Will of Woodson Knight

Lunenburg Co., VA
Submitted June 3, 2007 by Jim Dillard
Copied from the Lunenburg County Circuit Court,
Will Book 10 (1829-1833) Pgs 122A, 123 and 123A

I Woodson Knight do hereby constitute this my last will and testament as follows.

First, it is my will that all my just debts be paid out of my personal estate. I direct my land, on which I reside to be divided into two parts by a line commencing at a high rock on the south side of Big Nottoway River where myself and Tarlton W. Knight corners thence pursuing the line between said Tarlton W. and myself to the line till it arrives opposite a large forked Red Oak, which is at present a side line to me making a corner on said Oak; thence by a new line running straight through my Plantation till it strikes a large Poplar tree very near my using spring, thence down said spring branch as it meanders, till it intersects the line between me and John H. Knight ; the land tying east of these lines and adjoining John H. Knight,

I give to my said son John H. Knight and his heirs forever; the land lying west of said lines

I give to my son T. W. Knight and his heirs forever. Furthermore, I direct that the graveyard upon the lands I have devised to my son T. W. Knight where many of my kindred has been buried , and when it is my desire that my mortal remains shall be deposited , be laid off in a (word obliterated) of thirty five yards by twenty and enclosed by my executor, the expense to be paid out of my personal estate; and said graveyard to be held in trust by my son T. W. Knight and his heirs as a burial place for my family ;

I direct that the residue of my estate that is all my property not herein before disposed of, be sold at public auction, and the proceeds including all debts due me shall be first as heretofore, applied to the payment of my debts, and after such payment, and the payment of the enclosed aforesaid;

I give two hundred and forty dollars to my son Tarlton W. Knight in trust for the children of my daughter Betsy W. Williams to be paid to them by an equal division, as they arrive to the age of twenty one years or marry, with interest to commence twelve months after my death.

The balance of the money shall be divided into five equal parts; one part to be given to my son Robert Knight , once part to my daughter Sally B. Jeffress and the other part to my son T. W. Knight in trust for the children of my daughter Betsy W. Williams to be paid them in equal division as they become twenty one years of age or marry, with interest from the time of said division into five parts.

I release to my son Thomas Knight the debt he owes me on accounts of the debt paid by me for him to the administrator of John Fowlkes, dec'd.

If I am indebted to any of my children who take under this my will, I direct that the request or bequests to such child or children shall extinguish this or debts which he, she or they as the case may be, my claim as due from me, and if any legatee shall elect to claim a debt against my estate instead of a legacy that legacy shall be divided among my other children equally.

I hereby appoint my son Tarlton W. Knight executor of this my last will and testament.

Given under my hand & seal this 19 th day of March, 1831.
Woodson Knight
C. D. Smith
John H. Williams
Jordan W. Maxey

In Lunenburg County Court 9 th of May, 1831; the last will and testament of Woodson Knight, dec'd was proved by the oaths of the witnesses thereto subscribed and is ordered to be recorded. An on this motion of Tarlton W. Knight the executor names in the said will who having made oath according to the law certificate is granted him for obtaining probate thereof in due form whereupon he entered into and acknowledged bond for that with such conditions as the law required.