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Last Will and Testament of Joseph Murdock

Will Book 1, Pages 291 and 292         King George County, Virginia Records

Page 291
In the Name of God amen.  I Joseph Murdock of King George County being sick
and weak of body, but of sound mind and memory, do make my last Will and
Testament in manner following vizs.  In the first place I desire that all my
estate real and personal be kept together untill my youngest child now born
shall arrive to the age of one and twenty years, and the profits applied
towards the maintenance and education of my children John, William, Sally,
Nelly and Jeanny.  In the next place the tract of land whereon I live, I give
and devise to my son John and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, and if
he should die without such heirs, I give it to my son William and the heirs of
his body. In the third place the tract of land I bought of John Jett with the
Mill thereon, I give and devise to my son William and the heirs of his body,
and in case he should die without such heirs, I give the same to my son John
and in case both my said sons should die without lawfull issue I desire and
impower my Executors to sell and dispose of my said two tracts of land, and to
divide the money arising from such sale among my daughters, Sally, Nelly and
Jeanny, when Jeanny, or the youngest survivor of them shall arrive to the age
of one and twenty years. ... the residue of my estate, I desire may be equally
divided 

Page 292
among my children, John, William, Sally, Nelly and Jeanny, or the
survivors of them, when the youngest survivor shall come of age as aforesaid.
To my loving wife I give one third part of my Estate both Real and Personal,
whom with Capt. Edward Dixon, John Skinker and George Tankersley Gent I
appoint my Executors and Guardians to my children.  In Witness whereof I have
hereunto put my Hand and Seal the Eleventh Day of October 1769.
                                        J. Murdock (Seal)

Sealed & Declared
as the last Will and Testament of 
the said Joseph Murdock, in our
presence; who also subscribed
it in his
Thos Lendrum
William Chapman
George H. Fauntleroy
Wm Hood

At a court held for King George County the 1st day of March 1770.
The Last Will and Testament of Joseph Murdock dec'ed was presented into Court
by Edward Dixon and George Tankersley two of the Executors therein named, who
made oath thereto according to Law, and the same being proved by the oaths of
the witnesses thereto subscribed is admitted to Record and on the motion of
the said Ex.rs they performing what the law in such cases require, Certificate
is granted them for obtaining a Probate thereof in due form.   


Please note that Joseph's wife was Mary Tankersley.  Jean and Jane are used
interchangeably.  Sally is short for Sarah and Nelly is short for Eleanor.  There 
is also a posthumous child, Joanna.

Note 2:  In transcribing a will, I have opted not to use the abbreviations
used in the  recorded will either because the abbreviation may not make sense
to someone reading my transcription or the abbreviations were superscripted. 
An example of a superscripted abbreviation would be a letter with either a
period or some other letter or symbol  beneath the superscript letter, for
instance "sd.", the d would be superscript with a  period underneath or
"Testamt.", the t would be superscript with a period underneath.   These two
words are "said" and "testament."  If I thought the abbreviation would make 
sense to someone reading my transcription or if I could not translate the
abbreviation, then I did the best I could to copy it exactly.  Other than
translating the abbreviations,  I have tried to transcribe the document
exactly as recorded. If I could not transcribe  it then I placed a (?) to so
indicate. 

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by A. Murdock  smalldab@bellsouth.net