Mary "Polly" Mathis, g.g.g.mother of the Trowbridge siblings

This branch of the family was from the South.  Polly (1789-1876) m. John William Borland and they lived their whole lives in the region of Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina.  (Their granddaughter Naomi Borland Wagner (1831-1807) finally left the South with her husband Joshua Elliot Clayton in the gold rush.)

Polly's father's will is reproduced below.  Two points of interest:

1) The family owned slaves. I've mostly been aware of branches of the family that went from New England to the midwest to California -- branches that trace mostly through the male lines, preserving last names and making it easy to think of them as "us" -- so this is a little difficult for me to absorb as being part of "my people."  But there it is.

2) There are hints of family drama with Polly that we can only guess at.  In his will, made in 1829, 7 months before his death, her father bequeaths:

"unto the children of my daughter Polly Borland, which may be in her life at the time of my death, one Negro girl named Judah and one hundred dollars in cash.  And also, the tract of land which I purchased of John Thomason, making it descretionary with my executors, hereinafter named, to sell said tract of land and purchase other property for the benefit of said children.  And also in their descretion to appropriate the use and benefit of said Negro and land for the support and maintenance of my said daughter, Polly Borland, during her natural life, or for a shorter period if they think proper."

In addition to this, he gives his executors:

the power to appropriate the one-tenth part [of the residual estate] which I especially give and bequeath to the children of my daughter Polly Borland, in such manner as to afford my said daughter the use and benefit of the same for such length of time as my said executors in their discretion think proper. 

 Clearly Polly and her kids are more in need than the rest of the family.  Is her husband dead?  But no:

 Item thirteenth, I give and bequeath unto my son-in-law John Borland, twenty dollars and no more. 

Oo, Papa Mathis really didn't like John Borland. A drunk perhaps?  Unable to hold a job?  Mismanaged the family finances?

The full text of the will is from the Ancestry.com page of LWG1975, Borland Family Tree.

The Last Will and Testament of Thomas Mathis

In the name of God, Amen.
I, Thomas Mathis, of the county of Hancock in the State of Georgia, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, but calling to mind the uncertainty of human life, do make and ordain this, my last will and testament, in the manner and form as follows.
1st, it is my will and desire that my body be decently interred in Christianlike manner, and that my funeral expenses and all the just debts which I may owe at my death may be paid out of my estate.  Then all the property which I have heretofore delivered to any and everyone of my children, I hereby give and bequeath to them to whom the same has been delivered respectively, their heirs and assigns forever.
Item second, I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Sally Chappell, a certain Negro boy named Anthony her heirs and assigns forever.
Item third, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Dorothy Mintner, a certain Negro boy named Peter, her heirs and assigns forever.
Item fourth, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Nancy Mathis a certain Negro boy named Tom, her heirs and assigns forever.
Item fifth, I give and bequeath unto my son, Gabriel Mathis, a certain Negro girl named Maria, his heirs and assigns forever, and the sum of fifty dollars in cash at my death.
Item sixth, I give and bequeath unto my son John Mathis's orphans, a certain Negro girl named Dilly, them and their heirs and assigns forever, and fifty dollars cash at my death.
Item seventh, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Martha Cox a certain Negro boy named Martin, her heirs and assigns forever, and one hundred and sixty dollars in cash at my death.
Item eighth, I give and bequeath to my daughter Eliza Hunter a certain Negro girl named Rhoda, her heirs and assigns forever, and one hundred and seventy dollars in cash at my death.
Item ninth, I give and bequeath unto the children of my daughter Polly Borland, which may be in her life at the time of my death, one Negro girl named Judah and one hundred dollars in cash.  And also, the tract of land which I purchased of John Thomason, making it descretionary with my executors, hereinafter named, to sell said tract of land and purchase other property for the benefit of said children.  And also in their descretion to appropriate the use and benefit of said Negro and land for the support and maintenance of my said daughter, Polly Borland, during her natural life, or for a shorter period if they think proper.
Item tenth, I give and bequeath unto the orphans of my son Charles Mathis, deceased, three hundred and fifty dollars at my death to be divided among them share and share alike.
Item eleventh, I give and bequeath unto the orphans of my son, Robert Mathis, deceased, three hundred and fifty dollars in cash to be divided among them share and share alike.
Item twelfth, It is my will and desire that all the residue of real and personal property of which I may die, ceased and possessed after paying my just debts and the cash legacies mentioned in this will, may be equally divided among my children and grandchildren in ten equal shares according to the laws of distribution in force in this state, reserving to my executors the power to appropriate the one-tenth part which I especially give and bequeath to the children of my daughter Polly Borland, in such manner as to afford my said daughter the use and benefit of the same for such length of time as my said executors in their discretion think proper.
Item thirteenth, I give and bequeath unto my son-in-law John Borland, twenty dollars and no more.
I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint Gabriel Mathis, Elisha Mathis and John M. Mintner my executors to this, my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made and executed.
Witness my hand and seal this second day of June 1829.  Thomas Mathis
Acknowledged in the presence of William P. Broyer, J.P., Stevens Pearson, Solomon Robinson
Located in Book M, Folios 524, 525, 526.  Ordinary's office, Sparta, Hancock County, Georgia
Probated January term, January 4, 1830