Lybrook/Lybrook Letter, 1840 - Giles Co. VA
Lybrook Family Letters
in Special Collections at Alderman Library,
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
Letter from Philip Lybrook of Giles County, Virginia,
to his brother Henley C. Lybrook in Cassapolis, Cass County, Michigan Territory.
1 April 1840
Virginia Giles county April 1st 1840
Dear Sir
Your letter of the 9th of January last together with the power of Attorney authorising me to transact your business [?]
in Virginia was received some days after our Giles February court, at the March court I had it put to record, and shall
receive your money immediately from the Executor as it is in my house at this time, and shall as soon as I find there
is no safe personal conveyance proceed to make the deposit in the Virginia bank at Lynchburg agreeable to your
request. A Mr. Cunningham a merchant at Giles courthouse has just returned from the North and says that Virginia
money is discounting in the city of New York at 7 per. cent. Which is a considerable reduction and consume the most
of owing interest eaven at 10 per cent I have understood that Ralph Snodgrass intends to visit your country next fall,
it would be as profitable to you to let the money remain for him to take if he should go--It may happen that soe other
safe chance may present itself, in a Shorter time, by which the conveyance could be made. I do not much like the
plan of making a deposite, as money matters in all parts of the country are verry much derainged and it is difficult to
know the standing of any of the banks altho, I believe the Virginia banks are in as good credit as any banks in the
nation an other thing is the receipts of deposite, may not reach you which would be attended with trouble and
perhaps expense to some amount. If I cannot procure some safe conveyance in a short time, or receive some further
orders from you I shall send it to the Virginia bank in Lynchburg and make the required deposite.
I believe I wrote to you the purport of fathers will however I will again give you the contents of it in its own words.
It says first I desire that the whole of my Estate both [?] and personal shall immediately be sold after my discease,
and out of the moneys therefrom all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid and then I desire that my Executors
here after mentioned dispose of the residue of the monies resulting from the sale of my estate in the manner of the
following--2d I give to my son John C. Lybrook and his heirs forever $150 3d I give to my daughters Catharine Burk
and her heirs forever $250. 4th I give to my son Henley C. Lybrook and his heirs forever $150, 5th I give to my
daughter Evalina Lumpkin and her heirs forever $150. 6th I give to my daughter Sarah and her heirs forever $150.
7th I give to my daughter Elizabeth Lybrook and her heirs forever $250. 8th I give to my four grand children Baltzer
and Isaac sons of Isaac Lybrook deceased, Carrington and Margaret A. Lybrook, children of George Lybrook
deceased and their heirs forever $300 to be equally divided between the four by my aforesaid Executors, all the rest
of the monies that may remain after deducting the foregoing bequests as likewise all other debts or dues to the estate
of whatsoever nature or kind soever they may be having before not particularly described, I desire may be equally
divided among my own children, which I give to them, their heirs administrators and assigns forever--
This appears to have been in the hand of the executor or administrator with the commissions including sale bill and
other debts to the amount of $2978.14cts out of which sum then has debts of one sort or another been legally
presented and paid, to the amount of $182.17 3/4cts leaving in their hands for disbursement $2795.17 1/4cts you will
observe the specific legacy amounts to $1400 they have thought to add to each legacy (the grand children excepted)
$160 there being six special bequeaths myself and Nancy added making eight in number will amount to $1280 which
leaves a residuum in their hands of $115.96 1/4cts out of which sum they must be paid for their services as there will
be an other settlement with the commissioner after the business is finally settled I think I mentioned to you in some
of my letters that the executor was sued by a Mr. Newhill, a merchant on sinking creek for a sum of $50.odd dollars
which was expected to have been desided at our march term last. Newhill for the want of a witness laid it over to
June. How it may be settled I am not able to say should it go against them I think the $160 to each heir is more than
they aught to pay and should they cast Newhill there will be a small surplus in their hands. They have sofar required
of the ligatees[?] when they receive their money a refunding bond, should it turn out that they have paid over more
than a proportion that each heir should be bound to return their part of the amount so overpaid. Which bond I will
have to give them for you.
You sent me a transcript of the receipt I gave you when you left this country whose amount appears to be $85.50cts
subject to an off set of $23.91ctsleaving a ballance due of $61.59cts Against which I claim the credit of paid DH[?]A
Johnston $11.50 (your note to the Johnstons has a credit of $9.04 of dollars) Thomas V. Hazel blacksburg $1.20cts
C. Snidows note on James Albert $5.69cts paid sister Sally note $23.19cts your note to John H. Walker $2.25cts
commission for doing your business $4.27cts would leave a balance I will forward to you by the same conveyance of
the other monies--This letter will show what will be coming to each of you. I shall retain all expenses trouble out of it
and when I have the business completed I will give you the amount of expense and what for. My disease is not yet
removed but am mostly better then I have been. My family is well and all our near relations. Uncle David Johnstons
daughter Sarah died last February after a [confine]ment of about three weeks. You say you could not find my receipt
amongst uncle Henry Lybrooks papers. I gave him my receipt for his notes which I have never lifted as it was not
present when I sent him the last money--Baltzer says he will visit your country but when is [?] , as to my capacity to
furnish the sum of money you speak of is out of my power. My daughters are leaving me and look for some
advancement to give them a start which will use up all my change, my family is large and cost me a good deal of
money to [ms. damaged] agreeable to the order of the day. I mentioned to brother John last fall the co[ntent] of our
mothers request on her death bed, she asked a favour of me to take charge of her remains and attend to putting it
away which I promised her to do--I did so I had her disently entired with marble tombstones that together with the
other expenses attending the funeral cost me about $35 which I paid out of my own pocket and the heirs have
inherited what she was instrumental in making, for it had not been for her negroes [?] the estate would have been
very tight. I believe the old man intended to make his will so as to cover the most of the property but the negoes sold
much higher than he rated them before his death. I only ask it if you are willing to contribute your parts, if not the
money is paid, John said he was willing to do so. I think it would be right to have tombstones for the old man they
will cost 25$ it has become customary to have them in this country--if the heirs think proper as to that it is with them.
I do intend to have the plan inclosed with palings I cannot inclose one grave without inclosing both. You can consult
Caty and let me know and write as soon as you receive this. I have been more lengthy than I intended to be with my
swollen fingers and shall end for the present by subscribing
myself your affectionate brother through life
& Respectfully yours
Philip Lybrook
Submitted by Melissa Smith Kennedy
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~msk5d/genealogy/Lybrook.html
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