Will: Edmund F. Coffey Source: Nelson Co., VA Will Book H, Pg 60 Contributor: Wayne Coffey --------------------------------------------------------------- I Edmund F. Coffey of Nelson County, State of Virginia, being in bad health but of sound disposing mind and memory, do make and ordain this instrument of writing as and for my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all others by me heretofore made. 1st It is my will and desire that all my just debts be as speedily paid as my Executors, hereinafter named, can raise the means, having a proper regard to the interest of all concerned. 2nd I give desire and bequeath to my beloved wife Elizabeth Coffey, for use during her natural life, all the land on which I reside lying south of the mill creek and and running up to Monroe's line and to include the mill race and the spring called Everetts and also to include the Smiths shop and all the Tools and fixtures therein. I also give & bequeath to my said Wife during life, the following negro Slaves [unreadable] Wilson, a man and Nancy his wife, Anna, a woman, Richard, a man, Henry, a man and Neney, a girl, also all my household and Kitchen furniture of every description and plantation utensils, two of my best Horses, one ox cart and two of my best oxen, eight head of cattle, such as she shall make choice of, fifteen or twenty Hogs and eight or ten Sheep as she may choose and seventy Barrels of corn. 3rd I give desire and bequeath to my Executors whom I appoint trustees for the purpose, my Negro woman Melia and her four children, Nancy, Anna, Washington and Mary, with the future increase of the females to be held and managed by them for the use and support of my daughter Polly Demaster, her husband John Demaster and their children, born of my said daughter for and during the natural life of my said daughter and at her death all the said slaves and the increase of the females, or such as may be living, to be equally divided, share and share alike among the children of my said daughter to them and to their heirs and assigns forever, but should any of the children of my said daughter die before such division takes place, leaving child or children, such child or children shall inherit such part of said Slaves as the parent of said child or children would have been entitled to, had he, she or they been living at the time. 4th I give desire and bequeath to my son Charles Coffey and to his heirs, and assigns for ever, all my land lying on the north of the Mill Creek, with the exception of the mill, mill race and the Spring given to my wife as aforesaid, he to account for the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars in the general division of my Estate therefor. But should my son Joseph be disposed to keep up the Distillery, he shall have the use of the Still house, Stills and other fixtures therein for that purpose and the house in which he lives, as long as he may choose, free from any charges and when he may think properly give up the business and remove from the place, then my son Charles to take possession thereof and hold it to him and his heirs forever. 5th I give and bequeath to my son William B. Coffey, the sum of two hundred Dollars in money to be raised out of my estate. 6th I give and bequeath to my son John Coffey and to his hiers one sorrel colt about twelve months old and to my son Jesse Coffey [unreadable] my negro boy named Tom to him and his heirs forever. To my grand Daughter, Patsey Ann Coffey, the daughter of my son William B. Coffey, I give my riding Mare. 6th All the rest and residue of my Estate, both real and personal, not herein before disposed of, I wish to be thrown into one general stock and on the 1st day of January succeeding my death, to be equally divided among all my children, share and share alike, that may then be living, & to the children of those that may then be dead, if any, that is to say, the child or children of such deceased child, to have the portion, only, that would have fallen to the parent of such child or children had he, she or they been living at the time. That portion in such division, as may fall to my daughter Polly Demasters, I wish my said Trustees to take possession of, and manage and dispose of the same, in all respects as I have directed in relation to the Slaves given to her in the 3rd clause of this my Will. That portion in such division, which may fall to my son Peter, I wish him to hold during his natural life and in case he should die without child or children, then the property thus given him, shall return to my estate and be divided among my other children in the same manner as I have directed in relation to the other property given them or their legal representives. 7th After the death of my wife, It is my will and desire that all the property left her for life, both real and personal, shall be thrown together in one stock, and equally divided among all my children as aforesaid in the same manner and for the like uses and purposes as provided for in the sixth clause of this my will, in relation to my other property. And lastly I do hereby appoint my son William B. Coffey and my friend Wiatt Jones Executors of this my last Will and Testament. And their having set my house in order by settling my temporal affairs, I cheerfully submit my eternal concerns to the all wise and merciful disposer of events, and patiently wait his mandate for my great change. In testimony of all which, I hereunto set my name and affix my Seal, this 12th day of May 1845. Signed and acknowledged Edmund F. Coffey (Seal) in the presence of. S. Garland (X) William A Massie (X) Paul C Callaway I Edmund F. Coffey do make the following codicil to my Will which is to be taken as part and portion thereof; that is to say I revoke that part of my Will which gives to my grand Daughter Patsey Ann Coffey, my riding Mare and I do hereby give the said Mare to my grand Daughter Elizabeth Coffey the daughter of Son Charles Coffey. I also revoke that part of my Will which gives to my son William B. Coffey the sum of two hundred Dollars to be raised out of my Estate and put him upon an equality with the rest of my children. I make these changed in my Will from the best of motives and not from any change in my regard from my said sons & grand Daughters. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand Seal this 1st day of December 1846. Witness Edmund F. Coffey (Seal) S. Garland (X) [unreadable] (X) At a court held for Nelson County the 24th day of January 1848 this instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Edmund F. Coffey decd was presented in said court and proved by the oaths of S. Garland and William A. Massie, two subscribing witnesses hereto and ordered to be recorded and the codicil thereto annexed was also proved by the oaths of S. Garland and Austin G. [unreadable] the two subscribing witnesses hereto and also ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Wiatt Jones one of the Executors therein named who made oath and together with George Jones, Joseph Coffey, Benjamin Coffey, Charles Coffey and Jesse Coffey his securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of ten thousand dollars, with the condition required by law, certificate is granted him for [unreadable] probat of said will in [unreadable]. Teste - S. Garland Clerk ****************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, this document may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor or a legal representative of the contributor, AND you provide the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. This file was contributed for posting in USGenWeb Archives by: Wayne Coffey ******************************************************************