Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Wills.....Murfee, Wells, 1839 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Wells MURFEE (1788-17 Oct 1842), will dated 8 Sep 1839, recorded 17 Oct 1842 Being blessed by amighty God with a sound mind and disposing memory I do hereby make coustitute and appoint this my last wil and testament in manner and form following. That is to say First I give and devise to my daughter Martha Matilda Crumpler my house and lot in the town of Monroe, second choice of my beds with stead and furniture and two negroes Davy and his wife Parthenia and their increase to her and her heirs forever. Secondly I give and bequeath to my brother Simon Murfee and my friend Carr Bowers and James Massenburg two thousand two hundred dollars to be held in trust by them and laid out on the purchase of a tract of land in the County of Southampton as soon as it can be judiciously done by them or a majority of them causing a deal to be executed conveying said tract of land to my daughter Martha Matilda Crumpler for and during her life and after her death to such of her children as may to them bring and the issue of such as may have died during the life time of their mother said issue taking only such share or shares as would have fallen to the deceased children had they survived their mother and in the event my said daughter should leave no such child or children of their issue conveying said tract of land to my daughter Amanda Louisa Fitzallen during her life and after her death to her children and the issue of such of her children as may be deceased in the same manner as above directed. Thirdly I give and bequeath to my daughter Amanda Louisa Fitzallen Barrot(sic) my negro man Sam and woman Rody with the increase of said Rody and first chioce of my beds with stead and furniture to her and her heirs forever. I loan to my said daughter during her life my watch and after her death I give the same to her oldest son then living and in the event of there being no son to the oldest daughter and should my said daughter Amanda leave no child then I give said watch to my daughter Martha Matilda Crumpler during her life and at her death I give the same to her oldest son and if she has none then to her oldest daughter. Fourthly I loan to my daughter Amanda Louisa Fitzallen Barrot(sic) the tract of land whereon I now live consisting of several parcels purchased at different times and held under different deeds during her life and after her death I give said tract of land to such of her children as may be then living and the issue of such children as may have died during the lifetime of the mother said issue taking only such share or shares as would have fallen to their deceased parent or parents had they survived their mother and should my said daughter Amanda Louisa Fitzallen Barrot(sic) die without leaving any child or the issue of any deceased child then I loan said tract of land to my daughter Martha Matilda Crumpler during her life and after her death I give the same to her children then living and the issue of such of her children as may be deceased the issue taking only such share or shares as before directed. Fifthly Should my executors after paying my debts and the nexessary expenses of settling my estate not have funds sufficient in hand to pay the amount of two thousand two hundred dollars directed to be laid out in a tract of land it is my wish that the deficiency may be made up by the sale of the necessary number of young and female slaves. As to my two old negroes Jim and Nancy I wish my executor and my two daughters to make such provision for or disposition of them as may seem most advisable. Sixthly All the rest of my slaves not herein before disposed of I wish divided into two equal portions one of which I loan to my daughter Martha Matilda Crumpler and the other to my daughter Amanda Louisa Fitzallen Barrot(sic) during their respective lives upon conditions that they shall at no time be removed out of the County of Southampton. After the death of my said daughters or either of them I give and bequeath their respective portions to their children then living and the issue of such children as may have died during the life time of the mother the issue of the deceased children taking only such part as would have belonged to them had they survived their mother and should the said negroes at any time be removed out of the County of Southampton the life estate being thereby terminated as to the negroes removed they are to pass an decend(sic) as though the tenant for life had died. In the event that either of my said daughters Martha Matilda and Amanda Louisa Fitzallen should die without leaving any child or issue from any deceased child then I desire the portion of negroes assined(sic) to said deceased daughter should go to her surviving sister for and during her life and after her death to her children and the issue of any deceased children as is before directed with regard to the land. Lastly I nominate and appoint my friends Carr Bowers and James D. Massenburg executors to this my last will and testament in witness whereof I set my hand and affix my seal this ninth day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine Wells Murfee In presence of Stephen Murdaugh Jordan Edwards William V. Edwards William Peel At a court held for the County of Southampton the 17th day of October 1842 the last will and testament of Wills Murfee deceased was proved by the oaths of Jordan Edwards, William V. Edwards and William Peel three of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James D. Massenburg one of the executors therein named who made oath and together with William A. Spark, William B. Goodwyn and Robert Ricks his securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of forty thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs certificate is granted him for obraining a probat of said will in due form, liberty being reserved to the other executor to be joined in the said probat when he thinks fit. Teste L. R. Edwards Southampton Co., VA, Will Book 13, 1842-1847, pp. 10-11 The Library of Virginia (LVA), Richmond, VA LVA, Southampton Co. Microfilm Reel 21 images online at The Brantley Family Association Southampton Project: http://www.brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/southampton_project_list.htm Note: margin note & signature both seem to read "Wells"; only probate clearly gives "Wills" (not in agreement with Order Book). Both spellings appear in Court Order Book 1839-43; see esp. pp. 444, 498, 571, & 582-83. [Transcribed by Dale Whitfield (whitfieldroots@aol.com), and re-formatted by File Manager.] [BARRETT, BARROT, BOWERS, CRUMPLER, EDWARDS, GOODWYN, MASSENBURG, MURDAUGH, MURFEE, PEEL, PEELE, RICKS, SPARK]