SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VA - WILLS AND ESTATES - John Burges, 11 Feb 1797 --------------¤¤¤¤¤¤-------------- IN THE NAME OF GOD Amen, I Henry John Burges of Southampton county do hereby rectnue? the following wrighting to be my last will and testament. First, I desire that my just debts may be paid and for this purpose I desire that my Executors hereafter named sell such part of my personal estate as they (after consulting my wife) think can best be spared, as also the following negroes, Catey and her children, Nancy and her children to which may be added if necessary Jacob, Payton & Rosetta, & I desire that the sale may take place as early as possible after my decease. 2ndly: I lend unto my beloved wife Sarah Burges (all my estate not hereby directed to be sold), both real and personal untill my daughter Elizabeth Matilda Burges arives to the age of eighteen years, if my wife should remain my widow so long for her own use and that of the children when it has plesed God to give me by her. 3rdly: I give to my daughter Elizabeth Matilda Burges when she arrives to the age of eighteen years or at the expiration of my wife's widowhood, whichever happens first, my negro woman Asia and her children & her future increase. 4thly: I give to my son Albrington Samuel Harry Burges when he arrives to the age of twenty one years as many male negroes as will be equal in value to the negroes given my daughter, the estimate to be made by my Executors or a majority of them when my son arrives to twenty one years. 5thly: At the death of my wife, I hereby direct & empower my Executors to sell all my estate both real and personal, except my negroes, on such credit as they may think proper and money the fee simple of the real estate to the purchase (my grave yard on the mill pridinches? (a mark above the line which looks like the "said" mark) & with a nitch excepted) and the money arising from his sale to be equally divided between my two children Elizabeth Matilda & Albridgton. Should any of my negroes misbehave or prove refractory, I hereby direct my Executors, with the approbation of my wife to sell such negro or negroes & place the money out to interest for the benefit of my wife & children & to be considered as part of the reversion? of my estate - should my wife marry before my son arrives to the age of twenty one years, it is my will and desire that she shall have one third of my estate to be lain off and __ain by my Executurs, but in case this event now not take place, it is my will and desire that she shall have the use of all my estate not particularly revision for her life, after the death of my wife, I give the residue of my estate not herein devis'd to my son Albrington and my dauaghter Elizabeth Matilda to be equally divided between them by my Executors or the survivors of them and if the events take place before my son arrives to the age of twenty one, I desire & hereby direct the equivalent of male negroes be _____out of those remaining as before directed & the residue? to be divided so as to make their shares equal. I hereby appoint my respected & affectionate friend Capt. John Gray, Col. Albertin? Jones, Gen. Laurence Baker & Doct? Simmons J. Baker Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. And I also appoint General Baker guardian to my daughter should her mother die before she is settled and my friend Dorth. Baker guardian to my son & I request Gen. Baker & Doc. Baker to accept those appointments. H. John Burges (seal) The words "except my negroes" in the 2nd line of the 5th claime interlined before signing. Sign'd, seal'd publish'd & declar'd this 11th day of February 1797 by the Testator as his Last Will & Testament in presence of: Samuel Kello Thomas Ridley William D. Hines I Henry John Burges of the County of Southampton & State of Virginia do make & ordain this instrument of wrighting as a codicil to my Last Will & Testament. My Executors are hereby directed & impowered to make such repaiars to my dwelling home, out houses & mill as they shall think necessary & expence the expences of which are to be paid out of my estate. H. John Burges (seal) Signed, seal'd, published, & declared this 20th day of March 1797 by the Testator as a Codicil to his Last Will & Testament in presents of us: Elizaabeth Baker Willis Wilkinson Emily Briggs Source: Library of Virginia, Will Book 5, 1797-1804 Southampton Co, VA Reel 17, pages 17-18 Note: Paragraphing and some punctuation was added by transcriber for ease in reading. There are no paragraphs in the original. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Von Mings Stachon vonstac@comcast.net ___________________________________________________________________