The following is a collection of wills from Will Book 5, Washington County, Virginia WILL OF JAMES CRABTREE Will Book 5, p. 113, Washington County, Virginia 11 February 1823 Contributed to USGenWeb Archives by Maxine Crabtree In the name of God Amen - I James Crabtree of Washington County and State of Virginia, being of sound & disposing mind & memory but weak in body, and calling to mind the uncertainty of life and being desirous to dispose of such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, which has not been disposed of by my Deed of Gift which bears the same date with this my last Will and Testament. Do make & ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say - I desire that the whole of my estate which has not been disposed of by my deed of Gift this day executed by me, after paying all my just debts, may be equally divided between my son Gabriel Crabtree and my Grandson James Crabtree the son of Sally Buchanan, to take effect or to be done immediately after my decease. It is my Will & desire that my negro man Stephen shall enjoy his freedom during his natural life. - The above mentioned property of whatever kind it may happen to be at my decease, is to be enjoyed by my son Gabriel Crabtree & my Grandson James Crabtree their heirs and assigns forever. And lastly I do constitute and appoint my friends Richard Roberts, Jun. & James Taylor Executors of this my last Will & Testament, hereby revoking all other & former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 11th day of February 1823. Signed - James (his mark) Crabtree Signed sealed published and declared in presence of us James Taylor, James F. Crabtree & Alexander (his mark) Buchanan At a court held for Washington County the 15th day of July 1823. The last Will & Testament of James Crabtree, dec'd was exhibited in court and proven by the oath of Samuel Taylor James F Crabtree and Alexander Buchanan the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded - and the executors named in the said Will refuses to take probate thereof. On the motion of Gabriel Crabtree one of the sons of the testator, there being no widow living, who took oath of an administrator, with the will annexed, prescribed by law and entered into and acknowledged his bond with James Taylor, security in the sum of five hundred dollars conditioned as the law directs - A certificate is therefore granted him for the administration of the estate of the said James Crabtree, dec'd, with the will annexed in due form. Teste, Jacob Lynch Will of EDWARD McNEW Submitted by Brenda Heifner Growingtre@aol.com Will Book 5, Page 364 Washington County, Virginia In the name of God Amen. I Edward McNew, being weak of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, hereby revoking all former Wills by me made and do dispose of my worldly estate in the manner following, to-wit: lst - To my beloved wife Nancy I leave and bequeath during her natural life all that part of my plantation laying south of the salt-works road with the privilege of any necessary using timber from the North side of said road, also a horse beast worth eighty dollars; two cows and calves; ten head of hogs and ten head of sheep; of her own choosing out of my stock of each - one side saddle and bridle, two beds, bedsteads and furniture together with all the rest of my household and kitchen furniture - also the use of my negro woman Elsey and her future increase, if any, until she arrives to the age of forty five which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty five, at which time it is my wish and desire that she be emancipated - on condition of her complying with the requisitions of the law and her increase if any to be disposed as is herein after directed - 2d - I leave and bequeath to my sons James, Edward and Isaac all my land on the north side of the salt works road during the life of their mother and at her decease that on the south side of said road also to equally divided amongst the three, to be so laid off as to give to James and Edward the land where their dwelling houses stand; and to Isaac that upon which my dwelling house stands, allowing to each an equal right to use the water from the spring - 3d - to my daughter Tabitha Caywood I leave a negro girl child named Jane - To my daughter Sally Hurst, I leave a negro boy child named Lewis - To my daughter Elizabeth Johnston, I leave a negro boy child named Anderson- 4th - To my son John, I leave and bequeath a debt of three hundred dollars, which he owes me as the dividend which I intended for him of my estate; To my son William and the children of my daughter Mary deceased, I leave nothing - they having been previously portioned off. 5th - The remaining part of my personal estate, remaining undivided, I wish sold in a reasonable time after my death upon a reasonable credit and the proceeds after paying my just debts and funeral expenses to be equally divided between my daughters Tabitha Caywood Sally Hurst Elizabeth Johnston and the children of my daughter Rhoda Hurst, I also wish the personal property devised to my wife, sold at her death, except so much of it as may be necessarily used and the proceeds to be divided as above. I also wish the future increase of my negro woman Elsey, if any, at the death of my wife equally divided between my daughters Tabitha Caywood, Sally Hurst, Elizabeth Johnston and the children of my daughter Rhoda Hurst. It is further my wish that that part of my estate devised to the children of my daughter Rhoda, be retained in the hands of my Executor for their benefit unless it may appear to him that my daughter Rhoda is in suffering circumstances and if it should so appear I then wish him to contribute to her necessities out of the means left for her children as he may think reasonable. I do hereby constitute and appoint Joseph Miller Executor of this my last Will and Testament - Given under my hand this 26th day of July 1827 -------- his Edward X McNew mark Witness Jos. C. Trigg A. B. Trigg Nathaniel Bryson At a Court held for Washington County the 21st day of August 1827. The last Will and Testament of Edward McNew deceased was exhibited in court and proved by the oath of Joseph C. Trigg and Nathaniel Bryson two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Joseph Miller, the executor therein named who took the oath of an Executor prescribed by law and entered into) and acknowledged his bond in the sum of three thousand dollars with Joseph C. Trigg, Stephen Lyon and Nathaniel Bryson his securities conditioned as the law directs - A certificate is therefore granted him for the probate of the said Will in due form. Teste: Jacob Lynch, D. C. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation.