LOUDOUN COUNTY – WILL OF THOMAS DARNAL STEPHENS ~ 1814 Transcribed by Sue Beach, sbeach@iquest.net ******************************************************************************** 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 ******************************************************************************** Will of Thomas Darnal STEPHENS signed 1814 found in Loudoun Co., VA Will Book "L", pgs. 52-54. ******** In the name of God Amen. I Thomas Darnal Stephens of Loudoun County and State of Virginia do make this my last will and Testament Revoking all others all my Just debts of which there are but few and none of magnitude are to be Punctually and Speedily paid and the Legacies herein after bequeathed are to be discharged as soon as circumStances will permit and in the manner directed. It is my desire that all my sons and Daughters Namely John B Stephens, Thomas Stephens, Leven Stephens, Elizabeth Braden and Mary D Braden shall all Share nearly equal in my Small Estate having Sold to my sons John B Stephens and Tho.s Stephens the plantation Whereon I now reside and divided it Between them by a Survey lately made by Robert Braden and have given each of them Six Hundred and Seventy Dollars in the purchaser and taken their Bonds for the Balance and if I should not make them Deeds for the above mentioned land in my life time I hereby direct my Executors hereafter named to make them and each of them deeds for said Land agreeably to an article of agreement entered into Between and myself and it is my desire that my house and Lott[sic] in Hillsborough that I Purchased of John B Stephens and the Lott[sic] of Land I purchased of my son Tho.s Stephens together with all my personal property be sold as speedily as possible (Except the Small Legacies hereafter mentioned) and out of the Proceeds thereof and the monies arising from said Sales and the Bonds taken from John B Stephens and Thomas Stephens for the land sold as above mentioned that my son Leven Stephens is to have Six Hundred [next page] Hundred [sic] and Seventy dollars and that my Daughter Mary D Braden is to have Six hundred and Seventy Dollars and the Balance to be Divided Equally amongst my three Sons and two Daughters above named Reserving a Sufficiency for a Comfortable maintanance of my wife's Mother Elizabeth Campbell during her life. I Give to my Grandaughter [sic] Mary Eleanor Braden one half Eagle of the Value of Five Dollars. I give to my grandaughter [sic] Mary Eleanor Stephens one Silver Soup Spoon. It is my will that John B Stephens keep my Clock at whatever it is appraised to It is my desire that my son Thomas Stephens have my Large Family Bible at the appraisement. It is my will and direction Expressly that all disputes if unhappily any should arise shall by decided by three Impartial and Inteligent [sic] men two to be Chosen by the Disputants and each having Choise [sic] of one and the third by those two which three men thus Chosen shall unfettered by Law or Legal construction shall have power to Settle all such disputes and such Desision[sic] is to all Intents and purposes to be as binding on the parties as if it had been Given in the Superior Court of the United States and Whereas a Conditional Contract was made with Sam.l Cooke alis [sic] Black Sam, respecting my Negrowoman Sook and he not having complyed with said Contract I do hereby direct that the said Negro Woman Sook and her Child Kitty be sold as part of my Estate. I give to my grandaughter Mary Braden one half Eagle of the value of Five [next page] Five [sic] Dollars Lastly I Constitute and appoint John B Stevens and Robert Braden Exor.s of this my last will and Testament. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this [blank] day of [blank] In the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and fourteen 1814 Tho.s D. Stevens {seal} Signed Sealed and Ackn.' In the presence of Joseph Braden James McDaniel Archbald McDaniel At a Court held for Loudoun County the 14 day of Nov 1814 This Last Will and Testament of Tho.s D Stevens dec'd was presented to the court and duly preoved by Archibald McDaniel one of the Subscribing Witnesses thereto and Ordered to be Certified and John Braden [this is an error] one of the Exor/ therein named took the oath prescribed by Law and entered into and ackn.' a bond conditioned as the Law Directs whereupon a Certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form and At a Court held for the said county the 9 day of Jany 1815 the same was further proved by Ja.s McDaniel another of the Subscribing Witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded. Teste C. Binns CLK x [note written in margin] At a court held for Loudoun County the 13th day of March 1815. On the motion of John B Stevens one of the Executors named in the last will and testament of Thomas D Stevens dec'd who made oath according to law and together with Wm Smith his security entered into and acknowledged bond in the penalty of ten thousand dollars with condition as the Law directs, Certificate is granted herein for obtaining a probate whereof in due form Teste C. Binns CLK