Will of Original Browne The original will can be found at the Westmoreland County Court House, Va. Will Book 2, pages 142A through 144. It was copied as close as possible. In the Name of God Amen this 5th day of February in the year of our Lord God 1697/8. I Original Browne of Washington Parish in the County of Westmoreland being Sick of Body, but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God Therefor, calling to mind the mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die so make and ordaine this my last Will & Testament in manner and form following, first & principally I give my soul into the hands of God who gave it me and for my body I commend it to the Earth to be buried in Christian & decent manner as to my Executrea hereafter named shall be thought neet and convenient, nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate, wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give and devise bequath and dispose the same in manner & form following First I give and bequath unto my daughter Jane Pope one Chest of Drawers: Item I give unto my daughter Judith Roe ten Shillings of good & Lawfull Money of England, Item I give unto my Daughter Mary Browne at the full age of 16 or the day of Marriage One negro girl commonly called Jenny to her and the Lawfull heirs of her body, but if my Daughter Mary should Die before the expressed time or without an heir Lawfully begotten of her body as aforesaid, that then the said Negro Girl with all her increase shall return to the next heir at Law, Item I give unto my Daughter Mary Browne One Feather bed and furniture after the maner of the aforesaid Legacy, Item I give unto my Daughter Mary Browne two cows and calves after the manner of the aforesaid Legacy, Item I give unto my Son William Brown one riding horse, two saddles, bridle halter, one case of Pistols and a pair of Holsters and one Bayonett, Item I give unto my Son William Brown, one mair of three years & with her increase, Item I give unto my Son William Brown all my guns in general, Item I will that after my legacies are paid that my said Son William Brown have his equal half of all my cattle that shall remain both of male and female with their increase, Item I will that my said Son Wm Browne have likewise half my stock of Hoggs and half my beding Brass Pewter and Iron Potts, Item I will that my said Son William Browne haves one of my best ___ tables with half my table linnen, half my chairs & two of my best chests, Item I will that my said Son Wiliam Brown haves my Bible and all the rest of my books, Item I give unto my Son Wm Brown two negroes named Cofey and Diana, to be delivered to him at the full age of Twenty & One with all their Increase from this time to that and that there increase afterward, to him and his heirs, but if my said Son should die before he comes to the age of One & Twenty or after should die without an heir of his body, that then the said Negroes with their aforesaid Increase, and every particular legacy, which I have unto my aforesaid Son William Browne to return to the next heir at Law; Item I give unto my well beloved Wife Jane all the residue of my Estate both of Cattle horses hoggs Corn Tobacco, houshold goods and all manner of my Estate whatsoever excepting what I here next give; Item I give unto Laurence Abbington all my wearing Cloaths in general; Item it is my will and pleasure that my Executrea shall first Pay my debts and then my legacies, Item it is my will and pleasure that my well beloved Wife Jane be full and Sole Excutrea of this my last Will & Testament, But if my said Wife should in any case Imbezell make away or Strive to defraud my said Children of any part or Parcell of any of the mentioned legacies which I have given them, then it is my desire that my esteemed friends Capt. Laurence Washington and W Caleb Butler whome I empower & Intrust as overseers over my Children and their estate, to take my said Children & their Estates unto their Custody, and I desire my said two overseers carefully to look after my said Children and their estate, during the time of their minority, untill they come to the specified time which I have left them of age, Item it is my will and Pleasure that if Mark Cullum should have opportunity of geting the place of Ship Master that then my said Son William Brown be bound to him during the time that I have left him to be of age provided he followeth the Seas as Master, but if the said Mark Cullum should not attaine the Office aforesaid, that then my said Son William Brown the last four years of _____ of his age be bound apprentice to a Carpenter Millwright or Jayner; Item I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and annull all and every other former Testaments wills Legacies, Executors or Executrea, by me in any wise before this time named willed & bequeathed Ratifying & confirming this and none other to be my last Will and Testament, In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale above on the other side of this above whole upper sheet of paper mentioned. ORIGINAL BROWNE (sealed) Signed Sealed Published Pronounced & Declared by the said Original Browne as his last will and Testament in the presence of us. Laurence Abbington, Edward Lambey, John Higdon Westmoreland Tet?. At a Court held for the said County the 27? th day of April 1698. This Will was proved by the Oaths of Laurence Abbington and John Higdon and a Probate granted to Jane Brown Ext. herein named and the Will ordered to be Recorded. Teste James Westcomb __? ---------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Peggy Miller pmiller@3n.net 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 AND permission is obtained from the CONTRIBUTOR of the file. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation.