Lankford Hall Will, 1862, Carroll Co., VA ------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ron Hall rwhall@mmm.com USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material AND permission is obtained from the CONTRIBUTOR of the file. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Will of Lankford Hall State of Virginia, Carroll County May 2, 1862 I, Lankford Hall, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do make this, my last will and testament. 1st My will and desire is, that after my decease, my home tract of land, on which I now reside, and my Snake Creek tract containing 174 1\2 acres adjoining the lands of Wm. Mullin, Thomas Quesenberry and Wm. Banks known as the Cornelius Land, be rented yearly to the highest bidder and the proceeds applied to the support and education of all my children until they are 21 years of age. If there should be a residue after supporting and schooling my several children, my desire is that it should be kept out at interest until my youngest child is 21 years old. Further, my desire is, that my sons be put to some good trade while they are underage after obtaining a reasonable share of schooling. My desire is that my land be kept in good condition during the time that it may be rented so as not to depreciate in value and that no part be sold until my youngest child arrive at the age of 24 years. My desire is that no more of either of my tracts of land be cleared and no live lumber destroyed except upon the meadow land on the Snake Creek tract. That, I desire to (be) cleared with about 15 or 20 acres of my land attached to the said meadowland, all of which is now under fence. If any of (my) children should be steady after they arrive at the age of 21 years and should marry, so as to need any assistance, I am willing that they should have some help out of my estate or reside upon some portion of my land until my youngest child arrive at the age of 24 years. But if they should appear to be wild or unstable, I desire that my estate remain undivided until my youngest child arrive at the age of 24 years. Further, my desire is that my mother have of the proceeds of my personal property thirty dollars and my two sisters Frances Bell and Elizabeth Hall have each twenty dollars; and my sister Mary Webb have ten dollars. the entire residue of the proceed s of the sale of property I desire equally divided amongst my several children after they arrive at the age of 24 years each. By reference to the record of marriage contract recorded in the clerk's office of Pulaski County Court between myself and Rhoda King, it will be seen that I am to have three-fourths of the increase of her negro family, consisting of six females. My desire is that the said increase of negroes be taken only by my executor and served up and after my children arrive at the age of above designated, I desire that the said negroes be divided amongst all of my several children according to valuation. As my said wife Rhoda has left me with the understanding that she will sue for a divorce in the circuit court Pulaski County, it was agreed upon between us that in case she obtained a divorce, that she was to pay all the expence herself out of her individual affects. And in case she obtained a divorce, it is agreed between us and understood that she is to have all her personal property that she brought here when we were married, consisting of two feather beds and bed clothing with! ! but one bed stead, one cupboard with some few pieces of earthenware and one chestnut sorrell mare, with all the negroes that she owns except the three-fourths of the increase of the said negroes. My desire is, in case of my decease that there be no lawing between my said wife Rhoda and my children or their representatives with regard to any property that may be in dispute. In case that my said wife should fail to get a divorce and should come in claim (of) her third part of my estate, I wish my executors to hold the land which I obtained by my said wife and if she is willing to do so, I desire an exchange be made, that is give her up the tract of land that she owned before our marriage for her entire interest in my estate. My children have an estate coming from their grandfather (Stephen Myers, sen) of Pittsylvania County, Va. I desire that my executors attend t o the collection of that for my children and divide it equally amongst them at the age above named. And I further desire that my executors examine into the estate of Thos. Price of Pittsylvania County (the brother of ?? Myers, the grandmother of my children). This is quite an estate to be divided amongst the several heirs, he, the said price, having no children. The said estate is under the control of Stephen Price. My desire is that my mother, Anna Hall, remain where she now lives during her life, and that she have laid off to her, a sufficient garden and fruit trees sufficient to supply her with fruit. And I further desire that she have four of my shoats to supply her with meat the first year after my decease in addition to the thirty dollars that I have already mentioned above. I desire that my sister, Frances Bell, have one breeding sow and three shoats which are white, the shoats are now about seven months old. The sow and shoats range just back of my barn. I name the range so as to designate the hogs from the rest of my stock of hogs. I further desire that my sister Nancy Ashworth have ten dollars in money, or anything else that she may prefer to the amount of ten dollars, provided she buy it at the sale of my property. As to my two negroes, Coleman and Phillip, my desire is that they be hired out every year to good homes, unless it should appear that it would be to the advantage of my children to sell them. In that case, I desire them sold and the money put out at interest for the benefit of my children. My desire is that Michael Kinser and James B. Johnson act as my executors and do hereby appoint the said Michael Kinser and James B. Johnson my executors to carry out the provisions of this my last will and testament. In witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and date first above written. Lankford Hall (seal) Signed and acknowledged in the presence of J. B. Davison H. H. Farmer