Susan:

I would AGREE that the Will shown at the FamilySearch.org pages you cite (at Images 71-2 of 501) is DATED 23 Nov 1790 and shown to be RECORDED 05 Feb 1791.

See: "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19364-7860-17?cc=... : accessed 24 August 2015), York > Probate Court, Estate records > 1774-1960 > Files 2266-2316 > image 72 of 501; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

In many places, the recording was COINCIDENT with the proof of the Will, but there are EXCEPTIONS. Usually, the Clerk charged a recording fee. If the fee wasn't paid, there might be an entry in teh order book ACCEPTING the Will for Probate, but NO actual recording until the FEE was paid.

Importantly, this image would appear to me to be the ORIGINAL WILL in Walter ASHMORE's handwriting with the original signatures of the witnesses on the back of the sheet.

The notation "Recorded in Book A N33 pages 59 -60 this 5th day of February 1791" would seem to have been added by the Clerk after this Will was proved in open court.

By contrast, the image posted at FamilySearch.org within the collection shown as "Estate record books, 1787-1799, Vol. A" would seem to be the RECORDED COPY within Book "A" at Pages 59 and 60.

See: "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19421-52709-0?cc=... : accessed 24 August 2015), York > Estate record books, 1787-1799, Vol. A > image 66 of 418; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

As you know, in many paces the recorded copy includes some indicia as to the date and manner of proof of the Will. However in some places, this was separately recorded only in the Court's Order Book or Minute Book.

SInce I haven't seen the abstracts you have at your disposal, it is UNCLEAR TO ME whether the abstractor also abstracted each of the York Inventories for this period. Beginning at Image No. 202 of the FamilySearch.org presentation of Book "A", there are in sequence MANY Inventories, seemingly appearing in the Order the Inventories were presented to the Court. There seems to be no INDEX within this Volume, but perhaps the separately bound indices give index entries for the Inventories.

See: "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19421-50637-9?cc=... : accessed 24 August 2015), York > Estate record books, 1787-1799, Vol. A > image 202 of 418; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

My point here is that the Inventories for this period DO SURVIVE and the ABSENCE of an Inventory for the Walter ASHMORE Estate might be some indication of systemic problems with the original probate.