Strom Thurmond left an estate estimated at $200,000 and gave much of it to family, faithful aides and favorite institutions in bequests ranging from $250 to $50,000.

That $200,000 is only a preliminary estimate of Thurmond’s estate. Its value might turn out to be “more” after all assets are inventoried, said Jim Jones, the personal representative of Thurmond’s estate.

The late U.S. senator’s nine-page will was filed Monday at the Aiken County courthouse. It is the first of what will be several filings in coming months reflecting his final net worth after more than 65 years of public service.

Thurmond left his largest cash bequest — $50,000 — to his daughter, Julie Thurmond Whitmer, who lives in Washington, D.C.

The smallest bequests — $250 each — were given to the First Baptist Church of Edgefield and the First Baptist Church of Aiken.

In the will, dated March 2, 1999, Thurmond took care to forgive his widow, Nancy Moore Thurmond, of any debts she might have owed him. The couple had been estranged since the early 1990s, but never divorced. Specific debts were not identified.

Thurmond’s will also directed that his widow receive his “U.S. Senate retirement, U.S. Army retirement, South Carolina retirement and Social Security benefits.”

Those pension payments to Nancy Thurmond could not be readily calculated Monday, but they could be more than $75,000 a year based on previous estimates of Thurmond’s benefits.

She could not be reached for comment Monday.

Thurmond died June 26 at the age of 100, having served 48 years in the U.S. Senate. His storied, 75-year political career also included stints as governor, state judge and failed segregationist presidential candidate.

In recent decades, the U.S. Senate increasingly has become a millionaire’s club. Thurmond was never one of the body’s richest members. But at one time, he certainly qualified as a millionaire.

In 1990, The State reported that “Thurmond’s family assets were estimated to be more than $2 million. But, in all likelihood, they are much higher. The value of several Thurmond properties was based on the purchase price between 1929 and the 1950s. Real estate has appreciated considerably since then.”

The State based its report that year on Thurmond’s annual statement of his net worth filed with the secretary of the U.S. Senate. All senators are required to make the filings.

In 1989, Thurmond and his wife established a trust for their children. It included real estate holdings, certificates of deposit, money market funds, checking accounts, stocks and bonds.

Over the years, Jones said Monday, Thurmond had given away many of his assets to various charities, Clemson University, and his family.

Information on how much Thurmond had given away and to whom was not available Monday.

Estate papers filed Monday said Thurmond had “established scholarships at every four-year college and every technical college in South Carolina.”

Jones, who handled Thurmond’s taxes for many years, is handling the estate at the request of Thurmond’s family. He is a Columbia certified public accountant and attorney.

An inventory listing Thurmond’s assets will be filed within 90 days, Jones said, and creditors have eight months to file claims against the estate.

In his will, Thurmond directed that if anyone files suit to contest his will, “that person’s bequest under my will is to be reduced by $10,000.”

Thurmond’s cash bequests fall into three categories: family, friends and aides, and institutions.

Two family members not receiving a specific cash bequest in the will are Thurmond’s sons — Strom Thurmond Jr., Thurmond’s oldest son and the U.S. attorney for South Carolina, and Paul Thurmond, a Charleston attorney.

Asked about that, Strom Thurmond Jr. said Monday, “I’m not going to get into a public discussion of my dad’s will. It would be unseemly of me.”

Paul Thurmond was not avail-able.

However, another provision of the will entitles Strom Thurmond Jr., Paul Thurmond, and sister Julie Thurmond Whitmer, to equally split whatever remains of the late senator’s property after specific bequests are made.

Thurmond had wanted Strom Thurmond Jr. to be his personal representative for purposes of the will, Jones said, but the family agreed Jones should handle it because it would be more convenient with family members living in different parts of the country and state.

To family, Thurmond gave:

• ; Nancy Moore Thurmond, his widow, “all my personal and household goods located at the residence in Aiken, S.C., my Ford Station Wagon, and $5,000.”

• ; Paul R. Thurmond, his son, “all my personal and household goods located at 224 Marina Towers, Alexandria, Va., except my wearing apparel is to be split equally between my two sons.”

• ; Anna Gertrude Thurmond, his sister, who died after the will was written, $5,000. The money will go to her heirs.

• ; Twin sisters Martha Thurmond Bishop and Mary Thurmond Tompkins, $5,000 each.

• ; Thaddeus Strom, a cousin, $4.000.

Loyal aides and close associates made up the second category:

• ; Harry S. Dent, $3,000. Dent, of Columbia, is a longtime friend and trusted political advisor. In a codicil to the will, Thurmond said he wanted Dent to use the money for Dent’s ministry.

• ; Warren Abernathy, $4,000. A longtime employee in Thurmond’s U.S. Senate office, Abernathy lived in South Carolina and made sure Thurmond’s in-state concerns were taken care of.

• ; Robert “Duke” Short, $4,000. Short, who lives in Virginia, was Thurmond’s top aide for years and was known for his devotion to the senator. As Thurmond grew less able to function in his final years, Short made sure Thurmond’s office ran smoothly.

• ; James Graham, $2,000. Graham, of Hyattsville, Md., was Thurmond’s longtime driver.

• ; Kathryn Hook, $1,000. Hook, of Florence, was Thurmond’s longtime receptionist.

• ; Sara H. Fox, $500. Fox, of Batesburg (Batesburg-Leesville), was a former aide.

• ; Sandra D. Courie, $500. Courie, of Columbia, was a former personal secretary.

Thurmond also remembered one of his most loyal employees, the late Holly J. Richardson, his personal secretary for many years. She died of breast cancer last year at the age of 48.

At the time of her death, Thurmond issued a statement saying: “I lost one of my closest friends and staff members. ... She was a member of my extended family in every sense of the word.”

In his will, Thurmond wrote: “I intended to give a bequest to Holly J. Richardson, my devoted personal secretary, but she re-quested that I not do so. There-fore, I give and bequeath the sum of $2,000 to each of her two children, Emmett Johnston Richard-son and Anne Holladay Richardson. Also, I give Holly... a piece of memorabilia which she has chosen as a token of my appreciation.”

Thurmond also remembered two schools in his will:

• ; The Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson University will get all his public correspondence and government papers, as well as “such silver trays, keys, pictures, plaques, awards, medals and other memorabilia given me by schools, colleges, universities, domestic and or foreign governments.” He previously donated thousands of such items to Clemson.

• ; Strom Thurmond High School in Edgefield County, “all the books owned by me at the time of my death.” No value was put on the books.

Staff Writer Lauren Markoe contributed to this report.