1799 Will of John Reeves

Rockingham County, Virginia
5 May 1799

Transcript or Summary

In the Name of God Amen I John Reeves of Rockingham County & State of Virginia being weak in body & infirm but of sound mind & memory and Calling to mind the uncertainty of this life & that it is allotted for man once to die do make and Ordain this my last will & testament I Request after my decease that my body be Interred in a decent & Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors whom I shall hereafter appoint and as to such worldly Goods as God has been pleased to bless me with I will and bequeath to in the following manner First I will & Bequeath to William Reeves five Children Reuben Pheby Lidya John & Thomas Reeves that part of my Plantation wherein William Reeves now lives Viz Running a strait line as the lane now runs across the tract after the death of their Father William Reeves who is to have & to hold the same as long as he may live together with the privilege of water out of my spring and in Case Eve Reeves should be left a widdow (sic) she shall be Intitlted (sic) to her thirds of the aforementioned tract of land with the privilege of the spring so long as she remains the widdow of said William Reeves Secondly I will & Bequeath unto my beloved wife Margaret Reeves one third of the ballance (sic) of the tract of l and whereon I now live her lifetime together with one fourth of my moveable Estate as long as she remains my widow I will & bequeath in Case William Reeves should have any more Children that they receive & be paid fifty pounds a piece out of my Estate not yet disposed with to be put out on interest after the death of my wife until they arrive at the age of twenty one years the ballance (sic) of my personal Estate I will Equally Between my four Children Sarah Reeves John Reeves Mary Reeves and Lydia Moore the balance of my lands not Bequeathed I will that they be Rented out from year to year until the death of my wife and be put out to entrust until her death and at the death of my wife I will that my Executors sell all my lands except the aforesaid part Given to William Reeves in Manner they shall think best & empower them to Convey the same to the purchase or purchases & the money arising together with the Rents & Interest to be awarded and laid out in this manner In case William Reeves should be then living that Thomas Dunkenson of my Executors to be hereafter appointed do and at his discretion put as much of the money from the sale of lands not exceeding one sixth part thereof on Interest for the support of the said William & that he Thomas Dunkenson may allow him William Reeves a part of the rent of the lands before the lands can be sold if it should be found necessary for support the balance of the money arising from the Rents & sale of the lands except William’s land to be divided into four parts (viz) one fourth part I give & bequeath to Sarah Lokey one fourth part of John Reeves one fourth part to Mary Reeves & the Remainder fourth part to the Children & heirs of Lydia Moore to be put out upon interest for their use but if it should so happen that she should not have any living heirs & become a widdow then & in that Case to have & be entitled to the said fourth herself but if it should be that her husband Elijah Moore should be the longest heir and she have no Children then the said fourth part to be divided amongst my three Children Sarah Lokey John Reeves & Mary Reeves and Lastly I appoint Thomas Dunkenson & John Reeves my sole Executors of this my last will & testament Revoking all other wills do pronounce publish & declare this my last will & Testament In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand & seal the fifth day of May one Thousand Seven hundred & ninety nine 1799
Signed sealed published & declared                                                                               John Reeves (Seal)
To be the last will & testament of
John Reeves who requested us to subscribe
The same as Witnesses                                                                                                             A Copy
Edmond Nichols                                                                                                                               Teste
Thomas Dunkenson
John (his x mark) Click                                                                                                                    H G Gambill CRC
Lawrence (his x mark) Bowers

                                              Rockingham July Court 1799
This last will and Testament of John Reeves deceased was presented in Court by Thomas Dunkenson one the Executors therein Named and proved by the oaths of two the Witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded And on the Motion of the said Executor who made oath thereto and with security entered unto an acknowledged bond in the penalty of three thousand dollars Conditioned as the law directs a certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form and leave is reserved for the other executor to Join in the said probate
                                                                                                                       Testee
                                                                                                                              S W Williams CRC

                                                                                                            A Copy
                                                                                                                        Teste
                                                                                                                               H G Gambill CRC

Commentary

This will was written and recorded in Rockingham County but does not appear to be extant in the fragmented earliest will books of Rockingham. The will was included in a Chancery Case filed after John Reeves' death in Augusta County by his daughter Sarah Lokey where the will is included in the related documents.

Source

Library of Virginia, Lost Records Localities Collection, 1674-1894