Will of Drury MALONE

Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #2, page 1

In the name of God amen, April 24th 1782, I Drury Malone of Mecklenburg County being low and weak but of sound and perfect sense and memory praised be God for it and calling to mind that it is appointed of God for man once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament causing all other will heretofore made by me to be absolute and of none effect and first of all I give my soul to God that gave it to me hoping for the resurrection of eternal life and my body to the dust from whence it came (to be buried) in such descent and Christian like manner as my executors hereafter mentioned shall think proper and as for my worldly estate which God of his infinite mercy hath bestowed on me I give and devise as in manner and form following.

Item my will and desire is that all my just debts be first and truly paid.

I give and devise unto my eldest son Isham Malone one Negro man named Will, one Negro boy named Hardy, one Negroe girl named Mall and one Negroe girl named Amey also a set of blacksmith's tools, two pewter dishes to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my eldest daughter Martha Holmes one Negroe girl named Selah, one Negroe boy named Bob, one Negroe girl named Anica and one Negroe girl named Edey all these to the said Martha Holmes during her natural life and my will and desire is that at her death all the said Negroes and all their increase may they be equally divided among all the children of the said Martha Holmes that is living to them and their heirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my daughter Amy Taylor one Negroe girl named Cate, one Negroe boy named Manuel and one Negroe boy named Bob and one Negroe girl named Delph and one Negroe boy named Jimmey unto the said Amy Taylor during her natural life and my will and desire is that at her death the said Negroes and all their increase may then be equally divided among all the children of the said Amy Taylor that is then living to them and their heirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my son Nathaniel Malone the mill place, mill stone and iron works of the same with the old plantation where on I formerly lived and all my land on the south side of Jenetoe Creek to my son Jones Malone's line being four hundred twenty and eight acres also one Negroe girl name Jinney and all her increase, one Negroe boy named Pompy, one Negroe boy named Tim, one Negroe boy named Britan also two pewter dishes all to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my son Jones Malone the plantation whereon I now live and all my lands on the north side of Jeneto Creek being by estimation five hundred and twenty and two acres.

Also one Negroe fellow named Ned, one Negroe wench named Dell, one Negroe girl named Cate and one Negroe boy named Nard.

Likewise one bed and furniture, three cows and calves and eight head of hogs, two iron pots, one still and eight rush bottom chairs, one desk, one chest, one table and all my pewter that has not heretofore been mentioned all to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my daughter Betsey Seward one Negroe wench named Pegg and all her increase, one Negroe boy named Tom, one Negroe girl named Lucy and one Negroe girl named Silvey all during her natural life and my will and desire is that at her death the said Negroes and all their increase my then be equally divided among all the children of the said Betsey that is then surviving to them and theirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my grandsons Josiah Floyd and Drury Floyd and unto my granddaughters Pattey Floyd and Phebe Floyd one Negroe boy named Abram, one Negroe girl named Hannah, one Negroe boy named Rolley and one Negroe boy named Robin to be equally divided among or either of them that is living in the year of Lord one thousand seven hundred eighty and six to them and their heirs forever.

Item I give and devise unto my grandson William Malone one Negroe boy named Joe to him and his heirs forever.

Item I lend unto my brother Thomas Malone during his natural life two Negroes namely Cook and Phyllis and at my brother's death my decree is that the said Negroes may then be equally divided among all my children that is then living.

Item my will and desire is that all the rest of my Negroes that is not mentioned on this will may be set up at the highest bidder among my children and no other person bid and be equally divided among all my children then living and then all the rest of my wholes estate be it of what kind of property to be sold and the money arising therefrom to be equally divided among all my children then living to them and their heirs forever.

And lastly I appoint Isham Malone and Jones Malone my two sons executors of this my last will and testament.

Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day above written.

Drury Malone.

Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of us,
Isham Epps
James Standly
John Saunders
Daniel Malone

At a court held for Mecklenburg County the 14th day of October 1782.

This will was proved by the oaths of Isham Eppes, James Standly, John Saunders and Daniel Malone the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Isham Malone and Jones Malone the executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with Lewis Parham and Samuel Holmes their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of ten thousand pounds specie conditioned as the law directs.

Certificate was granted them for obtaining a probate of the said will in due form.

Teste.
John Brown, Cl. Cur.

Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #2, page 19

On May 12, 1783 Drury's estate appraisers, Stephen Mabrey, James Standley and Charles Floyd, returned an inventory of his property to the court.

A total value was not listed but was roughly 930 pounds and included such items as Negroes named Mingo, George, Frank, Sary and child, Judy, Lucy, Jude, Archer, Lark, Nan, Cook and Tillice, six horses and other livestock, a large and small looking glass, three guns, a shot bag and horn, a pair of money scales and weights, a pocket book and money purse, a silver watch, three bee hives, a set of shoemaker's tools, several items of clothing including three coats, one great coat, a pair of leather gloves, a man's hat, a pair of shoes and knee buckles, a fiddle, a pair of saddle bags, several types of stored crops and many other farm and household utensils.

Contributed 1999 Jul 25 by Kevin T. Lett