Washington Co., VA - Will Book 11, pg. 31-35, 1847

Robert Logan, 1847/48

In the name of God, Amen.  I, Robert Logan of the county of Washington 
and State of Virginia, being of sound mind, and disposed to devise and 
bequeath my seal and personal estate, whilst I am competent to do so, do 
make this my last will and testament.
First, I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid by 
my executor hereinafter named, out of my personal estate.
Second, In lieu of dower to my wife Elizabeth Logan, I devise to her the 
use, during her natural life, of the following described part of my 
land; that is, bounded on the North West by the back, or North West line 
of the tract of land on which I now reside, until said line running 
North eastwardly reaches Logans mill creek: thence up said creek to the 
point where the middle of the road, leading from the West, crosses said 
creek below the grist mill, thence south westwardly with the said road, 
as it is now located, towards the residence of Thomas Davenport junr. 
until it crosses the western boundary of my lands, thence with said 
boundary to the north western boundary before mentioned.  Also I devise 
to my said wife a like estate and use of the western fields of land 
lying on the South or South east side of said road, said field being on 
the south corner of my plantation.  I also devise to her a like estate 
and use, for her natural life, in and to an entry of thirty acres of 
land, patented to me adjoining the lands of Thomas Davenport senr. on 
the southwest of said entry, it also adjoins the tract of land on which 
Joseph Logan now resides as well as the tract on which I now reside.  I 
also devise to said Elizabeth a like estate and use in and to all the 
houses and appurtenances situate on the lands so devised to her, and I 
also devise to her the use, for her life of one half of my orchard, to 
be laid off to her so as to give her the use of one half of the fruit 
trees, running the partition line lengthwise through the orchard and 
giving her that half next to my mansion house.
Third, I bequeath to my said wife Elizabeth, for and during her natural 
life, the use of my cupboard and cupboard furniture, also the use during 
her life, of all my farming utensils, I also bequeath to her a like use, 
during her life, of one third, in value of all my stock of every kind, 
as well as one third, in value, of all my bedsteads, beds and their 
furniture; that is, one third in kind of said stocks, bedsteads, beds 
and furniture, to be distinct, however, I bequeath the said one third of 
said beds, bedsteads & furniture, not only for life, but absolutely and 
unconditionally to my said wife.  I also bequeath to her the use of all 
my household and kitchen furniture for and during her natural life, 
except a desk hereinafter to be mentioned.
Fourth, I bequeath that the slave, Mary, which I obtained by my marriage 
with my present wife, or which came to me in right of my said wife, 
together with all the children or increase of said Mary, shall be 
disposed of as follows: at such time as shall seem proper, in the 
opinion of my executor, within six months after my death, the said Mary 
and all the children that she may then have living shall be valued by 
three discreet men, to be appointed by the county court of Washington 
county for that purpose, and when so valued, my said wife, Elizabeth, 
shall immediately choose from said slaves, such of them as she prefers, 
amounting to one third of the aggregate value of said Mary and all her 
increase, and if in making said selection, the said Elizabeth shall, in 
taking such one third, in kind of said slaves, exceed the on third in 
value of the aggregate estimate, by the fractional part of the value of 
one of the slaves, those to whom the slaves constituting such third, are 
herein after bequeathed in remainder, shall pay such fractional excess 
to those, to whom the other two thirds of said slaves are hereinafter 
bequeathed, within twelve months from the time of such division, and to 
secure the payment of such fractional excess.  I direct that it shall be 
charged upon the said one third of said slaves in the nature of a lien 
in favour of those having the two thirds of said salves.  And should 
such excess of value fall upon the side of those having the two thirds 
of said slaves, then said two thirds of said slaves shall be charged 
with the payment of such fractional excess, in twelve months, to those 
entitled to the one third of the slaves, and a like lien shall exist in 
their favor.  And I further bequeath to the said Elizabeth that she 
shall have the use and benefit of the labor or hire of said one third of 
said slaves so to be chosen & set apart by her, for and during her 
natural life:  And I do further bequeath that after her death, Margaret 
Logan, the wife of Joseph Logan and her heirs, and Mary Jane Reeves, the 
wife of George W. Reeves shall take and have the said one third of said 
slaves each of them one half of said third of said slaves.  And as the 
said Mary Jane Reeves has no children, nor is it thought likely that she 
will have issue of her body, I bequeath that should the said Mary Jane 
have any children at her death, then living, that then her majority of 
said third of said slaves, shall go to her said issue of her body, and 
should she have no such issue of her body, at her death, then said 
moiety of said third of said slaves, shall go, and are hereby bequeathed 
to the said Margaret Logan and her heirs.
And I do further bequeath the other two thirds of said slaves which I 
have acquired in right of my wife and their increase, as follows:  I 
direct that my executor shall sell the said two thirds of said slave 
Mary and her increase, on such credit as he may deem best to produce the 
best price, as early after the partition aforesaid shall have been made, 
as he may deem expedient, and that he shall divide the neat proceeds of 
said sale of said two thirds of said slaves into five parts one of which 
fifths he shall distribute to my son William B. Logan or his heirs; one 
fifth to the children of my son James Logan deceased, one fifth to 
Robert Logan, my son, or his heirs, one fifth to my daughter Elizabeth 
McCall, or her heirs, and one fifth to my daughter, Rebecca Logan, or 
her heirs.
Fifth.  I also bequeath to my two said daughters, Elizabeth McCall and 
Rebecca Logan & their heirs my negro woman slave named Susan.
Sixth.  I devise to Rufus L. Logan the right in fee simple to all the 
above described lands, in and to which I have herein before devised to 
my wife Elizabeth, a life estate, the possession of which he is to have 
in complete seizure at the death of my said wife, to him and his heirs 
forever.  I also bequeath to my said son Rufus L. Logan, my desk, now in 
my possession; also a pair of pistols now in his possession which I 
delivered to him some time ago.
Seventh.  I devise to my son Joseph Logan, my tract of land on which he 
now resides, commonly called and known by the name of the Woodward 
place, during his natural life, and after his death I devise the same 
tract of land to his son William E. Logan and such other son or sons as 
he the said Joseph, may have at his death, or shall be born to him 
within ten months thereafter.  I bequeath also to my son Joseph Logan, 
my shot gun.
Eighth.  I devise to my son Caleb Logan, the residue of the tract of 
land on which I now reside with all its appurtenances, except my mill 
and its appurtenances, which residue is that which remains of the tract, 
commonly called the Young tract, after taking from said tract that 
portion herein before devised to my wife for life, remainder to my son 
Rufus L. Logan.  And here to be distinctly understood, that part of my 
orchard ground, the use of which is before herein given to my wife for 
life, is intended to be devised to my son Rufus.  The land in this 
section devised to Caleb Logan.  I hereby expressly devise to him for 
and during his natural life only, and after his death, I devise the same 
to his sons Robert, John and Samuel Logan and such other sons as he may 
have at his death, or shall be born to him within ten months thereafter.  
I bequeath to said Caleb Logan my rifle gun.
Ninth.  I devise to my three sons, Rufus, Joseph & Caleb Logan jointly 
two tracts of land, one of fifty and the other of twenty nine acres, 
lying in said county.  The fifty acre tract lying adjoining the Woodward 
tract and South east thereof, up Logans creek, and the twenty nine acre 
tract and adjoin the said fifty acre tract and south east thereof.  I 
also devise to my said three sons my grist mill with all its 
appurtenances, jointly, and notwithstanding, I have herein before 
devised to my son Caleb and his son the land on which said mill, its 
race are situate, yet it is with this distinct reservation, that I 
devise to my said three sons, to enable each fully to enjoy the benefits 
of this joint devise, the full and free use of enough of the lands on 
which the mill house and dam and race & other appurtenances of the mill 
are now situate, and grounds, around and near the same for all the uses 
and purposes of said mill, its repairs & C.  It is not to be understood 
however, the timber for the repair of said mill is to be necessarily 
furnished from the land so devised to said Caleb & sons.  I also 
bequeath to my said three sons jointly my carpenters and smith tools, my 
wagon and wagon gearing.  It is also directed by me that should my son 
Rufus be absent from this country at my death, when my two sons Joseph & 
Caleb shall take possession of my mill, they are not to pay him any rent 
until he shall come and take possession or control of said mill, or be 
present and propose doing so, either by himself or agent.  I also 
bequeath to my said three sons, the watch which I have inherited from my 
son John Logan dec., and which is now in the possession of my said son 
Joseph Logan.
Tenth.  I bequeath that my clock, my still and stilling vessells be sold 
by my executor, and that the proceeds thereof be equally divided 
amongst, my son William, my son Robert, my daughter Elizabeth, my 
daughter Rebecca, each one fifth, and to the children of my son James 
Logan dec., the other fifth.
Eleventh.  Should there remain, at the death of my wife, any of the 
personal property, the use of which is herein before devised to her for 
life, my executor is directed to sell the same and equally distribute 
the proceeds of such sale amongst the five legatees mentioned in the 
tenth section of this will.
Twelfth.  I hereby nominate and appoint Isaac Home the executor of this 
my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of August 
1847.
	Teste
Samuel Logan						Robert Logan  SS
Jas.. C. Greenway
Wm. K. Heiskell
	At a court held for Washington county the 26th day of June 1848.
		The last Will and testament of Robert Logan deceased was 
exhibited in court and proved by the oath of James C. Greenway and 
William K. Heiskell two of the subscribing witness thereto and ordered 
to be recorded.  Isaac Home the executor therein named appeared in court 
and refused the executorship, and Elizabeth Logan the widow of said 
Robert also appeared in court and relinquished her right to 
administration:  and on the motion of William H. Heiskell and Matthew H. 
Buchanan who took the oath of an administrator with the Will annexed 
prescribed by law, and entered into and acknowledged their bond in the 
sum of seven thousand dollars with Connally T. Trigg, Thomas St.Preston 
& Adam Hickman their securities conditioned as the law directs:  A 
Certificate is therefore granted them for the obtaining letters of 
administration on the estate of the said Robert Logan deceased with the 
Will annexed in due form.
						Teste
							Jacob Lynch CC

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Terry T hompson [terrylee@newnorth.net]

************************************************************************
USGENWEB NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. http://www.usgwarchives.net
************************************************************************