Mecklenburg Co., VA Will of Samson Powers 1813 Submitted 28 Feb 2000 by Kevin Lett ktlett@juno.com ************************************************************************ USGENWEB 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. ************************************************************************ Will of Samson Powers Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #8, page 8: "In the name of God Amen I Samson Powers of the County of Mecklenburg being of a perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for it and knowing that it is appointed of God for man once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following. Viz. First of all my will and desire is that all my just debts be truly paid. Item I lend unto my well beloved wife Sarah Powers my whole estate in land, Negroes, money and bonds and with all the other property of every kind during her natural life or widowhood. Item on condition that my son Samuel Powers pays unto my two daughters Sally Curtis and Patsey Jackson five pounds in pure Virginia currency then at the death or marriage of my wife Sarah Powers I give to him the said Samuel Powers, the residue of my land on which I now live, together with an equal share (with my other three children) of every other part of my whole estate. Item my will and desire is at the death or marriage of my wife Sarah Powers or as soon after as my executors hereafter named shall think proper that they proceed and have all my Negroes placed into four lots and then drawn for by my legatees and those of my heirs that shall draw that lot which is best or most naturable? shall pay to the others to make them equal and then my will and desire is that all my other property of every description whatsoever be sold and all the money arising therefrom be equally divided between my four children namely William Powers, Patsey Jackson, Sally Curtis and Samuel Powers to them or their heirs forever (Betsey Fagerson daughter of Flemming Jackson, deceased excluded for it is my will that she the said Betsey Fagerson should not heir anything of my estate forever). Item my will is that my son William Powers shall have in the division of my estate twenty five pounds Virginia money less than my other children, by reason of property he has already received. Lastly I appoint my wife Sarah Powers, executrix and Zachariah Curtis and Cavil Jackson, executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 25th day of February in the year of our lord 1813. Samson Powers. Signed and sealed in presence of: Sanford Bowers, Peter T. Fargeson. At a Court held for Mecklenburg County the 18th day of October 1813. This will was proved by the oaths of Sanford Bowers and Peter T. Furgeson a witness there to and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Cavil Jackson and Zachariah Curtis two of the executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with William Powers and Samuel Powers their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in penalty of fifteen thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs. Certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate of the said will in due form. Liberty being reserved to the executrix therein named to join in probate when she shall think fit. Teste. William Baskervill, Cl. Cur." Mecklenburg County, Virginia Will Book #8, page 70: On October 19, 1813 an inventory and value of the property belonging to the estate of Samson Powers was recorded by John Hutcheson - SJ, Pennington Lett, Thomas Ryland, Zachariah Curtis and Cavil Jackson. Their report was entered into Court on August 15, 1814. Samson's estate was valued at £826-10-1/4. It included six Negroes namely Bob (£100-0-0), Tell (£140-0-0), Hannah (£100-0-0), Cary (£100-0-0), Sucky (£45-0-0) and Mary (£40-0-0). Samson also possessed a black horse named Toin (£18-0-0), two mares, numerous cattle, hogs, sheep, some pewter and earthen ware, a man and a woman's saddle, three spinning wheels, three dutch ovens, a loom, numerous bushels of wheat, oats, fodder, a small looking glass, a pine chest, 600 pounds of seed cotton, a folding walnut table, a chest of drawers, five old books, an arm chair, 45 barrels of corn, 889 pounds of tobacco (£10-13-4 1/4) and many other plantation, kitchen and household items.