BOTETOURT COUNTY – WILL: PATRICK SHARKEY, 1786 Contributed by: Grant A. Van Vranken ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ******************************************************************************** In the name of God, Amen, I Patrick Sharkey of Botetourt County and State of Virginia being of sound Mind & Memory but knowing the Union thy [?] of Life do make Constitute and ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all other Wills by me heretofore made ------------ IMPRIMSS, I commend my Sole to Almighty God who give it in Hope of a Ressurection by the Mediation of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to Eternal Bliss my Body I Will to the Grave to be decently interned at the Discretion of my Executrix Item I lend to my beloved Wife Anne Sharkey the whole of my Estate both rail and Personal except my Tract of Land Containing three Hundred & forty Acres more or less on the on the Head of Catawba Creek whereon David Smyth now lives during the term of her natural Life, Item I give and bequeath to my Son and Hair at Law, James Sharkey five Pounds Current Money of Virginia to be paid him by my Executrix after the Deceas of my Wife Anne, Item my Will is that my Executrix lease my Plan- -tation on the Head of Catawba Creek agreeable to Thos. Rosses Lus(?) who now Lives on Part of Three hundred and forty Acres that after Lease of Thos. Rosses is out then I give and bequeath the Tract of Land to my Son John Sharkey to him and his Hairs and Asigns for ever, Item I likewise give and bequeath to my Son Patrick Sharkey the Plantation I now Live on containing five hundred and fifteen Acres of Patant Land and two Negroes and two work Horses and all Youtentials belonging to the Plantation and three Milk Cows and all my Debts and the remainder of my Stock is to be sold and the Money to be Converted to the Youse of Schooling my Grand Children all to have an equail Part and also an Entry I have farming Robert Coldwells Land and Thompsons Entry is to be sold and the Money to be converted to the same Youse as schooling my Grand Children.  Lastly I constitute and appoint my Wife Anne Executrix of this my last Will and Tesstament Sign- -ed with my own Hand and Dated this thirtyeth Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six Patrick Sharkey Signed, Sealed, and Published and declaed in the Presents of us Test Adam Peck Jacob Haris Rachel Grant  March Botetourt Cort 1786 This Testament of Writing was produced in Court as and for the last Will  & Testament of Patrick Sharkey dec'd & found by the Oaths of Adam Peck & Jacob Haris and ordered to be recorded & at an- -ther Court held for said County the eighth Day of August 1786 on the Motion of Adam Peck  & Patrick Sharkey Certificate is gran- -ted them for obtaining a Probat hereof they having first made both en- -tered into & acknowledged Bond in L 1000 with Benjamin Peck & John (unreadable)  Surities according to Law.      Test A. Smyth DL Patrick Sharkey was born ca 1720 in Ireland.  He died in February/March of 1786.  His wife was Anne (some say her last name is Knolleys, but this is unsubstantiated).  Patrick and Anne had the following children: Mary who married Peter Wiley; Nicholas who married Sarah Woods; James who married Elizabeth Poage; Anne who married Adam Wood(s); Elizabeth who married Adam Peck; John who married Jane George; Patrick who married Sally Allen and Polly Rhodes.  Patrick Sr. established a milling business on the Upper James River in 1746, where he might have produced hemp rope.  In 1756 the following entry is listed in Botetourt County "processioned by Thos. McFarrin and Robert Montgomery, in Cap. John McFarrin's Company, on Catawbo Creek, for viz...  Patrick Shurkey."  On April 24, 1767, Patrick Sharkey was a witness to land sold my Matthew Patton to William Rowland.  Aug 21, 1767, Surveyors of highways appointed Patrick Shirley and William Watkins from James Montgomery's at Catawho to the south side of Craig's Creek Mountain where John Potts quit clearing. August 17, 1769 (Augusta County Will Book 4, page 237) Patrick was listed as paying for land belonging to Col. Patton's estate.  In 1772, Patrick and Anne had amassed a considerable estate totaling 1,389 acres all lying in Botetourt County, Virginia.  Patrick  furnished horses in 1776 for an expedition against the Cherokees for the Battle of Lond Island in the Holston River.  He was listed again in Captain Robinson's Co. (Militia- probably Patrick Jr.) in 1783.  He furnished 13 Horses, 17 cattle and one slave  A Seed-Bed of the Republic p 328 unknown Author, publisher and date THE SHARKEYS Patrick was paying for purchases from the Patton grants in Botetourt as early as 1753.  He accumulated a large estate on the Upper James River, now known as Buhrman Bottoms, where he established a milling business.  He fortified his home from Indian attack by palisades, and the logs of his house-walls were provided with loopholes for the firing of guns from within.  The remains of this home are still remembered by some of the older citizens of the community who recall that the loopholes were plugged, or filled, with wooden plugs to keep out cold.  Nicholas Sharkey lived up the river from Patrick, at Locust Bottom.  Both Nicholas and James were in Captain Pryor's Company in 1783.