In the name of God Amen.
I Henry Dickenson senr. of the County of Russell and State of Virginia being indisposed in health, but of sound mind and memory, calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die; with these reflections I make this my last Will and Testament to dispose of what worldly estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with. First I recommend my soul to Almighty God who gave it and my body to the dust from whence it came to be buried decently by my executor nothing doubting but it will be raised again by the Almighty power of Almighty God. Secondly. I lend to my loving wife Mary Dickenson during her life or widowhood, the following named slaves to wit Moses, Nelly, Old Ginney, Molly, Dave, Nan, Setin, Queen, Eve, Peter, Winney, Anderson, and Vilott. Also the proceeds of my stock in the United States Bank, six beds and furniture, six of her choice horses, Twenty head of her choice cattle, Twenty five head of sheep, all the hogs and poultry, all the farming utentials, blacksmith tools the household and kitchen furniture with houses and plantation whereon I now live; the benefit of the place whereon Berry Evans lives until my grand son Daniel Ellington becomes to lawful age or married, and the benefit of (corner missing) place where John Skeen lives during her natural (corner missing) all equal with my son Robert Dickenson with the exception of the Beds and furniture, Household and kitchen furniture which I give my loving wife Mary during her life and wish her to dispose of it as she thinks propper. And at the death or intermarriage of my wife Mary, I desire that all the foregoing named slaves and their increase with the exception of the two first mentioned Moses and Nelly, be divided in the following manner, vizt. I give and bequeath to my son Henry Dickenson and his heirs forever old Ginney, Eve and Vilott and their increase. To my son James Dickenson I give and bequeath to him and his heirs forever Molly. I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Burdine and her heirs forever Queen and Peter with their increase. I give and bequeath to my son John Dickenson and his heirs forever Anderson and Winney, and I give and bequeath to my son Robert Dickenson and his heirs forever, Dave, Nan and Setin with their increase. And likewise after the death of my loving wife Mary Dickenson I give and bequeath to my son Henry Dickenson and his heirs forever young Moses, and to my son James Dickenson and his heirs forever Nelly and her increase, and the rest of my property heretofore mentioned to remain on the place whereon I now live for the use of my son Robert Dickenson and his heirs forever. And my stock in the United States Bank heretofore mentioned be equally divided between my two sons Robert Dickenson and James Dickenson. 3dly - I give and bequeath to my son Henry Dickenson and his heirs forever the following slaves and their increase old Moses and young Ginney, also my interest in the Carding and Fulling Machines at Charles Bickleys. 4thly. I give and bequeath to my son James Dickenson and his heirs forever, the following slaves, Jack, and Umphrey and the place whereon he now lives running with Burdines line to the corner between where John Skeen and Stephen Skeen now lives from thence a straight line to include the meadow under the ridge that Pigmon cleared and joining his land. 5thly I give and bequeath to my son John Dickenson and his heirs forever one negro girl named Mary and her increase. 6thly I give and bequeath to my son Robert Dickenson and his heirs forever the tract of land lying on the head of Robinson's Mill Creek containing about 200 acres, the tract of land whereon Fielding Isaacks lives of 160 acres and the tract of land whereon my grice and saw mills are with all things thereunto belonging: also the following slaves & increase, that is Edmund, Sooky, Cate, Bob, Charles, Susan, and Mourning. Also the houses with the adjoining tracts of land with their appurtainances whereon I now live after the death of my wife Mary. 7thly I give and bequeath to my Daughter Polly Duff and her heirs forever one tract of land lying and being in Lee County on Wallens Creek, also one negro girl named Lize and her increase. 8thly I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Burdine and her heirs forever the West end of the tract of land divided by the line mentioned in the 4th section of this my last will and testament: also the following named slaves Fan and Mariah. 9thly I give to my grandson Daniel Ellington and his heirs forever the tract of land whereon Berry Evans now lives, at his arrival to lawful age or marries - provided he relinquishes his interest of the lands belonging to the estate of his Father and Mother decd to the heirs and legal representatives thereof. 10thly. I give and bequeath to my Grand Children, viz't Jerusha Caldwell, Francis Ellington, Polly Hanson, Nathan Ellington, Elizabeth Boyd, and Patsy Ellington and their heirs forever, one hundred dollars each to be paid equally by my three children, Robert Dickenson, John Dickenson and Martha Burdine in two instalments that is one half within six months after my death, and the other half within six months after my wife Mary Dickensons death, likewise one hundred dollars to my Grand Son Daniel Ellington to be paid by my Executor out of my Estate if the said Daniel Ellington refuses complying with the 9th section of this my last Will and Testament. 11thly I give and bequeath to my grand children Patsy Muncey and Elizabeth Erwin and their heirs forever two hundred Dollars each to be paid by my two sons Henry Dickenson and James Dickenson in like manner as mentioned in the preceeding section. 12thly If my grandson son Daniel Ellington refuses complying with the 9th section of this my last Will and Testament I wish my Executor to make sale of it and out of the monies arising therefrom make an equal division between all my children then living. 13th. I also wish and desire that all the rest of my estate both real and personal of what nature and kind soever it may be not herein before particularly disposed of; except the grane, meat, and crop on hand which I wish to go to the use and benefit of my loving wife Mary Dickenson be sold without any appraisement whatsoever after my decease at the pleasure and convenience of my Executor, and out of the monies arising therefrom together with the debts due me and money in hand I wish all my just debts and funeral expenses paid. And should that part of my estate prove more than sufficient for the above named purposes, I wish it to be equally divided between my wife and all my children then living by my Executor hereafter named. And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Robert Dickenson Executor of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all other or former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this Eighteenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and twenty three.
Henry Dickenson senr. (Seal)
Signed, Sealed, published and declared as and for the last Will and Testament of the above named Henry Dickenson in presence of us
Henry Sergent
Saml Aston
Virginia
At a court held for Russell County on the 3d day of August, 1825-
This instrument of writing was exhibited in Court as & for the last Will and Testament of Henry Dickenson senr. deceased and proven by the oath of Henry Sergent one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded as to the personal estate therein bequeathed. - and on the motion of Robert Dickenson executor therein named who made oath, and together with James Dickenson junr. George Cowan, David Hanson and James Gray his securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of $20,000 conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted him for obtaining probat of the said will in due form.
Teste James P. Carrell C.R.C.
And at a Court helf for Russell County the 6th day of Sept 1825
This instrument of writing was again exhibited in Court as and for the last will and testament of Henry Dickenson senr. dec'd & proven by the oath of Samuel Aston the other subscribing witness thereto and ordered to be recorded as to the real estate therein bequeathed.
Teste James P. Carrell C.R.C.