Will of William Priestley, Sr. - 1793 - Rockbridge CO. VA WILL BK. NO. 2, pp. 252- 254: : : - Feb. 6, 1793 - Written - Rockbridge Co., VA; Witnesses: John & W. McKee; appointed Executors William McKee and John Wilson; names wife, Mary, and five children: William Jr., James, Eleanor, Nancy & Betsy; and three grandchildren: William and Sam'l, sons of William Jr., and William son of James. Does not name daughter Mary (Priestley) Dorris. : : - April 1, 1800 - Produced in Rockbridge Co., VA Court by John Wilson, Executor (William Priestley, deceased); Court commands both witnesses, John McKee and W. McKee, to attest to will from Kentucky. : : - September 22, 1800 - The two witnesses, John McKee and William McKee, had moved to Kentucky and gave their sworn testimonies to two Justices of the Peace for Rockbridge Co., VA : : - Feb. 2, 1802 - Final disposition of the matters of William Priestley, Sr.'s will was made. The will was returned with the certificates of proof annexed and ordered to be recorded at court held for Rockbridge Co., Virginia. : : ROCKBRIDGE CO., VA WILL BK. NO. 2, pp. 252- 254: : : p. 252 : "In the Name of God Amen. In the sixth day of February on thousand seven hundred ninety three I William Pressly of Rockbridge County in the state of Virginia calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all men once to die do therefore make this my last Will and Testament first of all I give and recommend my sould unto the hands of almighty God who gave it nothing doubting but at the general reserrection I sall receive the same again by the almighty power of God through Christ Jesus my saviour my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian and decent manner at the discresion of my Exe - and as touching which worldly estate it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I dispose and bequeath the same in the following manner I allow all my just debts and funeral expences to be carefully paid also I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Pressly the house we now live in with all the household furniture I now possess with the young mare & two of the best of the cows all to be fed & supported from what is raised on the plantation during her life the foresaid property to be hers forever at her disposal as she sees cause & also a sufficient maintenance from the profits of the plantation during her natural life Likewise I give unto my son Wm. Pressly the plantation I now live on containing one hundred & fifteen acres to be his during his natural life with my bay horse and plows and all the gears thereunto belonging & all my wearing apperril The above land I bequeath to my two grand sons William & Sam'l Pressly sons of my above named son William Pressly to be equally divided between both at their fathers deceas to be theirs and their heirs forever All the rest of my movable estate that is not above bequeathed together with my money and bonds & all the debts that is due to me I allow to be equally divided between my three daughters Eliner Nancy and Betsy Pressly & my son James son William Pressly to be paid equally to the above mentioned four as soon as my Executors can dispose of my property & collect my debts and I do constitute and appoint William McKee and John Willson ( p. 253) Executors of this my last Will and I disanul all other will or will by me heretofore made & order this to be my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the year and day above written Signed sealed published pronounced and declared to be my last will & Testament in presence of : John McKee : W McKee : William * Priestley (his mark) : : At a court held for Rockbridge County on Tuesday : the first day of April one thousand eight hundred : : This writing purpossing the last will & Testament of William Presly deceased was produced in Court by John Wilson one of the Executors herein named for probat and is appearing to the court the subscribing witnesses now reside in the state of Kentuckey therefore on the motion of said Exor. a Commission is granted to take the attestations of said subscribing witnesses in the said state according to law : Teste : : [signed] A. Reid : : The Commonwealth of Virginia to the Presiding Judge of any court of law or to any Notary Public Mayor or other chief Magistrate of any city town corporation or county of the state of Kentuckey Greetings Whereas at a court held for Rockbridge County at the court house of said County in the state aforesaid on Tuesday the first day of April in the eighteen hundreth year of the Christian aera a writing purporting the last will & Testament of William Presly late of said County Deceased was produced in Court by John Willson one of the Executors therein named for probat. And it appearing to the court that John McKee & W. McKee subscribing witnesses thereto now reside in the said state of Kentucky Therefore any one or more of you (..?) the convenience may required are hereby authorised to take the attestation of the said witnesses That the testator signed and published the writing hereto annexed as his last will & Testament that he was of disposing mind & memory and that they subscribed their names thereto in the presence of the Testator and at his request you are hereby commanded that at such days and places as you shall appoint you cause the witnesses aforesaid to come before you and diligently examine ( p. 254) on the holy evangelist of Almighty God and their examination into our said County Court of Rockbridge distinctly & plainly without delay you shall send & certify as thereof under your hands & seals (in the same manner such acts are usually authenticated by you) sending there the said Will. And this with witness Andrew Reid Clerk of our said County Court at the Courthouse this third day of April. And eighteen hundredth year. And of the Independence of the United States the twenty fourth : [signed] Andrew Reid Mason County Commonwealth of Kentuckey : This day came before us two of the Justices of the Peace for said County John McKee and William McKee and was sworn agreeable to Law that William Priestley acknowledged the within to be his last will and testament given under our hands this 22nd day of Sept 1800 : : [signed] Thos Young : : Jas Wilson : Mason County- : Thereby certify that Thomas Young and James Wilson (--?) before whom the within affidavid appears to have been made are now and were at the time of subscribing the same magistrates in and for the said County duly authorised and that full faith and creded right be given to any official act done by them. In testimony whereofI have hereto set my hand and the seal of the said County the 22nd of Sept 1800 : : [signed] T. Marshall : And at a Court held for Rockbridge County the second day of February 1802 : This writing purporting the last will and testament of William Priesly dec'd was this day returned with certificates of proof annexed and ordered to be recorded. : Teste [signed] Andrew Reid : Submitted by M. L. Green **************************************************************** 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. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************