SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VA - WILLS AND ESTATES - William Stephenson Sr, 16 Oct 1802 --------------¤¤¤¤¤¤-------------- Will: William Stephenson Sr, Nottoway Parish, Southampton Co, VA (1802) IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, this sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord 1802, I William Stephenson Sr in the Parish of Nottoway and county of Southampton, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God, calling into mind the mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all mankind once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament (viz): Principally and first of all, I recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in the christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors and nothing doubting, but at the general resurrection, I should receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And as touching what worldly estate it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give divise and dispose of in the following manner and form: Item: I lend unto my dear beloved wife Patience Stephenson my plantation which on I now live containing 117 acres, more or less, one feather bed and furniture, half a dozen chairs, half a dozen plates and one chest. Item: I lend unto my beloved wife Patience Stephenson one negro woman named Hannah, one horse, her choise out of my stock and one bridle and woman's saddle, two cows and calves, two sows and piggs, two ewes and lambs & one pot which articles I lend unto my above wife during her natural life and at my said wifes death, the whole of the above mentioned articles, except my land to be equally divided amongst the whole of my children at my said wife's death. I give the above mentioned land to my son Jesse Stephenson together with one feather (bed) & furniture to him and his heirs forever, the said bed to be received at my death. Item: I further more give unto my beloved wife Patience Stephenson five hundred weight of fat pork & ten barrels corn for her support the ensuing year and the balance of my estate after paying my just debts of whatsoever nature or kind, or whichsoever it may be found. My will and desire is that it may be equally divided amongst my children which I shall hereafter name (viz): Samuel Stephenson, Nathaniel Stephenson, William Stephenson, Richard Stephenson, Harrison Stephenson, & Wiley Stephenson, which estate I do give and bequeath unto them and their heirs forever. And I do appoint my sons Jesse and Nathaniel Stephenson my whole and sole Executors to this my Last will and Testament. IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above is written. his William X Stephenson (seal) mark Signed, sealed and delivered in presents of: Filas Summerell Edward Hatfield Willis Doles At a Court held for the County of Southampton the 20th day of December 1802 This Will was proved by the oaths of Silas Summerell and Edward Hatfield, two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Nathaniel Stephenson, the Executor therein named who made oath according to law, Probat is granted him in due form on giving security, whereupon &c. Samuel Kello, Cl. (clerk) Source: Library of Virginia, Will Book 5, 1797-1804 Southampton Co, VA Reel 17, page 368-369 Note: Spelling was not corrected.Paragraphing and some punctuation were added by transcriber for ease in reading. There are no paragraphs in the original. Viz & vizt are abbreviations for videlicet which means "that is to say, namely". ___________________________________________________________________ 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 ___________________________________________________________________