Will of Katherine Ruffin Whitehead Thornton Bathe, 1687 - Isle of Wight Co. VA


October 10th 1687
Arthur Smith age forty nine years ould or thereabout says that about the 
22nd of August hast past, being desired to go and see the widdow 
(Katherine) Bathe that lay sick at the house of Stephen Horsfield her 
sone in law, I went and Henry Clark and John Watson with me and when the 
aforesaid widow saw me she seemed to be very glad and tould me that she 
had a greate desire to make a will to dispose of the little she had and 
advised me there to take notice of her words and then tould us that all 
she had she did give to her sone in law Stephen Horsfield and his wife 
and children; but one wether she would give to her sone Arthur 
Whitehead. Yo deponant asked her was this that was all she would give 
her sone, she said yes for she had never bene no help to Stephen 
Horsfield nor his wife since they was married and had always bene 
helping her son Arthur Whitehead & tould us there was five cows & two 
yearling heifers & three ould steer at Arthur Whiteheads of hers that 
she gave to her son Stephen & there or fower sheepe at Stephens house of 
hers and what other things that was hers as debt or any household goods 
she gave it all to her son in law Stephen Horsfield, only the forsaid 
wether, for he must looke after her as longe as she lives & declaring of 
it with weeping tiares how unnaturall her said sone Arthur Whitehead was 
to her. This I can dispose of 
Arth. Smith 
Henry H. Clark 
John E. Watson 

The underwritten Henry Clark and John Watson 
have sworn to the above said noncupative will in 
court held for the Isle of Wight County October 
the 11th 1687. 
Cert. John Pitt Ct. Cir.

Note: Wether - Old English for castrated ram or male sheep.
Dispose - to bestow of transfer property.
Noncupative Will: A will dictated to others and not written by the 
person making the will. Could be verbal or written by another person. 
Many times a deathbed will. 

Monk's comments:
"Now we know what Katherine was talking about with the word unnatural. 
She was not meaning that he was not a natural child but rather that his 
treatment of her was not natural. She got her revenge by giving him the 
most worthless animal there was, a wether (castrated ram), good for only 
eating grass."


Transcribed by: Monk Moore (no e-mail address)
Submitted by Virginia Crilley <crilley@eramp.net> 

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