Nottoway County, VA - Oakland Cemtery File submitted for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sallie Hurt ************************************************************************ 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 ************************************************************************ In March, 2002, Charlie Hurt, Horace Jeffress and I, Sallie Hurt, visited the old Jeffress homeplace, in Nottoway County, called "Oakland", adjacent to "Jeffress Store. The site where the old house and cemetery are located are extremely overgrown. We took a GPS with us and recorded the coordinates so that the cemetery would never be completely lost, even though in heavy woods. Those coordinates are: For Dicy Hall Fowlkes Jeffress: N 37degrees 06.975 W 078 degrees 11.262 For Col. Edward T. Jeffress N 37 degrees 06.963 W 078 degrees11.272 There were only two graves marked in the cemetery, but the depressions seemed to indicate that there have been about 6 to 7 graves there. The cemetery is behind the old house site, which is off of Route 625 and the Crewe Rd. The old store, which until recently had a sign bearing the name "Jeffress Store", is at the intersection. A short distance down Rt. 625 are the remains of the old well, which was located at the front of the property. WILL OF JOHN FOWLKES, NOTTOWAY COUNTY, VIRGINIA I, John Fowlkes, do hereby make this my last will and testament as follows. First, I will that my just debts be paid, I confirm to my son Littlebury the tract of land I have heretofore given to him and his heirs. Then I direct that my ____ tract of land called Fitzgerald's (by which I mean the entire tract obtained by me of a different persons) be so divided between my son Littlebury and my daughter Dicy Jeffress, that the part laid off for said Littlebury together with said tract I have heretofore given him shall be equal to the part which shall then be left to my said daughter Dicy. My daughter Dicy is to have the part which includes the houses and the part to be laid off for Littlebury is to have its due proportion of woodland as near as maybe, to them and their heirs forever. I give the tract of land whereon I live including all my lands adjoining it to my son Paschall, and his heirs forever, except a small piece upon which is situated my spring used by Edward T. Jeffress to be divided from my estate, said tract by a line beginning upon Carter's line and running thence to the left of Tucker's house equidistant from the house and the corner of the woods until it strikes the corner of the woods on Drake's Branch. Thence up the Branch to the road. This piece on which said spring is situated, I give to my daughter Dicy Jeffress and her heirs. All my land in the county of Lunenburg lying upon the side of Cowan's road upon which my son John Fowlkes lives I give to him and his heirs forever and all my land upon the opposite side of the road I give to my son William Fowlkes and his heirs forever ~ and I direct that each one of my sons and daughter aforesaid shall pay to my son James fifty dollars if he shall apply to them for it. I give to my daughter Dicy Jeffress three slaves to wit Harrison, Lucinda and Sylvia, now in her possession. All the rest of my slaves and all my other property of every description, I will shall be equally divided among my five children aforesaid Dicy, Littlebury, John, William and Paschall, but my said children who have received advancements of slaves, shall bring into the division their value except as to the slaves Harrison, Lucinda and Sylvia, and my blacksmith Jim is to be attached to my son Paschall's part, the said Paschall to account for him in the division at valuation. I appoint my son in law Edward T. Jeffress and my sons Littlebury, William and Paschall, my executors. In testimony whereof I have this 7th of July 1833 hereinto set my hand and seal~ John Fowlkes (seal) In presence of Chs. Smith Francis Carter Joel C. Foster In Nottoway County Court, Jan 3rd, 1839 ~ This last will and testament of John Fowlkes dec'd was produced in court and offered for proof, was proven by the oaths of Charles Smith and Joel C. Foster, two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and Edward T. Jeffress, William J. Fowlkes and Paschall J. Fowlkes, the executors named in the said will, came into court and declared that they would not take upon themselves the burden of the execution thereof, and thereupon on the motion of the said Edward T. Jeffress, William J. Fowlkes, Paschall J. Fowlkes and John J. Fowlkes who took the oath prescribed by law and entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of one hundred thousand dollars conditioned according to law (no security being given) a certificate is granted them for obtaining letters of administration. De bonis non on the estate of said decedant with said decedants will annexed in due form. Teste: F. Fitzgerald~ cc