I George Banner, of the county of Russell & state of Virginia being of sound mind and disposing memory do make & publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
1st It is my will that at my death all my funeral expenses including the erection of decent or respectable stones at my grave shall first be paid by my executor herein after named.
2nd It is my will that my beloved wife Precilla, shall after all my just debts are paid hold and enjoy all my estate both real and personal during her natural life.
3rd It is my will that after the death of my wife that all my Castle Woods lands shall be equally divided between my three sons James H. George W. and Stephen H. Banner and that they hold and enjoy the same during their natural lives and at their deaths the same shall go to their legal heirs and that my lands lying and being in Washington County and being the lands I purchaised of Jno. C. Bursing and known as the Hamiton and Barker places, shall be equally divided between my son Charles C. and my daughter Pattie Hendricks and that they hold and enjoy the same during their natural lives and at their deaths the same shall go to their legal heirs.
4th I desire to say herein that I have heretofore given to my daughters Mary Gose & Ellen Dickenson and my son Jefferson J. Banner what I regard as their equal proportion of my estate.
5th I hereby constitute and appoint my nephew Wm. H. Banner sole executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this the 18th day of October 1895.
George Banner
Witnesses
Joe R. Bickley
H. H. Dickenson
At a county court continued and held for Russell County at the court house thereof on the 8th day of April 1896. The last will and testament of George Banner deceased was this day produced in court and proved by the oath of H. H. Dickenson one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, who testified that he witnessed said will at the request of the testator and in his presence, and in the presence of Joe R. Bickley the other subscribing witness thereto; whereupon said will was admitted to probate and ordered to be recorded.
Teste
L. L. Bays, Clerk