SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY – WILL: THOMAS DILLARD, 1774 Contributed by: Von Mings Stachon ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ******************************************************************************** Will: Thomas Dillard, Barkley Parish, Spotsylvania Co, VA (1774) IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I Thomas Dillard of the County of Spotsylvania, Parish of Barkley, being sick and weak but of perfect sence and memory do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following: I lend unto my beloved wife Sarah Dillard one hundred & seventy acres of land known by the name of the Old Plantation and ajoining Peter Mason? and a parcel of land I bought of Robert Stubblefield, and six negroes, viz: Negros Bob?, Isaac, Narr?, Sarah, Mac & Phobe during her life or widowhood and at her second marriage or death, the land I give to my son Joseph Dillard to him and his heirs forever. The above mentioned negroes at my wife's marriage or death to be equally devided, they and their increase, among her children, viz: Richard and Fielding and Mary Dillard. Item: I give my daughter Mary one feather bed and furniture and the rest of my household furniture and stock of all sorts I lend unto my wife during life or widowhood and at her marriage or death to be equally divided among all my children hereafter mentioned: Joseph Dillard, John, William, James, Thomas, Richard & Fielding Dillard, Ann, Pettis?, Jane Devall?, Lucy Luck, Hannah and Marg Dillard. Item: I give and bequeath to my first wife's children a negro woman named Juda and her increase to be equally devided among them all, viz: Joseph Dillard, John, William, James & Thomas Dillard, Ann Pettis, Jane Devall, Lucy Luck, Hannah Dillard, to them and their heirs forever. Item: I give to my sons Thomas Dillard one hundred acres of land joining Richard Taylor, to him & his heirs forever. Item: I give to my son James Dillard one hundred acres of land which I bought of John Williams, to him & his heirs forever. Item: I give and bequeath to my son William one hundred acres of land which I bought of John Adam Smith? to him and his heirs forever. Item: I give to my son John Dillard all the land on the south side, a swamp known by the name of Popaw and ajoining the land which Ann Matthews now lives on the spring branch to be the bounds. Item: I give and bequeath to my son Fielding all the land I own on the north side of Poppaw Swamp ajoining Robert Coleman, John Coleman & George Sheppard, to him and his heirs forever, the water course to be the bounds to wit Poppaw Swamp. Item: I give to my son Richard the land I now live on ajoining Thomas Poole & Robert Coleman Poppaw Swamp, the bounds between the said land of Robert Coleman, the spring branch to be the bounds between my sons John & Richard. Item: I leave my beloved wife and my son John Dillard, & Elisha Dismukes my whole and sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament revoking all Wills here before made by me.                                                   October ye 23 1774                                                   Thomas Dillard (seal) (Witnesses) David Smith Robert Wheeler Nathaniel Dickerson                       At a Court Held for the County of Spotsylvania                               December the Fifteenth 1774                                                 Teste This Last Will and Testament of Thomas Dillard, deceased, was proved by the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Sarah Dillard and John Dillard, two of the Executors therein named who made oath thereto as the law directs, Certificate is granted them for obtaining a Probat in due form.                                                 Teste Source: Library of Virginia, Spotsylvania Co, VA Will Book E 1772-1798 Reel 28, page: 94-95 Note: Spelling errors have not been corrected.  Some punctuation was added. Viz & vizt are abbreviations for videlicet which means "that is to say, namely". The handwriting is extremely difficult to read, so there may be errors.