Will of John Ferguson, 1789 - Franklin Co. VA


BK 1, Page 50 

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I John Ferguson of the County of Franklin and State of Virginia
Farmer Being in a Reasonable State of health and of Sound Mind and Memory thanks be to God for 
his Mercys, But Calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body and that it is appointed for all men 
once to Die do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to Say Principally & 
first of all I recommend my Soul to God that Gave it and my Body to the Earth to be Decently 
Bruied at the Discretion of my Executors, Nothing Doubting But I shall Receive the same again 
by the Mighty Power of God and as __ such worldly Estate wherewith it has Pleased God to Bless 
me with I give Demise and Dispose of in the following manner and form (that is to say) first of 
all I Desire that my funeral Expenses and Just Debts be Paid Secondly I give unto my Beloved 
Wife Elizabeth the Plantation which I now Live on during her Natural Life also Two Good work 
horses and Twelve head of cattle of her choice upon the Plantation together with the Plantation 
utensiles with the Mill and all the __ thereunto Belonging, all my household furniture Also 
Three Negroes (to wit) Joshua Aiam & Spence and at her pleasure the Disposal of negro Joshua, 
and unto my son William Ferguson I Give and Bequeath A Negro wench Named Leann together with 
his Equal share of my Estate not now or hereafter Bequeathed and to my son John Ferguson I give 
and Bequeath a Negro Man named Jim together with an Equal Share of my Estate Not Now or 
hereafter Bequeathed, and to my son George Ferguson I Give and Bequeath one half of all my 
Quarter Land on Big River and Story Creek Including the Mill and Land thereunto Belonging 
Reserving one hundred Acres out of the place Known by the Name of Masufest(sic) Place and the 
other Half of the aforesaid Mentioned Place I Give and Bequeath to my son Thomas Ferguson his 
Part Including the Mill the said Land and Improvements to be Equally Divided Between the Said 
Thomas and George Fergusons their Equal Share of My Estate Not Now or hereafter Bequeathed And 
to my Daughter M__ Carrie or Cassie I give and bequeath a Negro Fellow named Abraham and no 
more, and to Daughter Sarah Weacks (Weeks) I give and Bequeath a Negro wench Named Sill, also 
I Give an Bequeath to my Daughter Fanny Wade Six Shillings and no more I also order my 
Executors to Laye aside one hundred acres of the Above Excepted Land out of John Menifass (sic)
Tract for the Support and maintanece of my Daughter Fancy Wade and her Children During her 
Natural Life also a Negro wench named Anges which Land and Negro wench is to be under the 
Immediate Direction of my Executors to be applied wholey to the use aforesaid and at her 
Decease to be ___ & Possessed by the Lawful heirs of her Body, and to my Grand Son Samuel 
Carrel I Bequeath one Negro Girl Named Nuce to him and his heirs forever but of if he dies 
Before he comes of age her and Increase to be Equally Divided Between my children and to my 
Son Charles Ferguson I Bequeath the Land and Plantation I now Live __ after my wife Decease to 
him and his heirs for ever Also an Equal share of my Estate not Now or hereafter Bequeathed, 
and I appint and ordain my son John Ferguson and Swinfield Hill my Sol Executors of this my 
last will & Testamant utterly disallowing and Revoking all other Wills Legacies and Bequeaths 
& Qualifying & Confessing this and no other allowing this my last Will and Testament In Witnefs 
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and afixed my Seal this 12th February 1789 ~~~ 

In Presence of                     his 
James Cannon                   John X Ferguson SS 
Robert Woods                       mark 
William Campbell 


(Submitter Note: There were a large number of misspelled words. The day in the date was also 
hard to make out.)


Submitted by Bushy Hartman <mihartman@InfoAve.Net> 

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