SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VA - WILLS AND ESTATES - James McNeil, 9 Oct 1794
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IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I James McNeil of the County of Southampton & state
of Virginia, being of sane mind do make, constitute & publish this presents to
be my Last Will & Testament hereby revoking all Wills whatsoever by me
heretofore made.

Imprimis: My will and desire is that my negro woman slave named Molly should,
from and after my decease, have & enjoy her full liberty & freedom & all such
rights & priviledges of citizen as free negros may enjoy by the laws of this
state existing at my death and I request my Executors particularly to exacute
my said above mentioned will? directing the said imancipation that the same
may be properly and fully effectuated & as I shall herein direct the Executors
of my estate to my nephew Alexander McNeil.  My desire is that the said
Alexander should give such bond or bonds as may be required by the court of
Southampton or any other court upon the full execution of my Will directing
the said imancipation of my said slave Molly according to act of assembly in
such case made and provided on pursuant to such laws as may be existing and in
force at the time of my death.  And the said Alexander should do all other act
or acts legally required for the said imancipation.  And if said nephew
Alexander McNeil should refuse to give such bond or do such other acts as may
be legally required to effectuate the said imancipation, then I bequeath one
hundred pounds to two of my Executors, viz: Thomas Edmunds & Charles Taylor
hereinafter named in order to secure and indemnify them against all expence
which may accrue for the imancipation of the said Molly or for other expences
respecting the same which may thereof be assess? & in such failure of my said
nephew, I request my said Executors Thomas Edmunds & Charles Taylor to give
bond and do such other acts as may be requisite for the full imancipation of
the said slave according to law.  And if the said Thomas Edmunds & Charles
Taylor should be at no expence for the said imancipation or? for the
maintenance of the said Molly if she should hereafter come upon the parish,
then I devise over the said hundred pounds to my said nephew Alexander McNeil,
his cons__ad.most or the remainder of the said hundred pounds to my said
nephew, after deducting such fines? as my said Executors Thomas Edmunds &
Charles Taylor may be forc'd to expend by reason? of said bonds & said
imancipation.

Item: My will and desire is that all my just debts be paid and that my slave
Molly should not be sold to pay off debts until all ___st of my estate should
be exhausted.

Item: All the rest & residue of my estate real made? and personal of
whatsoever nature or kind whatsoever and wheresoever found, I bequeath to my
nephew Alexander McNeil to him & his heirs forever.

Lastly, I constitute & appoint my nephew Alexander McNeil & my friend Thomas
Edmunds & Charles Taylor Executors of this my Last Will & Testament.

IN TESTIMONY whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the ninth
day of October Anno Dom. one thousand seven hundred & ninety four.

                                                       James McNeil (seal)
Sign'd, seal'd & publish'd & declar'd
by the Testator to be his Last Will &
Testament in the presence of:

John T. Blow Jr
John Taylor Sr
John Crechlow
John Fort
               At a Court held for the County of Southampton
                      the 11th day of June 1795

This Will was presented by Alexander McNeil, one of the Executors therein
named, prov'd by the oath of John Taylor Sr & John Crechlow, two of the
witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of the
said Executor who made oath according to law, Certificate is granted him
for obtaining a Probat thereof in due form giving security whereupon &c.

                                                 Sam Kello, Cl. (clerk)
Source: Library of Virginia,
Will Book 4, 1783-1797
Southampton Co, VA
Reel 17, pages 687-688

Note: Paragraphing and some punctuation was added by transcriber
for ease in reading. There are no paragraphs in the original.
Viz stands for videlicet which means "that is to say, namely".


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