Will of Thomas Woodford, Will Book 5, pg. 335. (1828-1831) I Thomas Woodford of the County of Bedford and Stae of Virginia do make and ordain this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other wills heretofore by me made: first, I devise that all my just debts and all necessay funeral expenses be paid by my executors herein after named. Item: I give to my wife Elizabeth the plantation where I now live with an addition of part of the saw mill track on the north side adjoining Adam Newman beginning at a pine corner thence down the creek to a black oak corner thence down the creek as it meanders to Dobbyns line for and during her life and after her decease, I give the same land to my son Shepherd Woodford to him and his heirs forever on condition that the said Shepherd Woodford shall take good care of his mother and support her decently and plentifully during her life, if however he should fail to comply with the above condtion then in that case she shall have the right to rent out the said land and mill for her support and Shepherd shall keep the mill in good repair out of the proceeds of the plantation and mill. I give also to my said wife one horse and two cows such as she shall choose and such other of my stock and tools household and kitchen furniture, crop and provisions on hand as shall be sufficient for the use of herself and family at the discretion of my excutors for and during her life. After her decease this property is to be disposed of for the benefit of my estate and applied as hereafter directed. Item: I give to my son William the track of land he now lives on upon condtion that he will pay to Elizabeth Dobyns, daughter of Griffin Dobyns, fifty dollars, if he does not pay the fifty dollars, then in that case it is my desire that the land shall be sold by my Executors and that he shall have three hundred dollars by including the bonds and accounts I hold against him. Item: I give to my son James three hundred dollars out of the bonds I hold against him, the balance to be paid to my Executors. Item: I give to my daughter Polly Mayhew and her children three hundred dollars out of their bonds and accounts I hold against them and Reason L. Mayhew. Item: I give to my daughter, Sally Creasy, two hundred and fifty dollars to be discharged with a bond I hold against her as far as it will go. Item: I give to the wife and children of my Jacob Woodford, the tract of land I bought of Thomas Welch, but not that I bought of Peyton(?) Welch, worth two hundred and seventy nine dollars to them and their heirs forever. Item: I give to my son Henry Woodford one equal share as hereafter explained to be settled by him and the land on which he now lives to be taken into consideration at twenty shillings per acre which land I give him and his heirs forever. I also give to him fifty dollars to enable him to rebuild the saw mill, but if he does not rebuild it, he shall not receive it. Which saw mill I give to him and my son William 'Woodford with the saw and all the irons belonging to the same with this condition, that they two rebuild it at their expense and afterwards share and share alike in the profit asrising from the same and also to let Shepherd Woodford have the privilege of sawing or furnish him with plank and seantling(?) and other timbers he may want for the gris mill and dam and plantation on which he lives. If the saw mill should not be built then the $50 given to Henry for that purpose is to be equally divided among the seven children. Item: I give to my daughter Grace Dobyns the land I bought of Thomas Pullen, the value _?_?_?_ brought in a settlement at twenty shillings per acre to her and her heirs forever. Item: I give to my daughter Jane Dixon and her heir forever the tract of land she now lives on _?_?_?_ to my plat including a strip between that place and _?_?_?_ Wilkes to be rated on a settlement at twenty shillings per acre. Item: It is my desire that seven of my last wifes children, viz. Grace Dobyns, Catherine Reese, Hannah Crumpacker, Jacob Woodford wife and children, Henry Woodford, Elizabeth Martin and Jane Dixon shall share equally all my estate real and personal not otherwise disposed of taking into consideration the value of lands and mentioned above as before those in the last item. I request that my daughter Catherine Reese may have her part or as right as it is ascertained out of the final moving made from my estate account of the distance she lives off. I do herby constitute and appoint my wife Elizabeth Woodford Executrix and John Martin and my son Shepherd Woodford Executors of this my last will and testament. It is also my desire that my legatees should not go to Law with undue action, but if they cannot agree on any matter among themselves, call in disinterested men to settle any disagreement that may arise between them. It is my desire that whatsoever part of my estate which may fall to the wife and children of Jacob Woodford and John W. Dixon upon an equal division shall remain in the hands of my executors for the exclusive use and benefit of the wife and children and not be under the control of their husband in any way and to be paid over to them as they need it. It is also my desire that the Court of Bedford shall appoint Jeffrey Robertson, David W. Quarles, William Leftwich commissioners to appraise my estate and to make the distributions between my legatees to the foregoing will signed, sealed and delivered of this 26th day of December 1829. Thomas Woodford William Leftwich Ellis Leftwich D. K. Forgie William B. Leftwich At a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 26th day of May 1830. This Last Will and Testament of Thomas Woodford dec'd was produced in Court, proved by the solemn affirmation of William Leftwich, William B. Leftwich and the oath of Daniel K. Forgie subscribing witnesses thereto and was ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of John Martin and Shepherd Woodford the Executors therein named who made oath and gave bond and security according to law, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form liberty being reserved the executrix named in said will to join in the probate thereof when she may think fit. Teste Robert C. Mitchell Submitted by Earl W. Woodford **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************