Charles City County, VA; Will of John Eppes, 1836 Submitted for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Parke ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Last Will and Testament of John Eppes 29 January 1836 - Charles City County, VA Proved and Recorded on 18 February 1836 Page 1 In the name of God, Amen; I, John Eppes of the County of Charles City and State of Virginia, do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills made by me in appearance and form following to wit. Imprimus, I direct my Executors herein after named to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses as speedily after my decease as practicable. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my wife Francis Eppes, to her and her heirs forever all the estate real personal and mixed which I received on my intermarriage with her in right of my said wife; and I direct my Executors to leave the same under her exclusive control without any the least interference on their part; and that there may be no misunderstanding as to the slaves which I received in right of my said wife, I herein recite their names as follows: Silvy, Kipsy, Maria, Dolly, Hannah, Jane, Carcy, Erasmus, Julius, Wilson, Susan and Deck. I also give to my said wife One Hundred Dollars ($100) in cash to her and her heirs forever; and I loan to her for and during the term of her natural life my gigg and harness and my sorrel horse. ITEM: I give and devise to my son John C. Eppes a tract or parcel of land be the same more or less on the South side of the road leading to the Long Bridge containing by estimation one hundred and twenty five acres and bounded as follows. Commencing at a small walnut tree near the old gate, and running a straight course to a persimmon, from the spring a south east course and down a small branch to the spring, from the spring a south east course and down a small branch which empties into the Edna Mill (Illegible word) to him and his heirs forever. I also give and bequeath to my said son the following slaves to wit: Susan, Sam, Milly, William and Burwell, and the future increase of the females, also any now in his possession. Children of the said Sally and Milly which I have not named because I do not know or recollect their names - all to him and his heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son Littleberry Eppes, the following slaves to wit: Moses, Davy, Killy, wife of Davy, Maria and her three children, Emeline, Killy and Cresa, also Sam and Daniel together with the future increase of the females, also my black mare all to him and his heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Bradley, the following slaves to wit: Siller (sic) and Polly and the future increase of the females to her and her heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my grand-daughter Virginia Bradley, eldest daughter of my daughter Elizabeth, a Negro girl named Anna and her future increase to her and her heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Marston, the following slaves to wit: Mahala and son William, Carter, Old John, Eliza, Chrishanna, and Barnett and the future increase of the females to her and her heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Ann Eppes, the following slaves to wit: Sally, George, Oliver, Washington, Nancy, Ianetta and Mary and the future increase of the females to her and her heirs forever. I also give to my said daughter my carriage and harness in fee simple, but my son Littleberry is to have the use of it until she arrives to age or marries. ITEM: I give and devise to my son James Eppes, the following lands adjoining the tract I reside on purchased of Littleberry Bradley containing one hundred and forty acres, a tract purchased of Richard W. Ragland containing fifty acres and that portion of lands purchased by me from Edward Roper’s estate which lies on the west side of a line to be laid off from the main road, commencing where the fence now meets the road, and running south to Robert Hubbard’s Corner to him and his heirs forever. I also give and bequeath to my son the following slaves to wit: Rico, Randolph, Minerva, Betsy and son John and my sorrel mare and sorrel coult (sic) two years old, my new saddle and bridle and one bed and furniture, all to him and his heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son Robert P. Eppes the plantation on which I now live called and known by the name of Spring Field, the tract devised to my son James now considered part of my home tract is of course excepted. I also give and devise to my said son Robert that portion of Roper’s tract which lies on the east side of the line described in the devise to my son James: The said lands I give and devise to my son Robert to him and his heirs forever. I also give and bequeath to my son Robert the following slaves to wit: Jerry, Kepup, Adeline, Melvira and Nat and the future increase of the females to him and his heirs forever. I also give my said son in fee simple half dozen silver table spoons, half dozen silver tea spoons and one bed and furniture. ITEM: It is my will and desire that if either of my said sons James or Robert should die under the age of twenty-one years or before marriage, that the survivor should have the real estate devised to him; and proportion of the personal estate is to equally divided among all my children, and if both should die under that age and unmarried, then all the estate real and personal which I have devised and bequeathed them is to be equally divided among all my children. ITEM: I give and bequeath to Henry Marston ten barrels of corn and one stack of blade fodder, to him and his heirs forever. ITEM: I give and bequeath to my friend James R. Roper two barrels of corn and one stack of blade fodder to him and his heirs forever. ITEM: I give the residue of my estate of every description not heretofore disposed of and all monies that my come into the hands of my executors from any and every source whatever after the payment of debts expenses and legacies to five of my children to wit: Elizabeth Bradley, Rebecca Marston, Mary Ann Eppes, James and Robert P. Eppes to be equally divided among them and their heirs forever. If my son Littleberry thinks proper to live on the plantation which I have devised to my son, Robert P. Eppes (part of paragraph is illegible). Twenty ninth day of January eighteen Hundred and Thirty Six. Signed, Sealed, published and declared by John Eppes as and for his last Will and Testament and by his express directive and in his presence we have subscribed our names as witnesses. Flemming H Bate Jno. Eppes (Seal) John Slaton Thomas Bradley Warren Southall At a court held for Charles City County at the Courthouse on Thursday the 18th day of February 1836. This will was produced in court proved by the oaths of Flemming H. Bate and Thomas Bradley, Witnesses to the same and ordered to be recorded. Teste: Ro: W. Christian Court Clerk