Will of Joseph Lee, 1788 4 June 1788 Cumberland County Will Book 1, Page 484 In the name of God Amen, I, Joseph Lee of the County of Cumberland and Parish of ____, being in my perfect sence and memory and do call to mind that there is a time and if it should please God to call me away, I desire my littly estate may be divided as follows - I desire that I should be buried in a decent manner, leaving it to the discretion of my Executors hereafter mentioned to be paid out of my Estate. I desire that my just debts may be paid. I give unto my son-in-law William Cox ten pounds current money of Virginia to be paid unto the said William Cox at my death. It is my desire that two negroes vis: Mourning and Gilley at my death should be hired out by my Executors hereafter mentioned for the benefit of all the children that is and shall be gotten of the body of my daughter Keziah Cox, but should she become a widow, I lend her the said Negroes and their increase during her widowhood or death or marriage. I give the above mentioned negroes their increase and all the money arising from the hire of them unto all the above mentioned children of the said Keziah Cox to be equally divided between them but should my daughter Keziah Cox and all her children die without issue then the said negroes with their increase to be equally divided between my other children hereafter mentioned. I lend unto my loving wife Ann Lee during her natural life, the plantation formerly held by William Lee, containing 150 acres of land and 50 acres of land to be taken from my other lands adjoining it in the most convenient manner for that and my other plantation and the houses to be repaired out of my Estate fit for her reception with the still that is thereon. The said plantation likewise I lend unto my loving wife Ann Lee as before as much of my stock and household furniture and plantation utensils as she may think proper, with five negroes vis: Sam, Sawney, Rachall, Hannah, Jinny and their increase, to raise and school the children, upon the boys to be taught the Rules of Three and the girls to be taught to read well. Likewise, I lend unto my loving wife Ann Lee six negroes, vis: Hagar, Juday, Harry, Nepton, Mitty, Jack and their increase to be kept by my loving wife Ann Lee until my children should marry or come of age, then to be delivered to them, beginning at the Eldest of the last negroes that is then alive to be valued and the said value to be taken out of his or her proportion of land rents or any other estate and in like manner with all the rest of my children as they come of age or money as fair as the said negroes and their increase will extend and after all my children hath one negro apiece, should any of the said negroes remain, to be equally divided between all of them, should any of them not have negro, they are to be maide equally with the rest in money or other estate likewise the different valuations of the negroes all to be maide equal further after my youngest child that is or shall become of age. The whole of my lands to be equally divided with all my other estate not otherwise bequeath between all my children that is or shall be, except my daughter Keziah Cox. I desire that after the death of my wife Ann Lee if before the youngest child comes of age all my estate except the land and negroes to be sold and the money to be equally divided between my children hereafter mentioned and the land to be disposed of in the same manner as my other land hereafter mentioned. It is my will and desire that 150 acres of land should be laid off for the plantation where I now live on, and the rest to be divided into three equal lots and the whole to be rented out annually until my youngest child that is with me now or may be born of my wife, Anne Lee, within twelve months after my death and the money arising from those rents to be equally divided among my children vs: Saymore Lee, Ann Lee, Sarah Lee, Joseph Dabbs Lee, Mary Lee, Charles Barnes Lee, William Nowell Lee and all that shall be born as before mentioned. It is my desire that after the death of my wife Anne Lee, if after the said youngest child comes of age, the whole of my estate both real and personal that I have lent her, to be equally divided between my children in the same manner as my lands before mentioned and it is my desire that if any of my children should die without heir that their portion should be equally divided between all my children except Keziah Cox. Lastly I constitute and appoint my loving wife, Anne Lee, Charles Lee and Matthew Cox my executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me hereafter made and I do appoint this my last will and testament in manner and form as aforesaid given under my hand this fourth day of June one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight. s/Joseph Lee Signed and sealed and delivered in presents of William Russell David Robertson Joseph Jones At a Court held for Cumberland County the 25th day of October 1790. This last Will and Testament of Joseph Lee deceased was exhibited in Court by Anne Lee, Charles Lee, Jr. and Matthew Cox, the Executors therein named and proved by William Russell and David Robertson two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of the said executors who made oath according to law certificates granted them for obtaining probate thereof in due forn on giving bond and security, whereupon they, with John Lee, Samuel Williams and Clifford Woodruff, entered into bond according to law. Teste: T. Woodson, D. C. Submitted by Molly Shumate **************************************************************** 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. ****************************************************************