CULPEPER COUNTY – WILL: SARAH RUSSELL, 1756 Contributed by: Von Mings Stachon ******************************************************************************** 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 ******************************************************************************** Will: Sarah Russell, St.Mark Parish, Culpeper Co, VA (1756) IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I Sarah Russell of the Parish of St.Mark in the County of Culpeper, widow, being in good health and of perfect mind and memory, thanks to almighty God for the same, therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say: principally and first of all I recommend my soul to God who gave it & my body I commit to the earth, therein to be interr'd in a decent & christian like manner, at the discretion of my Executors, not doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and that thro' (through) the merits and mediation of my redeemer Jesus Christ, I shall enjoy everlasting felicity, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise & dispose of as followeth: Imprimis: I give to my daughter Mary Wright my side saddle & cloak. Item: I give to my three daughters, Sarah Read, Elizabeth Roberts and Mary Wright my wearing apparel to be equally divided among them. Item: I lend to my beloved son William Russell, & Mary his wife, during their natural lives all my negros (to wit) Mary alias Moll, Laban, Doll, Ann, & Adam, and their increase provided that if my daughter in law Mary Russell should out live my son William and should marry again, then the said Mary Russell's right to the said negroes shall cease & be utterly void. Item: I give & bequeath to my three loving grand children William Russell, Henry Russell, & Katherine Russell all my negroes aforesaid, to wit: Mary alias Moll, Laban, Doll, Ann, & Adam, with their increase, to be equally divided between them, my said grand children after the decease of my loving son William Russell & Mary, his wife. Item: I give all the residue of my estate not yet disposed of to my son William Russell, and I do likewise constitute & appoint my son William Russell and my grand sons William Russell & Henry Russell Executors of this my last will and testament, and do hereby utterly revoke & disallow every other former Will or Wills, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will & Testament. IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 20th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & fifty six.                                                     her                                               Sarah  X  Russell  (LS)                                                     mark Sign'd, seal'd, publish'd & declared in presence of: William Ball Elizabeth Graydon William Green                        At a Court held for the County of Culpeper                           Thursday, the 20th day of October 1757 This Last Will & Testament of Sarah Russell, dec'd, was exhibited to the court by William Russell Jr, one of the Executors therein named & was proved by the oaths of William _______(faded out) and Elizabeth Graydon, two of the witnesses thereto & (ordered) to be recorded at the same time William Russell __, heir of the said decedent, another Executor in the said mentioned, refused to take upon him the burthen of execution thereof and on the motion of the said ________(faded) due form is granted him, he _________ _______  giving bond & security according to law and there____ he took the oath of an Executor as the law directs, liberty is reserved for Henry Russell, the other Executor therein named to join in the Probat when he shall think fit                                                       Teste:                                                       Roger Dixon, Cl.Cur. Source: Library of Virginia, Will Book A, 1749-1770 Culpeper Co, VA Reel 31, pages 165-166 Note: Spelling errors were not corrected.  Paragraphing and some punctuation were added by transcriber for ease in reading.  There are no paragraphs in the original.