Will of John Stevens, 1720 - Prince George Co. VA

(Deeds etc. 1713-28, page 400, Prince George Co.VA.)

Prince George County in Virginia.
In The Name Of God Amen.
I John Stevens of Martins Brandon Parrish and County of Prince George
being very sick and weak, but of sound sence and memory praised be God
for it, but knowing the certainty of Death and uncertainty of the time,
have thought fitt to make my Last Will and Testament, and do hereby
declare this present Instrument of writeing to contain the same, and
desire it to be taken, had and regarded as such, hereby revoking,
renounceing and makeing void all the other Will or Wills by me 
heretofore made either in writeing or verbale, and do specifie it in 
manner following viz.-
First and principally I bequeath my Soul to the Lord allmighty who was
and is both the giver and preserver, trusting stedfastly in the 
merritts of my blessed Saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ for the
remission and forgiveness of my sinns and in hopes of a Joyfull
resurrection, and for my Worldly Estate I give it in manner following.
Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my son John Stevens a bay horse which
he now has in his custody.
Item. I give unto my son Thomas Stevens a gray horse called Prince.
Item. I give unto my son Richard Stevens a yearling colt of my own
raising.
Item. I give unto my Daughter Ann Stevens four hundred pounds of 
tobacco.
Item. I give unto my son Joseph Stevens four hundred pounds of tobacco,
but my will is that if tobacco at the time of paying the said two sums
of four hundred pounds should not be worth more than ten shillings per
hundred, then my will and desire is that my Daughter Ann be paid the
sum of forty shillings, and the like sum of forty shillings to my son
Joseph.
Item. I give unto my son Thomas Stevens his Liberty and Freedom to work
and be for himselfe at my decease.
Item. I give unto my son Richard Stevens full Liberty and Freedom to
work and be for himselfe at my decease.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Stevens full Liberty &
Freedom to be for herselfe at my decease.
Item. I give unto James Bell my son Joseph Stevens to serve him three
years from the 15th of March Last and at that time to be Free and 
Liberty to be for himselfe, but if Mr.Bell should dye, that then my son
Joseph is to choose his guardian.
Item. My will and desire is that after my just Debts and Funerall
charges are paid, that the remainder of my Estate be Equally divided
amongst all my five children.
And do hereby appoint constitute and make the Hon'ble. Nathaniel 
Harrison Esq. and Mr.Sampson Merredeth jointly my whole and sole 
Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and have set my hand and
seal hereto this tenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and
twenty.

John(hismarke)Stevens   Seald w'th a wafer

The words (and Mr.Sampson Merredeth) interlined and said to be before
being signed.
Test  WH CC

Test  William Haly
W.Hatt (or W.Halt?)


At a Court held at Merchants Hope for the County of Prince George on
the second Tuesday in May being the tenth day of the said month Anno
Dom. 1720.
The next before written Last Will and Testament of John Stevens dece'd.
was presented into Court by Sampson Merredeth one of the Executors, and
Nathaniel Harrison Esq. the other Executor having refused to take on
him the burthen and Execution of the said Will, the said Sampson
Merredeth made oath thereto, and it being proved by the oath of William
Haly a witness thereto is by order of the Court truly recorded. And on
the motion of the said Sampson Meredeth and his giving security
accordong to Law Certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate in
due form.

Test  Wm.Hamlin  ClCur


Submitted by Russell L. Lawrence <ruslaw@bellatlantic.net>

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