BEDFORD COUNTY, VA - WILLS - James Freeman, 28 Aug 1822 --------------¤¤¤¤¤¤-------------- Last Will and Testament of James Freeman In quoting from 'COPPEDGE/FREEMAN and NEXT OF KIN" BY MILDRED C. SIEVER, Jim Nichols states: "JAMES FREEMAN will was probated in 1828 and he listed his "wife Frances" and his children." This date is correct for the probate of the will but the original will list the name of wife as Sarah Freeman. See Freeman Forebears, Chapter 13. I have in my possession a typed copy of the original will. This copy was obtained by William Mitchell Freeman (my Uncle) when he visited Virginia in the 1930's. --Virginia Taylor Jim Heffron [jheffron@getnet.com] shared the Will of James Freeman of Bedford Co. Will Book 7, pp 106-107. He states it was written on 28 Aug 1822 and proved 28 July 1828. In item No. 4, it reads "To wife Sarah, for life, residue of estate, real and person. BEDFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA Will Book 7, pp 106-107 Will of James Freeman of Bedford Co written 28 Aug. 1822; proved 28 Jul, 1828. 1. Just debts paid. 2. My daughters have had a horse and featherbed except Milly and Peggy; they are to be made equal with the others. 3. My daughter Frances' first husband borrowed a horse and never returned him, so I consider it is place of giving her a horse. 4. To wife Sarah, for life, residue of estate, real and personal. 5. Daughter Peggy to remain with my wife as long as she is single. 6. After my wife's death, property to be sold and the proceeds divided in 15 equal parts to my children as follows: son John; son James; son William; son Richard; children of son Jesse, deceased; son Thomas; son Moses; daughter Jane Dowdy; daughter Mary Robertson; daughter Ann Cliborn; daughter Elizabeth Hutts; daughter Sarah White; daughter Frances Glover; daughter Milly Arthur; daughter Peggy. 7. Appoint son Richard Freeman and friend Jeffrey Robertson executors. Witnesses: Drury Holland, Richard Hudson, John J. Robertson, Jeffery G. Robertson. Proved by Richard Hudson and Jeffery Robertson. Richard Freeman qualified as executor. BEDFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA; Book 23, p. 273 James Freeman, deceased, bequeathed to his daughter Milly and her husband Willis Arthur a legacy of negroes and lands.... whereas Milly and Willis Arthur died on 15 July 1829 convey by power of attorney shown to Richard Freeman and John Cliburn, then of Smith County, Tenn..... I, John Cliburn of Simpson County, Kentucky, appoint Solomon Lindsay of Bedford County my attorney to demand and receive from Richard Freeman the legacy bequeathed to said Milly and Willis Arthur. Dated Simpson County, Kentucky, 12 January 1833. This last Will and Testament of James Freeman, Deceased, was exhibited in Court and proven to be the oaths of Richard Hudson and John I. Robertson, subscribing witnesses hereto and ordered to be recorded. And afterwards, viz. Following is a copy of the Will of James Freeman: I, James Freeman, of the County of Bedford and state of Virginia, do make, and ordain, this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all others heretofore made by me. First; My will is that all my just debts, as well as necessary funeral expenses be paid by my Executors, hereinafter named, out of money raised by sale of part of my estate, either real or personal or perishable, at the discretion of my Executors, and with the consent of my wife, Sarah Freeman, as also other devises I mean to make. As my daughters have all that is married and left me, had a horse and feather bed, except Milly which has had no horse, and Peggy that is now living with me has had neither horse or bed, it is my desire that they be made equal with the rest as soon as it can be done conveniently either before or after the death of my wife, as respects bed and horses, say good and serviceable horses for plantation use. And as for my daughter Frances' first husband borrowed a horse of me and never returned him, I consider it in place of giving her a horse. Item: I give and bequeath to my wife, Sarah Freeman, for and during her natural life, but under the control of my Executors for the purpose of her support, all the residue of my estate, real and personal, and further I wish my daughter, Peggy.523.F Peggy Freeman;.523.F);, to live with my said wife, so long as she, my said daughter lives single, and after the death of my wife I wish my estate to be sold by my Executors on such credit as they may think most advisable for the benefit of my representatives and divided into fifteen equal parts or shares and distributed as follows: to my son, John Freeman.523.1 John Freeman (ca. 1775-ca. 1854);.523.1);, I give one share as also with all he has ever received of me to him and his heirs forever. To my son, James Freeman.523.2 James Freeman;.523.2);, I give one share and all he have ever received of me, to him and his heirs forever. To my son, William Freeman.523.3 William Freeman;.523.3);, I give one share and all he ever received from me, to him and his heirs forever. To my son, Richard Freeman.523.4 Dr. Richard Freeman (ca. 1780-?);.523.4);, I give one share and all he has ever received from me to him and his heirs forever. To the children of my son, Jesse Freeman.523.5 Jesse Freeman;.523.5);, Deceased, one share to them and their heirs forever. To my son, Thomas Freeman.523.6 Thomas Freeman;.523.6);, I give one share and all that he have ever received of me to him and his heirs forever. To my son, Moses Freeman.523.7 Moses Freeman;.523.7);, all that he has ever received from me, and to his children, all he now has and any he may have hereafter, males and females, I give to them one share to them and their heirs forever. To my daughter, Jane Dowdy.523.8 Jane Freeman;.523.8);, I give one share and all other things she has ever received from me to her and her heirs forever. To my daughter, Mary Robertson.523.9 Mary Freeman;, I give one share and all other things she ever received of me to her and her heirs forever. To my daughter, Ann Cliborn.523.A Ann Freeman;.523.A);, I give one share and all other things she ever received from me to her and her heirs forever. To my daughter, Elizabeth Hutts.523.B Elizabeth Freeman;.523.B);, I give one share and all other things she ever received from me to her and her heirs forever. To my daughter, Sarah White.523.C Sarah Freeman;.523.C);, I give all she has ever received from me, and to her children, heirs of her body at her death I give one share, reserving to her, my said daughter, the use and benefit of the said share during her life, to them and their heirs forever. To my daughter, Frances Glovier.523.D Frances Freeman;.523.D);, I give all she has ever received from me, and to her children, heirs of her body, I give one share, reserving to her, my daughter, the use of the said share with the profits thereof during her life, the children she may hereafter have as well as she now has at the time of her decease to them and their heirs forever. To my daughter, Milly Arthur.523.E Milly Freeman;.523.E);, in addition to what she has had and devised, I give one share to her and her heirs forever. To my daughter, Peggy Freeman, in addition to what has been devised to her I give one share to her and her heirs forever. Lastly, I constitute and appoint my son, Richard Freeman, and my friend, Jeffrey Robertson, Executors of this my will. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th day of August, 1822. James Freeman (seal) Signed, sealed and acknowledged in presence of Drury Holland, Richard Hudson, John I. Robertson, Jeffrey Robertson. At a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 28th day of July, 1828. At a Court held for said County, the 22nd day of December, 1828, Richard Freeman, one of the Executors named in said Will made oath and gave bond and security according to law - whereupon certificate is granted him for obtaining probate thereof in due form; liberty being reserved the other Executor named in said will to join in the probate whenever he shall think fit. Test: Ro. C. Mitchell, C.B.C. A copy Test: ________________________, Clerk Circuit Court of Bedford, County, Virginia. August 2, 1853 ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Virginia Taylor vtaylor1@swbell.net ___________________________________________________________________