HENRICO COUNTY – WILL: THOMAS PLEASANTS, 1743 Submitted by Peggy Hooper (hooperhous@earthlink.net) 12 Oct 2003 ******************************************************************************** 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 ******************************************************************************** Thomas Pleasants Valentine Papers Vol. 2, p. 1105 Thomas Pleasants, of Henrico County: 19 Nov. 1743; 1 Monday April 1745. Debts to be paid. Wife to have profits from labor of negro woman Bridget and her children and she may give said negro to any of my children or all of them at or before her death. Should wife die intestate without having given any or all of said negroes to my children then said negroes to be equally divided among my children or such of them as she may not have given any of the said negroes to during her life time; said division left to trustees hereafter named. To wife, also profit of labour of 10 negroes on my plantation in Goochland, where she has liberty hereby given her to work them, with this restriction; that she let my son Thomas have use of a 40 ft. To(bacco) house and build him a dwelling house set on hills 24 ft. long and 16 ft. wide, on any part of land hereafter given him, which if she refuse then my son Thomas have that dwelling house already built and a 40 ft. tobacco house not baring her from privilege of working said negroes on the plantation; wife also to have use of stock of cattle, hogs, &c. on plantation aforesaid in order to supply her family with provisions, also use of stock of cattle, hogs, sheep, &c. on plantation where I now dwell, during her natural life. Son John, 3 negroes, also privilege of occupying and tending piece of land in Goochland for 21 years from the day of my death said land on Beaver Dam Creek, Woodel's Branch and adjoining Tarleton Woodson and on "the river." This to said son John in compensation for his right in plantation whereon I now dwell but if, after my death said John shall in any wise disturb his mother by putting her to her thirds, then he is to have no right or privilege to occupy or tend aforesaid land. but if my wife die before me so that said John lies under no restriction on her account that he shall have privilege of occupying said land by paying quitrents; but if he shall die before said term of years expires then my son Robert shall enter upon said premises "unto whome I have by this will given him". Sons Thomas and Robert Pleasants, tract of land which I possess in Goochland, to be divided between them thus; Thomas the part on upper side of Beaver Dam Creek and to Robert part on lower side (mention overseer John Pollock) but if either of them die before coming to age of 21 years but having nine, then my son John to inherit but the one half of that part lying below the Creek, he making choice of that either on the river or back. To said sons Thomas and Robert, four young negroes, to son Thomas two of them, also one young negro his mother may have privilege of giving or bequeathing him; to said son goods and chattells or £5 which she can spare best, the money to be raised by labour of negroes heretofore left her (wife). To son Robert, same portion as in foregoing "paragraf" to his brother Thomas. Daughter Lydia, wife to Benjamin Jordan, tract of land where on Obediah Smith formerly lived, goods and chattels, "also one negro woman named Hagar now in the possession and tennour of my sister Elizabeth Pleasants, widow to my deceased brother Joseph Pleasants by the lamentable and sorrowful act of providence by the removal of my said loving brother and all his children by the inevitable and stroke of death." Now as for my four daughters living with me and as yet unmarried namely, Mary, Jane, Sarah and Elizabeth," 10 negroes and land I am possessed in Nancemund and Norfolk counties to be sold by trustees hereafter named, upon proviso that my son John refuse to allow my four daughters the sum of £220 currency at time of any of said four daughters marriage or their arriving at age of 21 years, which ever shall first happen. If said John refuse to take the said land upon terms heretofore mentioned "then my will and desire is that my said four daughters if any be married or arrive at the time before mentioned allotted them to receive their portion, that then those who may have arrived at the age of 21 years or marryed may have the liberty or (their) husbands if marryed for them to have the liberty to sell their parts together with the approbation of my trustees hereafter named" Trustees, or any two of them living at time of division to have full power and authority to prevent "fued and discord" between daughters over the division. Full directions for division, etc. Executors, wife and my three sons John, Thomas and Robert; trustees named are "my brother John Pleasants and his son Robert; my nephew John Crew, James Lead, Robert Ellyson, David Johnson, Henry Ferrel, David Ferrel and John Cheadle. Witnesses - Henry Shark, Benjamin Jordan, John Pleasants, jr., Thomas Pleasants, jr. The will was presented by Mary, wife of the testator, and his son John Pleasants, and admitted to Record: 1 Monday in April 1745. (Henrico records 1744-48, p. 9). Named: Thomas Pleasants, son John Pleasants, son Robert Pleasants, son Lydia Pleasants, daughter, wife to Benjamin Jordan Elizabeth Pleasants, widow to my deceased brother Joseph Pleasants Mary Pleasants, daughter Jane Pleasants, daughter Sarah Pleasants, daughter Elizabeth Pleasants, daughter John Pleasants, brother Robert Pleasants, son of John Pleasants John Crew, nephew Mary Pleasants, wife Slaves named: negro woman Bridget and her children Thomas Pleasants #10439 Valentine Papers Vol. 2, p. 1105 Thomas Pleasants Inventory (slave excerpts) Henrico County Boy named Sam £34-00-00 Boy named Don £34-00-00 Boy named Jack £32-10-00 Boy named Harry £32-00-00 Boy named Will £40-00-00 Negro wench named Moll and her youngest child named Isaac £36-00-00 Her child named Bess £36-00-00 Her child named Jo £13-00-00 Her child named Billey £25-00-00 Her child named Janney £25-00-00 Negro boy named Peter £10-00-00 Negro boy named Sam £30-00-00 Negro boy named Jacob, son of Grace £25-00-00 Negro boy named Jacob, son of Jane £30-00-00 Mullatto Girl named Sary £36-00-00 Negro man named Jo £40-00-00 Negro man named Dick £40-00-00 Mulatto man named Tom £40-00-00 Negro man named Will £40-00-00 Negro man named Cato £35-00-00 Negro woman named Judy £40-00-00 Negro woman named Biddy £35-00-00 Negro woman named Moll £07-00-00 Negro woman named Grace £00-00-00 Negro man named Caesar £07-00-00 Old Jane £00-00-00 Bridget and her youngest child Cupit £36-00-00 Her child named Sarah £35-00-00 Her child named Aggy £30-00-00 Her child named Frank £25-00-00 Her child named Ben £20-00-00 Her child named Judy £12-00-00 Her child named Murriah £30-00-00