Will of Joseph Reeves, Jr.
Essex County, Virginia
Will Book 7, p 339-341
12 May 1745
Transcription
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I Joseph Reeves junr. Of the County of Essex and Parish of South farnam being very sick and weak but of sound memory bless’d be god for the same & calling to mind the uncertainty of our stay here on Earth Do make and ordain this to be my Last will and Testament Revoking & Disnulling all former Wills before by me made FIRST and principly (sic) I Commend my soul to God hopeing through the merritts of our Blessed Savior to have free Pardon & Forgiveness of all my sins - & as to what worldy Estate it hath pleased god to Endow me with I give as follows 1: As my Father Designd to give his Land between my Brother James Reeves and myself (if he had made a will which he Failed to do) I do now give to my sd. Brother James Reeves Half of the sd. Land to be Laid off at that End where he Lives which said Land I give to him and his heirs forever 2d. I give & bequeath to my Daughter Susannah Reeves all my Land after my Brother James’ Land & my wife’s third part of the Land is sett apart to her and her heirs forever also Mollatto Tom, Jeney & her two children - Will & Lucy & there increase 3dly. I Lend my wife Frances Reeves Negroe George, Hannah & Bess during her Natural Life & there Increase, 4thly.. I give all my Household Furniture & Stocks of Cattle, Hores, Hogs, & Sheep and all my Personall Estate of whatsoever kind it be, to be Equally divided between my wife and Daughter; and it is my will that my Daughters Part of the Household furniture, stocks of all kinds and other Personal Estate be preserved in Specie by my Executrix herein afternamed for the better Support of my wife and Daughter Untill my said Daughter Shall arrive to the age of Twenty one years or marries, If She lives with her mother and further it is my will and desire that if any of the Stock Should dye which I’ve given to my Daughter or any of the Furniture or any other personal Estate give to her be Distroyed (sic) by fire or any other accident my Executrix or my Friend that Shall have the Care of my Daughter & her Estate at the time of Such Accidents Shall not be answerable For the damage 5thly. It is my will and Desire that my daughter should live with her mother untill she arrives to the age of Twenty one years, or marries; Provided she or her Husband (in case she should marry again) do not mke any waste of her Estate; and if it Should so happen that She (or in case she marries her Husband) Should waste any part of my Daughter’s Estate, Then it is my will and Devise that Mr. William Daingerfield Shall have the guardianship of my Daughter & take her Estate into his hands untill She Shall arrive to the age of Twenty one years, or marries as abovemnd 6thly. I give to my Godson Thomas Henly Forty Shillings worth of goods to be bo.t out of some store by my Executrix 7thly. If my Daughter Should Dye before she Should come of age as Aforesaid or marrie, I Then give to my wife & her heirs forever, all the Estate given to my Daughter as above (Except the Land) and all the Negroes I have Lent her in the third Codicil & all the Personall Estate afterwards given her I do appoint my wife Frances Reeves Executrix of this my Last will and Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & Seal this 12th day of May 1745SIGNED Sealed, Published &
Declared to be my Last will } Joseph Reeves junr (Seal)
& Testament in Presence off
Isaac Scandrett }
Robt Sp Coleman }
Mary Anderson }
AT A COURT held for Essex County at Tappahannock on the 18th day of July Anno Domin. 1745
This Last will and Testament of Joseph Reeves deceased was presented in Court by Francis Reeves & Executrix therein named who made oath to the same and being also proved by the oath of all & Witnesses thereto was ordered to be Recorded and a Certificat now granted to the said Francis for obtaining a probate thereof in Due form.
Teste
John Lee ClCur