THE WILL OF JOHN MARTIN, 1820 I, John Martin of Halifax County and state of Virginia do this twenty-fourth day of September, eighteen hundred and twenty hereby make my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say- 1st I give to my son Frederick Martin my Negro man Isham and a Negro woman Eva, his wife, and two children named Susey and ??? and all their future increase, to him and his heirs forever. 2ndly I give to my son Benjamin Martin two Negro boys named Robert and Peter, to him and his heirs forever. 3rdly I give to my daughter Lucy Wyatt two Negro girls named Faithey and Cloe, and their future increase to her and her heirs forever. 4thly I give to my granddaughter Nancy Thomas, formerly Nancy Ferrell, two Negro women named Rachel and Phebe and their future increase to her and her heirs forever. 5thly I give to my grandson David Ferguson one Negro boy named Marion to him and his heirs forever. 6thly I give to William Ferrell, Sr. of Halifax County five pounds to be raised from the sale of my land and perishable goods. 7thly I give to my son Warner Martin the sum of five pounds to be raised by the sale of my land perishable property. 8thly I give to Chesley Martin and Polly Martin, the son and daughter of my son William Martin, one Negro woman named V?? and her future increase to be equally divided between them when Chesley comes to lawful age, to them and their heirs forever. 9thly I give to my grandson William Martin, son of my son William Martin, one Negro boy named Garland, to him and his heirs forever. 10thly My will and desire is that after my decease, as soon as my Executors, hereafter named, may think proper that they make sale of my land whereon I live together with all my other estate not hereto willed ?? and from the money arising from the sale thereof is to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses and also the two specific legacies to William Ferrell and Warner Martin as above mentioned. And in case either of my son William's three children Polly, Chesley or William should die before they arrive to lawful age or marry, for the legacy willed to them or either of them, to be divided equally between the survivor or survivors of them. 11thly My will and desire is that after all my just debts are paid and the specific legacies, as before mentioned, and the expenses and charges of carrying this my last will into execution, that the balance of the money arising from the sale of my estate before directed be divided into two equal parts. One half I give to my son Luke Martin and his heirs, and the other half to be equally divided between my daughter-in-law Susanna Martin and her three children Polly, Chesley, and William Martin, that is to say one fourth part of the second half of the above mentioned money. 12thly and lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my friends Jacob Thomas, Beverly Barksdale, John ?ymes, and Samuel Carter Executors of this my last Will and Testament, Hereby revoking all the other wills or testaments by me heretofore made. Signed, sealed, and acknowledged in presence of- John Martin X Samuel Carter - Jacob Thomas Martin Daniel - Thos. Daniel At court held for Halifax County the 26th day of February, 1827, the within written last Will and Testament of John Martin was exhibited in court and proved by the oath of one of the witnesses thereto subscribed. And at another court held for said county the 26th day of March, 1827 the said Will was exhibited in court and further proved by oath of one other witness thereto subscribed and ordered recorded. And on the motion of Jacob Thomas, one of the Executors therein who made oath thereto according to law, and with Elisha Dodson, Richard Kirby, Sr. and Anderson Kirby, his Securitors entered into and acknowledged in the bond of $15,000 conditioned as the law directs. Certificate is granted him for obtaining probate of said will in due form. Testor Samuel William Carter Submitted by Herb Scott **************************************************************** 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. ****************************************************************