Will of William RICHARDS

Mecklenburg Co., VA Will Bk 14, pp. 281-283, Wm. Richards Will

I William Richards of the County of Mecklenburg, being of sound disposing mind & memory and calling to mind that it is once appointed for man to die, and after death to Judgment – do make this my last will and testament in manner & form following (to wit) first I recommend my soul to God who gave it to me, hoping that he will receive it through his son Jesus Christ. And as to my worldly affairs which it has been (sic) pleased God to bless me with, I dispose of as follows. It is my will and desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid. I give unto my daughter Millicine Toone one negro woman named Sophia already advanced her, with all her increase. (I lend unto my son in law Lewis Toone and my daughter Millicene Toone the tract of land whereon they now live, including all the land I purchased of the said Lewis Toone & John Elam containing by estimation two hundred & sixteen & ¾ acres be the same more or less adjoining the lands of Wm. P. Watson, John Wagstaff, Aphas H. Pettus & others, alson one negro man named Reubin now in their possession during their natural lives and after their death to be equally divided between their children, to them & their heirs forever) I give unto my daughter Rebecca Jeffries one negro woman named Fanny already advanced her with her increase, also one tract of land containing by estimation forty acres be the same more or less adjoining the lands of Elijah Gregory, William Moody, and the tract I formerly deeded to John S. Jeffries to her & to her heirs forever. I give unto my daughter Susanna Moseley one negro man named George and one woman named Malinda & all her increase now in her possession to her & to her heirs forever. I give unto my son William H. Richards one negro boy named Ludd one negro woman named Sarah, now in his possession and all of their increase to him and to his heirs forever. I give unto my son John Y. Richards one negro boy named Randolph, and one negro woman named Bett, and all of her increase to him & to his heirs forever. I give unto the daughter of my beloved wife, Nancy Jeffries one negro woman named Jade and one negro girl named Matilda now in her possession, and their increase to her & to her heirs forever. I give unto my wife's son Ludwell Evans, and her son-in-law Paul C. Jeffries one negro boy named Ebenizer to be equally divided between them, to them & to their heirs forever. I give unto my wife's oldest daughter Prudence McCutcheon our sons Wm. H. Richards and John Y. Richards after the death of my wife, one negro man named

Isaac(?), the negro girl named Silvy, and all her increase to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever.

I give unto my five children, namely, Millicene Toone, Rebecca Jeffries, Susanna Moseley, William H. Richards, and John Y. Richards the following negroes (to wit) Dixson (sic), Manuel, Paul, Jordan, & Tom, to make them equal with my oldest daughter Millicene Toone unto whom I have already advanced that sum extra to the rest of my children, after which it is my will & desire that the residue of the said five negroes shall be equally divided between my five children already named, unto them and their heirs forever. All the rest of my Estate both real & personal, not heretofore disposed of I lend unto my beloved wife, Mary Richards, during her widowhood, and after her death, I give unto my two sons William H. Richards & John Y. Richards, before named, the tract of land I now live on containing by estimation six hundred & ninety eight acres be the same more or less, Including all the lands I purchased of William Hill, Lewis Grigg, James Jones, Robertson's Executors, and Wm. Carq(?) to be equally divided between them, to them and to their heirs forever. All the rest of my Estate lent to my wife, except the land just disposed of to my two sons. It is my will & desire [it] shall be equally divided between my five children namely Millicene Toone, Rebecca Jeffries, Susanna Mosely, Wm. H. Richards & John Y. Richards, with the legacies already bequeathed them in this will, to them and their heirs forever. And lastly I do hereby nominate constitute & appoint my two sons Wm. H Richards & John Y. Richards Executors to this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal, the fifth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.

signed sealed & declared to be true

William Richards (seal)

last will & testament of the said Wm. Richards

In the presence of us
W. P. Watson for O. Smith
Richardson Puryear
Latteny M. Gregory

A Codicil to this my last will: In that clause of this my will in which I say I lend unto my son-in-law Lewis Toone & my daughter Millicene Toone the tract of land whereon they now [are] living including all the lands I purchased of the said Toone & John Elam, containing by estimation 216-3/4 acres be the same more or less adjoining the lands of Wm. P. Watson & others for both to enjoy during their lives I have covenanted & agreed that the said Lewis Toone might sell the same for his own benefit, which he has sold in the year 1836 to Mr. Creed T. Haskins, and a deed has been made by self & wife to the said Haskins for the same. And all other clauses of this will to stand. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal to this my codicil the 29th day of January in the year 1837.

William Richards (seal)

Witness
John B. Smtih
Letteny M. Gregory

At a Court held for Mecklenburg County at the Courthouse thereof of the [blank] day of August 1837.

The last will & testament of Wm. Richards & Codicil thereto annexed was produced in open court, and the said will was partly proven by the oath of Latteny M. Gregory and ordered to be certified. And at another Court held for the said County on the 15th day of October 1837 the said will & codicil was proven by the oath of John B. Smith, and afterwards (to wit) At a court held for the said county 20th of November in the year aforesaid, the said codicil was fully proven by the oath of Latteny M. Gregory another subscribing witness thereto, whereupon the said will & codicil is ordered to be recorded. And on motion of Wm. H. Richards & John Y. Richards the Executors therein named who made oath thereto & together with Francis Barnes & James Cunningham their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of $12,000 conditioned according to Law, certificate is granted them for obtaining probate of said will in due form.

Exam'd.
Teste
Richard B. Baptist, C. Ct.

Submitted by Kathy Turner December 30, 2010