Last Will and Testament of John Grigsby
Submitted By: Charles E. Baker
Book M, Pages 17-18, Stafford County, Virginia Records
In the name of God Amen I John Grigsby of the
Parish of St. Paul in the County of Stafford being in good health of body,
sound, perfect and disposing mind and memory, thanks be returned to God for
same, yet being sensible of the uncertainty of this mortal life, do make,
publish, and ordain this my last will and testament in manner & form
following (that is to say) first and principally I recommend my soul into hands
of Almighty God, hopeing through the meritorius death & passion of my
blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ to receive full & free pardon and
remition of my sins and to inherit everlasting salvation, and my body I commit
to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereafter
mentioned as touching the disposition of such temporall estate as it hath
pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me, I give and dispose thereof as followeth
Item I give unto my son John Grigsby &
his heirs part of tract of
land I bought of Nicholas Battain from his spring branch to uper corner tree by
Wm. Smith's old field and likewise I give him three Negros, named Sambo,
, & Dick.
Item I give unto my son Charles Grigsby all
that parcell of land from the swamp to Mr. Chandler Fowke's line whereon he now
lives, it being in the pattain I bought of Nick Battain and likewise I give unto
him two Negros, Robin & James, and to him & his heirs the land &
Negros.
Item I give unto my daughter Mary Anne four
Negros, Jemmy, Will, Joney & Bess, to her and her heirs.
Item I gave unto my son James Grigsby and
his heirs all that parsall of land whereon he now lives from Jones Branch up his
own spring branch and to across to his brother John' spring branch, and likewise
I give him three Negros, Jack, Ben, Dall and her increase forever to him &
his heirs.
Item I give unto my son Wm. Grigsby, and
his heirs all that parcell of land whereon he now lives, it being part of that
patten I bought of Nicholas Battain from James' spring branch up Jones Branch to
my head line and so along the line to his brother John's land, and likewise I
give him three Negros, Allow, Jane & Grace, their increase to him and his
heirs forever.
Item I give unto my son Thomas Grigsby all
the remainer part of that pattain.
I bought of Battain from the end of Wolf Pit
Point up Jones Branch to my head line on the east side of branch; also I give
him the said tract of land whereon now I live to him and his heirs and likewise
I give him three Negros, Nan, Genny, Mary, and their increase to him & his
heirs forever and likewise I give unto my son Thomas Grigsby all my hoggs
belonging to me and likewise I give him half my cattle and the other half of
cattle to be divided between my other four sons and daughter and likewise all my
other
part of my moveable estate to be equally divided between my six children and
further I doe desire that my estate may not be brought to an appraisment, and
further I doe appoint my two sons John and Thomas Grigsby to be my executors of
this my last will & testament to see that everything equally divided between
themselves revoking all former wills as witness my hand and seale this 17th
March, 1728/9.
Signed & Sealed in the Present
of us & Delivered:
Jn.
Grigsby (Seal)
Hen. Lopdell
mark
Eliz. Q. Eaton
her
At a Court held for Stafford County the 11th day
of November 1730 this Will was presented into Court by John Grigsby and Thomas
Grigsby, executors therein named, who made oath thereto and the same being
further proved by the oath of Elizabeth Eaton, one of the witnesses thereto, who
also made oath that she saw Henry Lopdell, another witness, subscribed, sign the
same it is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Test:
Catesby Cooke, Clerk
A Copy Teste: S.L.
Alexander, Clerk
Recorded in Will Book M,
pages 17 & 18.