHN WYLD signed as the attorney for GEORGE BRASIE. ABRAHAM MIXSON (MIXEN) is the closes neighbor to the three Best families in the 1790 census for the Orangeburg District. (copy) Kings Creek is in Allendale Co. and south of Burtons Ferry. HENRY BEST was going down Kings Creek to Hershman Lake in Screven Co., Georgia when he was shot by Tories in 1784.)
1808 BENEJAH BEST, Purchased 135 acres for $237 from RICHARD GILL being a plantation surveyed for SUSANNAH BASS in 1787. At the time of the survey it was bounded by the lands of FRANCIS BASSETT, WILLIAM WEEKLEY and THOMAS BASS. (Note: Where did he get the money for the purchase?)
1809 RIGHT MUNSON, There appears on page 319 of Deed Book R of the Record of Deeds of Barnwell County, the following: "WRIGHT MUNSON of Wilkinson Co. Miss. to BARTLETT BROWN & JACOB KITTLES $1488.00 [for] 744 acres land in Savannah River Swamp near WILLIAM CAMPBELL and land owned by BEAKE, surveyed for the said BARTLETT BROWN 11 in 1796 and granted to RIGHT MUNSON 4 Aug 1800. Wit- THOS GOLDERY, MICHAEL BROWN [signed] RIGHT MUNSON." (Note: He left his sister his considerable livestock, crops, furniture and tools, but not his land on March 28, 1801. Also see JAMES B. ROWLEY, Admr. [Administrator] vs. JOHN A. OWENS, Admr. Accounting & Discovery, Filed Nov. 21, 1829).
1810 MARY BEST, She is dead as her portion mentioned in the estate settlement papers of WILLIAM BROWN, July 14 1810, went to her heirs who are not named. He was killed in 1780 by Tories, the same year her husband, HENRY BEST, was killed. The papers were filed by BARTLETT BROWN in Barnwell District, a brother of MARY BEST and TARLTON BROWN and they with the other children or their heirs received a child's portion of thirty nine pounds ten shilling sterling. No land is mentioned.
1810 JOHN B. BEST, He purchased 337 acres for $1200 from JOHN MIXON, JR. being a tract granted to RICHARD KIRKLAND and 134 acres granted to JOHN WILD. (Note: Where did he get the money for the purchase? He also loaned TARLTON BEST $2000. JOHN BROWN BEST was born May 5, 1773 so he was about 37 years old.)
1810 BENEJAH BEST, He purchased 135 acres for $237 from RICHARD GILL a plantation lying on the south side of Jacksons Branch surveyed for SUSANNAH BASS in 1787. At the time of survey this land was bounded by FRANCIS BASSETT, WILLIAM WEEKLY and THOMAS BASS. Witness: THOMAS GEORGE MALLARD. Recorded 1814. (Note: Where did he get the money for the purchase? BENEJAH BEST was born in 1775 so he was about 35 years old.)
1810 BENEJAH BEST, He purchased 354 acres for $300 from LIONEL HENRY KENNEDY a plantation lying on the fork of Big Branch and Jacksons Branch originally granted to JOHN WEEKLY 1786 and sold at public auction 1799 by Sheriff to FRANCIS ROBERSON and sold in 1799 to CHARLES GLOVER for LIONEL H. KENNEDY - minor as trustee. (Note: Where did he get the money for the purchase?)
1812 BENEJAH BEST, He sold a 177 acre plantation for $150 to IVEY GODDIN GRAY being the ½ (Northern end) of a tract of 354 acres granted JOHN WEEKLY in 1786 at the fork of Big Branch and Jacksons Branch. (Note: This is half of the 354 acres he bought in 1810.)
1812 JOHN B. BEST, He sold on July 20 to SAMUEL MANER for $200 land where he formerly resided containing 100 acres on July 20, 1812. It was bounded on all four sides by lands of SAMUEL MANER. The land was sold by JOSEPH GARNET to THOMAS GARNET and by THOMAS GARNET to JOHN BEST. This sale was witnessed by TARLTON BEST and WILLIAM H. ROBERT. (Note: This property may have belonged to his wife, ELIZABETH BEST, since she relinguished her right and claim as dower in the matter of SAMUEL MANER on December 13, 1815.)
1814 JOHN B. BEST, He had surveyed on May 10 some 211 acres on Sand Hill Bay. Property bounded by lands of WILLIAM BLACK, ABRAHAM MIXON, and JOHN B. BEST. JAMES OVERSTREET Dist. Surveyor. (Note: No record when he acquired this land. It was originally granted to Col. RICHARD KIRKLAND for 200 acres but found to contain 211. Land contained a field and a large cypress pond.) Sand Hill Bay, Sand Hill Pond, and Sandy Creek all seem to be connected to Lower Tree Runs Creek which is in Allendale Co. and north of Burtons Ferry.
1814 JOHN B. BEST, Certify a resurvey on May 10 a track of land containing 145 acres being part of a tract of land granted to GEORGE BRASIL (BRASIE). It contains a field that joins his property below. Property bounded by lands of WILLIAM BLACK, JOHN MIXON, JOHN B. BEST and ABRAHAM MIXON. JAMES OVERSTREET Dist. Surveyor. (Note: He acquires a land grant for this property in 1815.) (copy)
1815 JOHN B. BEST received a 145 acre land grant in Barnwell District on December 4, 1815. The land had been surveyed by JAMES OVERSTREET on May 10, 1814 and was bordered by land of ABRAHAM MIXON and WILLIAM BLACK and JOHN MIXON.
1815 JOHN B. BEST, On Dec. 13, 1815 his wife, ELIZABETH BEST, signed giving up her dower rights to this sale and on Dec. 6. WILLIAM H. ROBERTS swore he saw TARLTON B. BEST witness the sale.(copy) (Note: Apparently this is the 1812 sell of 100 acres to SAMUEL MANER.)
1816 JOHN B. BEST, Certify on Oct 22 a tract of land containing 196 acres in Barnwell Dist. on Sand Hill Pondwaters. JAMES OVERSTREET Dist. Surveyor. Given November 28, 1816 by JOSIAH KILGORE (his title). (copy) (Note: He and TARLTON BEST acquire this property in 1816.)
1816 JOHN B. BEST and TARLTON BROWN BEST, surveyed and laid out to them on Oct. 22 some 196 acres on Sand Hill Pond waters of the Savannah River. Land bounded NE by WILLIAM BLACK, bounded SE by AMOS SMART and SW by lands of Dr. ELIJAH GILLETT and others including JAMES SMITH and JOHN B. BEST. (copy) (Note: JOHN BEST is listed on a petition as an inhabitant of Barnwell on the Savannah River for a River Landing Road to a place called GILLETT’S Landing dividing between lands of SARAH OVERSTREET and SAMUEL MANER and at the intersection of the Augusta Road dividing lands of SAMUEL MANER and JOHN BEST. Others signing the petition included MICHAEL BROWN, BARNETT H. BROWN, WILLIAM H. BROWN, ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, SAMUEL MEARS, JAMES OVERSTREET, THOMAS COLDING, WILLIAM J. KIRKLAND as well as BENEJAH BEST.) (copy)
1816 JOHN B. BEST, Surveyed on Aug. 9, some 59 acres on Sand Hill Bay waters of the Savannah River bounded E. by lands of ABRAHAM MIXON, S by MILLIGAN and W and N by lands of JOHN B. BEST and JAMES SMITH. (copy) (Note: this land contained ½ of a cypress pond that the other ½ was on land already owned by JOHN B. BEST.) When the Revolutionary War ended, Tarlton Brown married and settled "between Sand Hill and Cedar branchs, waters of the Lower Tree Runs." On each of the branches he built mills and called it "Fork Mills." Ownership passed to his son-in-law, William H. Peyton.)
1821 TARLTON B. BEST, Will dated December 17, 1821 in Screven Co., Georgia. JOHN B. BEST and WILLIAM B. MITCHINER were the executors. It was filed by WILLIAM B. MITCHINER on October 5, 1824 in Screven Co., Georgia. JOHN B. BEST, SMITH, and JOHN MEARS were bequeathed seventy five cents each. He divided his eleven slaves between ORSAMUS H. (HARDEN) BEST" born 1815, JOHN H.(HARDEN) MITCHINER born 1818, and WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL born 1801. ORASMUS H. BEST was the second or third son of JOHN B. BEST. JOHN H. MITCHINER was the eldest son of WILLIAM B. MITCHINER. WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL was the son of (DICY) BEST CAMPBELL MEARS. He listed his land as 50 acres on Jackson Branch and 98 acres on Kings Creek in South Carolina. The appraisers of the estate were JACOB LEWIS, ELIJAH WADE, and ELIJAH OLIVER. He was born in 1789 so he was about 32 years old when he died. (Note: The 98 acres on Kings Creek may be half of the 196 acres he and JOHN B. BEST had laid out in 1816 although it was not described as being on Kings Creek. ABSALOM BEST had land on Kings Creek but no record if TARLTON BEST acquired any of his property. No record how he acquired the 50 acres on Jackson Branch although BENEJAH BEST had bought property on Jackson Branch in 1810.)
1822 BARTETT BROWN (JR.) died Dec. 6. Will was signed Octover 10, 1815. JOHN B. BEST, JAMES OVERSTREET, MICHAEL BROWN and BARNETT H. BROWN executors of will of BARTLETT BROWN (JR.). The later two were sons of BARTLETT BROWN (JR.). Other named children were BENJAMIN B. BROWN, JABEZ G. BROWN and daughter CYNTHIA W. BROWN. His land is not identified. HENRY OVERSTREET was one of the witnesses. (Note: BARTLETT WILLIAM BROWN (JR.), born January 15, 1775, and died December 06, 1822, married PATIENCE OVERSTREET and his brother, BENJAMIN BROWN married CYNTHIS OVERSTREET a sister of PATIENCE OVERSTREET. JAMES OVERSTREET, who was killed at Hudsons Ferry around 1780 by Tories, and SARAH BOOTH were the parents of both PATIENCE and CYNTHIA. JAMES and SARAH also had sons named JAMES and HENRY. BARTLETT BROWN (JR.) buried in the Bull Pond Cemetery near his mother-in-law, SARAH. The tract of land was deeded to SARAH by her mother, MARY BOOTH, on August 29, 1799.)
1824 BENEJAH BEST, In a "Bill of Revivor" filed March 16, 1824 in the MARY ROWLAND vs BENAJAH BEST case, it appears that BENEJAH BEST had died and that his widow, ELIZABETH BEST, was the administrator of his estate. His widow could be ELIZABETH in the 1830 census. He was around 57 years old when he died. (Note: See estate papers 1832.)
1829 WRIGHT MUNSON, Estate settlement Nov. 21.
JAMES B. ROWLEY, Admr. [Administrator] vs. JOHN A. OWENS, Admr. Accounting & Discovery, Filed Nov. 21, 1829.
Petitioner is admr. on estate of Wright Munson and says the estate was first administered by James Overstreet [likely a brother-in-law] who was appointed by the Ord'y of P.D., Dec. 16, 1815, and that it consisted entirely of notes and accounts owing deceased here. Overstreet died intestate in 1822, without having fully administered, and William Overstreet became admr. on estate of James Overstreet; William Overstreet died w/o having fully administered, and John A. Owens became admr. (Note: WILLIAM OVERSTREET was a son of JAMES OVERSTREET. One daughter of JAMES OVERSTREET was MARY OVERSTREET, wife of JOHN A. OWENS.)
Defendant's answer dated Feb. 3, 1829, refers to Munson "when he left this state" as having on that occasion appointed James Overstreet his agent to collect said debts, and when Overstreet heard Munson was dead he had himself appointed admr. The Munson heirs never have appeared or sent for their money, and defendant does not know who they are or where they are but understands they live in Texas; and professes to be ready to settle with them. Rowley evidently not an heir or relative of Munson.>
1832 BENEJAH BEST, Estate papers, filed June 4 in Barnwell Dist., SC. Land is not named but property is to be divided three ways after the death of his wife, ELIZABETH BEST. Their three named children are ABSALOM BLANCHARD BEST, MARY BEST and SARAH MIXON wife of EDWARD MILES MIXON. (copy) (Note: His son ABSALOM BLANCHARD BEST moved to Allendale. What became of the property of BENEJAH BEST is unknown or what property ABSALOM BLANCHARD BEST acquired in Allendale.)
1841 JOHN B. BEST, Died intestate. His son, ORSAMUS H. BEST, filed letter, Sep. 22 to Adm. estate of his father, JOHN B. BEST, who died without a will. The four older children agree that their portion should pass to their mother. (copy) (Note: What happened to his property along the Savannah River that he purchased with TARLTON BEST in 1816 is unknown or what property he acquired in Allendale and his son, ORSAMUS HARDEN BEST, acquired in Allendale is unknown.)
1850 ABSALOM BLANCHARD BEST, Died Jun. 28. From the August 9, 1850 issue of Marriage and Death Notices from the “Southern Christian Advocate” - VOL. I: 1837 - 1860 by Brent H. Holcomb: “Absalom B. Best died June 28, in the 40th year of his age. He was a native of Barnwell and a member of the Church at Swallow Savannah…left wife and five children …W.A. McSwain.” (Note: How he acquired his property or if it had belonged to his father, BENAJAH BROWN BEST, is unknown.)
Copyright © November 2011 - Thomas W. Mitchiner, Greenville, NC. These documents may be freely used for private purposes, and included in your own genealogy. However, this document is copyrighted by Thomas W. Mitchiner and may not be sold, nor given to anyone who may attempt to derive profit from same.
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