Will of General/Governor Thomas Nelson, 1788

(York County, Virginia Wills and Inventories 23:171-176).

In the name of God I Thomas Nelson of the Town and County of York being
of sound and disposing mind tho in firm in body and being sensible of
the Casualties to which human nature is subject do constitute and make
this my last Will and Testament thereby disposing of and bequeathing all
my Worldly Goods and Chattels in manner following.

Imprimis  I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Lucy Nelson all her
wearing apparel Jewells of every kind and my Chariott and four Horses to
hold as her own proper Goods forever.  I lend to her during her natural
life my lands and plantations in Hanover County known by the names of
Montair, Hallory’s Long row and Smith’s with the slaves stocks of very
kind And Plantation Utensils on the said lands I also lend her during
her Natural life my Farm near York together with the slaves, stocks and
Plantation Utensils thereon and the choice of Ten of my House Servants
also the liberty of cutting fire wood off a Tract of Land I have in
Warwick County known by the name of Hobdy’s and and Timber for the use
of the aforesaid Farm likewise my Houses and Lots in York Town (except
such of Them as I shall herein after bequeath otherwise) my Household
and Kitchen furniture and my Plate of every kind except as much thereof
as shall be hereafter otherwise bequeathed .  But is my will that my
Wife do, out of the Profits of the Estate I have (???) before lent her
pay unto my Mother each year during her Life one hundred pounds sterling
it being an annuity left her by my Father and furnish her with five fat
Hogs, one grass beef and two fatted Beeves.  It is also my Will and
Desire that out of the profits of the Estate I have lent my Wife she do
maintain and educate all my younger children until they shall come to
the age of twenty one years or marry.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Son Thomas Nelson and his Heirs for
ever my Houses and Tenements in the City of Williamsburg, all my Lands
in the County of James City, and two thousand five hundred acres of Land
lying on the upper part of my Tract in Hanover, on both sides of
Newfound River, including the Lands he is at present possessed of but it
is my Will that he shall not til after the Death of my Wife posses or
enjoy any of that part of the Land in which Skelton Smith lives, except
a Stripe [sic] of high Land of an hundred yards breadth beginning at the
Causey and running thence parralel [sic] with the sunken grounds of the
River to my upper Line.  I also bequeath unto him and his Heirs for ever
the Slaves, Stocks, of every kind and plantation utensils of which is at
present possessed, and likewise a Negro Woman named Aggy living at York,
together with her Increase except her eldest Son Charles.  It it is my
Will that he do furnish my Mother each year during her life with four
fat Hogs.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Son Philip Nelson and his Heirs for
ever all that Plantation and Tract of Land in the County of Hanover
known by the name of Offley bounded as follows, beginning at Little
River=bridge, and running along the Road which crosses the said Bridge
and Mr. Berkeley’s mill Road until it strikes the dividing Line between
Mr. Berkeley’s Land and my own in the Mill road thence along that Line
until it strikes the Hanover Town road, thence along that Road so as to
include a piece of Land called the Triangle purchased by my Father of
Mr. Berkeley, thence along the dividing Line between Mr. Berkeley and
the Offley tract to Little River, Thence up the River so as to include
the Mill & Mill pond to the beginning.  I also bequeath unto my said Son
Philip and his Heirs for ever the Slaves Stocks and Plantation Utensils
lately allotted to his Use on that Plantation, and also a Negro Girl by
the name of Melinda now living with Mrs. Brown at Bull Run, and I do
further Will that my said Son Philip do furnish my Mother with three fat
Hogs each Year during her life.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Son Francis Nelson and his Heirs for
ever all my Lands in the County of Hanover lying on the North side of
Little River and known by the name of Bridge Quarter , also a Tract of
Land lying on the South side of Little River to be taken off the Montair
Tract and to be bounded as follows.  Beginning at Little River bridge
and running up the River to the Mouth of Colley Swamp, thence by a right
Line to be drawn to the mouth of the first Branch that runs into Colley
Swamp on the North East side, thence by a Line to be drawn up nearly
paralel [sic] to the little River as may be to the Road leading from
David Anderson’s old Store to Hanover Town, thence along the said Road
to Mr. Berkeley’s Mill Road, thence along the Little River road to the
Beginning.  I also give unto him and his Heirs for ever the slaves,
Stocks and Plantation utensils now on the said Lands, and It is my Will
that the Slaves be increased so as to make up ten hoe hands and five
Plow-boys.  It is also my Will that my said Son Francis do furnish my
Mother with two fat Hogs each Year during her life.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Son Hugh Nelson and his Heirs for ever
my Land and Plantation in Hanover County known by the name of York’s to
be bounded as follows, beginning at Jones’s Swamp where the Glebe Road
crosses at and running thence down the Glebe road to where it joins the
Road leading from David Anderson’s old Store to Hanover Town thence up
the said Road to where it intersects John Thompson’s Line, thence along
the Lines of the said Thompson, Nathaniel Price, and David Thompson to
Jones’s Swamp thence down the said Swamp by its several meanders to the
beginning.  I also give to him and his Heirs for ever the Slaves now on
the said Land, their number to be increased out of the rest of my Estate
so as to make in the whole ten Hoe hands and five Plow Boys.  I also
give him the Stocks of every kind and Plantation Utensils on the said
land To my Son Hugh and his Heirs for ever.  I also give one hundred
acres of Land in the County of York which i purchased of my Brother Hugh
and fifty acres in the same county on the large Swamp in Charles Parish.
also the Reversion I have in a tract of land near York, now occupied by
Wm. & Lucy Hoore together with all the Interest which I have or may in a
Water Grist Mill on the said Lands, but he is to furnish my Mother with
two fat Hogs (“each year” interlined) during her Life. 

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Son Robert Nelson and his Heirs for
ever after the Death of my Wife, all my Tract of land in the County of
Hanover known by the name of Mountair; also ten hoe Negroes five plow
Boys thirty Cattle, twenty Sheep and the Plantation utensils on the
Place.  But it is my will that my Son Francis shall have it in his
option at any time within six months after the death of my Wife to take
in lieu of the Estate I have hereinbefore bequeathed him, the said
Montair Tract together with the Slaves and other Estate herein
bequeathed to my Son Robert and should my Son Francis make his selection
of the Montair Estate then it is my will that my Son Robert shall have
all the Estate which I have herein before bequeathed to my Son Francis.

Item  I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Page one thousand
Pounds, to be paid by my Executors and of the (profits?) of the lands
hereinafter appropriated to the payment of my Debts as soon after my
Debts are paid and conveniently may be.  I also give unto her and her
Heirs for ever the Reversion of a Negro Woman named Nancy now in
possession of my Mother, together with her present and further Increase.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Daughters Mary Nelson, Lucy Nelson,
Susannah Nelson, and Judith Nelson, six hundred pounds each to be paid
them by my Executors out of the Funds appropriated to the payment of my
Debts, when they shall respectively come of age, or marry, but it is my
Will that if their Legacies can be conveniently raised out of the said
Funds at an earlier Period then the Money shall be put out to Interest
or otherwise disposed of as my Executors shall think most conductive to
the Interest of my said Daughters.  I do also give to each of my
Daughters, Mary, Lucy, Susannah and Judith and their Heirs for ever a
Negro Girl to be chosen out my Estate at large by my Wife and
Executors.  

Item  it is my Will and Desire that Doctor Augustine Smith shall not be
charged with or called on to repay one Shilling that I have expended in
his maintenance and education, and that he have credit in full for all
(items?) with which he may be charged on my Books.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Son William and to his Heirs for ever
all the Lands whereof he is at present possessed together with the
Slaves, Stocks of every kind and plantation Utensils thereon.  And at
the Death of his Mother I further give him that plantation whereon
Skelton Smith now lives except as much thereof shall be in(???) in the
bequest.  I have herein before made to my Son Thomas [sic] Nelson, Long
Row and William Mallory’s including the sunken Grounds on Newfound River
below the Causey; also all the Slaves Stocks and Plantation Utensils on
the said plantations.  I also give to my Son William after the Death of
his mother the choice of five of the ten house servants which I have
herein before lent to my Wife (???) it is my Will that the remaining
five Servants with their Increase be divided at the Death of my Wife
among my other five Sons; but in case of any of the said House Servants
should die before my Wife, it is my Will That then my Son William shall
have his choice of one half of what remain alive and the Remainder
divided among my other five Sons.  I give to my Son William and his
Heirs for ever my trusty and faithful Servant James (Rideout?) and an
Amatheist Teal left me by my Father.  It is my Will that all my
Blacksmiths, Carpenters, Shoemakers and Weavers do continue to work for
my wife and several Children, and at the Death of my Wife I give and
bequeath them to my Son William & his heirs forever.  

Item  I give and bequeath to each of my Sons, except my Son William a
Negro Boy to be taken from my Estate at large and freed to work with my
Carpenters in order to learn the trade.

Item  I give and  bequeath to my son William Nelson and his Heirs for
ever my Lotts in the Town of York which I purchased of William Rowsay
adjoining the Street which runs by a Mr. (???) Archer’s and the late
Tecistary Nelson’s, and at the Death of my Wife I give to him and his
Heirs for ever all my Lotts, Lands and other Property in and about York
which I have herein before lent to my Wife during her Life, and not
herein otherwise disposed of.

Item  It is mu Will that so much of my most indifferent Plate as will be
sufficient to procure a Dozen and an half of table=spoons & a Dozen tea
spoons for each of my Sons except my Son William be appropriated to that
Use; and the rest and residue of my Plate I give to my Son William after
the Death of my Wife.

Item  It is my Will that Smith Harry be furnished out of the Profits of
the Estate which I have lent to my Wife with a good House to live in
during his Life; also with a good Suit of Cloaths, two Shirts, two
Blankets, three hundred Weight of Pork and five Barrels of Corn each
year during his Life and that he be considered from hence forward as
free and discharged from all services.

Item  I give and bequeath unto my Executors henceforth as named and to
their Heirs and Assigns for ever my Lands in the County of Hanover known
by the names of Bull-field and Bull hill containing by estimate one
thousand five hundred and sixty eight Acres - more or less also all my
Lands in the County of Prince William and Loudon [sic] and likewise two
Surveys on the Waters of Elizabeth River made in partnership with which 
Robert Anderson Esq. Doct. James Lacey and John Page Esq. of Roswell
with which Robert (???) Esquire is well acquainted having (surveyed?)
all the bearings . To have and to hold the said several Tracts of Land
to them their Heirs and assigns for ever IN TRUST nevertheless for the
purpose of paying all my just Debts and the Legacies bequeathed in this
Will.  I do constitute and appoint my friend Nathaniel Burwell of
Carters Grove and Francis Willis of Gloucester  and my Sons William and
Thomas Nelson Executors of this my Will and guardians of all my younger
Children requesting them to bring my son Robert up to some Profession
such as They shall think will best suit his genius.

Item  I give and bequeath to my nephew William Nelson son of my Brother
Nathaniel Nelson after the Death of my Mother a negro boy named Dick who
now resides and (???) for my Mother, to have and to hold the said Boy
Dick to him and his Heirs for ever.

Item  I is my Will that my Son William shall enter upon and enjoy all
the sunken Grounds on Newfound River (which in a former Clause of this
Will I bequeathed to him after the Death of his Mother) immediately
after my Decease.

I do constitute and declare this to be my last Will and Testament hereby
reaching and annulling all former Wills and Codicils heretofore made by
me.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affix my Seal
this twenty sixth Day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and eighty eight .  But before signing and sealing this I
do declare it to be my further Will that should my Wife die before Smith
Harry, then my Son William do furnish him with what I have bequeathed to
him in this Will and further that after the Death of my Mother each of
my Sons shall furnish my Wife with as many fat hogs as they are by this
Will to furnish my Mother with.  I do also bequeath unto my Son William
all the Rest and residue of my Estate of what nature soever after my
Debts and Legacies herein mentioned are paid and satisfied, to hold to
him and his Heirs forever.

Tho . Nelson (SS/Seal)

Testes
Jno. Minor jr.
Edmd. Berkeley
Nelson Berkeley Junr.


Submitted by by Gwen Hurst <gwnj@shentel.net>


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