***************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb  Archives to 
store the file permanently for free access.

http://www.usgwarchives.net
***************************************************************************

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Reading (PLEASE NOTE:  The executrix named
in this will is the wife of the testator and her name is Catherine RIDING.)

Will Book 1, Page 236-237        King George County, Virginia Records

Page 236
In the Name of God Amen  I Thomas Reading of the County of King George, being
Sick & infirm in Body but of perfect Sence & Memory thanks be to God Almighty
for it do in the presence of Witnesses hereunder Named, Make & Ordain this to
be my Last Will & Testament........................  First I Bequeath my Soul
to Almighty God who gave it me, hoping he will of his great Mercy Vouchsafe to
Receive it.  Secondly for my Body to be decently interred at the Discretion of
my Executrix & with regard to my Worldly goods Land or Chattels, Either Real
or personal.  I do give & bequeath them in the Manner & form following
Viz...................... Item  I give & bequeath to Mr. Dehar Thompson all my
Right & title to a Tract of Land Containing 460 Acres Lying at Chesters Gap,
in Culpepper County, in Order to be Sold by him, or his Assigns, & the price
thereof to be applyd. to Discharge my Just Debts & if after the Same is Done
there Shall remain any Overplus the Same to be paid to My Executrix to enable
her to Raise & Mentain My Children begotten & Born of her My Beloved Wife, &
if the said price of Said Land Shall not be found Sufficient to discharge my
Just Debts, That then the Sum or Sums which Shall appear Due Shall be Made
good by my Said Executrix out of the Remaining part of my personal
Estate.......... Lastly. after all my Just Debts are so discharged I do give &
bequeath to my Said Executrix & beloved Wife to have, hold & peaceably
possess, all & every individual part &  


Page 237 
Parcel of my said Estate both Real & Personal, to have & to hold the Said
Goods & Chattels for the use aforesaid forever.  Moreover I do hereby disannul
& make Void all & every former Will or Wills, Legacies Grants or gifts at any
other time by me Spoken or Made, but Confess & Aknowledge this to be my Last
Will & Testament as Witness my hand & Seal this 21st day of July
1766.....................

Signed Sealed                    }
& Delivered in presence of }                     Thomas (his X mark)
Reading (Seal)
John Sharpe Junr               }
John McLeod                    }           At a Court held for King
George County the 4th
William (his X mark) Lyon}            day of September 1766

The Last Will and Testament of Thomas Reading deceased was presented into
Court by Catharine Riding Executrix therein named who made Oath thereto
according to Law and being further proved by the oaths of John Sharpe Jr and
John McLod witnesses thereto is admitted to record

Note:  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