Will: Thomas Newman

Will of Thomas Newman
PWCo. Will Book L, pg. 355-357
Proved: 2 April 1821

In the name of God Amen I Thomas Newman of the County of Prince William and state of Virginia do make this my last Will and Testament. Imprimis, I give and bequeath to my Beloved Wife Willia E. Newman all my Estate real and personal during her natural life or Widowhood except such specific legacies as may be herein after made.

1. Item I confirm to my son Elias Newman and his heirs the gift that I made him of negroes Reuben & Nell and her increase and I also bequeath to him and his heirs (negro Lad) John.

2. Item. I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Jett Newman and his heirs the land whereon he now lives purchased of Pages estate and containing one hundred and forty one acres more or less together with the negroes of which he is now in possession viz. Ann, Mina, and Wilson.

3. Item. I confirm to my daughter Nancy Jett Newman and her heirs the gift I made her of negro Patt and her children and bequeath to her (stone mason) Jack.

4. Item. It is my will and desire that out of the profits of my Estate there shall be placed in trust in the hands of my son Thomas Jett Newman one hundred and twenty dollars annually for the benefit and support of my daughter Elizabeth Hereford and her children or that as much money be vested in Bank or other stock sufficient to yield an Interest of that amount in either case my son Thomas J. Newman to act as trustee for the special benefit of my said daughter Elizabeth Hereford and her children and this to be considered as her full proportion of my Estate.

5. Item. I confirm to my daughter Mary Spindle & her heirs the gift I made her of negro Isaac, and also give and bequeath to her and her heirs negro Phillis.

6. Item. Having made a Deed of Trust to James Brown of Frederick County of negroes Sally and Stefnee for the benefit of my daughter Sarah Brown and her children I confirm the same for the purpose therein mentioned and also at the death of my wife I give in Trust to my son William Jett Newman negroes Harry, Thornton & Eliza for the special benefit of my said daughter Sarah Brown & children.

7. Item. Upon the death or marriage of my wife I give and bequeath to my son William Jett Newman and his heirs the Tract of Land purchased of John Armistead of Caroline County, decd. containing five hundred acres, more or less together with the land lying on the south side of Catharpen purchased of William Armistead containing from twenty to thirty acres. I also give and bequeath to my son William Jett Newman and his heirs negroes Carpenter Tom and Betty and their children Charles, Charlotte, Jim & George.

8. Item I give and bequeath to my daughters Catharine Newton Newman, Mary Spindle, Peggy Newman and Eleanor Newman and their heirs the residue of my land in Prince William County to be divided equally among them according to quantity and quality I also give them the use of my Dwelling House as their residence as long as they remain unmarried.

9. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Catharine Newton Newman and her heirs negroes Jack and Milly and their children Maria, Reuben, and Margaret.

10. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Peggy Newman and her heirs negroes Shoe Maker Tom, Winny, Moses, Penny and her children Esther, Rachel and Betsy.

11. I give and bequeath to my daughter Eleanor Newman and her heirs negroes Ned, Lucy, Peg, and her children Mary, Lewis, Penny & Juliet.

12. Item upon the death or marriage of my wife it is my desire that my Executors hereafter named shall sell all my personal property negroes excepted to meet the monied claims against my estate and if the avails thereof should prove deficient it is then my Will and desire that negro Jess and his wife and children shall be sold to compleat the payment of all just demands against my Estate and whatever balance of money may remain together with the negroes undisposed of to be divided among my children all except Thomas J. Newman and my daughter Elizabeth Hereford. 

Lastly I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my sons Elias Newman, Thomas Jett Newman, William Jett Newman and my brother Richard Newman Executors of this my last Will and testament.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 28th day of December one thousand eight hundred & twenty.

Thos. Newman {seal}

Edmund Newman
E. Brooke Senr.
John Tall
Thomas Brasfield
Daniel Foster
Thos. Fortun

In addition to the Will which I have recently signed and sealed it is my desire to annex thereto my bequests as relates to two tracts of land to which I am entitled in the state of Tennessee viz. one of two thousand five hundred acres and the other of five hundred acres making on the whole three thousand which I bequeath to all my children in equal divisions that is to say Elias Newman, Thomas J. Newman, Nancy Jett Newman, Elizabeth Hereford, Katherine Newton Newman, Mary Spindle, Sarah Brown, William Jett Newman, Peggy Newman & Eleanor Newman all of whom to have an equal interest in the said three thousand acres of Land.

It is also my will and desire that all my sons and sons in law shall be exhonerated from the payment of all and any moneys that I have advanced to them or for them. Given under my hand this 9th day of February 1821.

Thos. Newman

Thomas Fortune
James D. Tennill
Alexr. Tennill

At a Court for Prince William County April the 2nd 1821.

This last will and testament of Thomas Newman decd. was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of Thomas Fortune, James D. Tennill and Alexander Tennill is ordered to be recorded and Richard Newman and William Jett Newman two of the Executors therein named made oath to the same according to law and the said Executors having performed what is usual in such cases certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste   Phil. D. Dawe  Ct. Cur.

Will: Leonard Brasfield (1817)

LEONARD BRASFIELD Will

Prince William County Will Book L, pg. 45

Dated 22 March 1817; Proved 2 June 1817

In the name of God Amen, I Leonard Brasfield of the county of Prince William being and weak (but of sound mind and disposing memory) calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and having a desire to dispose of all such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in the following manner viz:

First, I resign my soul to almighty God who gave it hoping through the merits of christ my blessed redeemer to attain to everlasting joy and felicity: and my body to the earth to be buried in a christian like manner by my executors hereafter mentioned.

Item second, I give and bequeath to my loving wife Nancy Brasfield all my estate both real and personal of all kind whatsoever during her natural life or widowhood and after her death or intermarriage to be divided among my sons and daughters in the following manner Viz:

Item third, I give to my son Leonard Brasfield; and my daughters, Mariah Brasfield, Lucinda Brasfield; Betsy Brasfield and Julia Brasfield; each a horse and saddle worth one hundred dollars; and my sons Thomas and Leonard Brasfield, and my daughters Mariah, Lucinda, Betsy and Julia Brasfield, each a good feather bed, and I give the same to them and their heirs forever.

Item fourth, If either of my daughters Mariah, Lucinda, Betsy, or Julia Brasfield shall remain unmarried at the decease of my loving wife Nancy Brasfield it is my will and desire that in that case that either or all of them shall have the one half of my dwelling house for a home and dwelling untill they may either marry or depart this life, and for the special performance of this fourth Item I lay of a Lott of Land including all my houses which I suppose will be of more value than any of the other lotts when laid off which said lott shall begin at a slooping white oak in the line of Capt. Thomas Newman and corner of the sd. Newman's purchase from the Estate of Matthew Page extendtending thence a long his line purchased from the Estate of said Page twenty yards to the south side of the Intersection of my spring branch with said line, then e in a westerly direction in a right line or Parellel with my back line between myself and Capt. Thomas Newman untill by running a right line with the first to the back line will include all the buildings together with the old garden thence a parellel line with the first to my back line between myself and  apt. Newman then e with sd. back line to the first station; thinking this lott will be of more value than any of the others when laid of it is my will and desire that at the time of a division of my estate that my three sons George, Leonard and Thomas Brasfield shall draw for the said lott and which of either of my three sons shall draw said lott I give the same to him and his heirs forever.

Item fifth, It is my will and desire (that after the lott is laid of including the mantion House) that the ballance of my Land shall be laid off in lotts as nearly equal as possible have regard to quantity and quality wood sec. and that after my sons shall have drawn for the house lott the other two together with my Daughters Nancy Wheeler, Mariah, Lucinda Betsy and Julia Brasfield, shall draw for the seven lotts so laid of beginning with the Eldest and so on to the youngest.

Item sixth, it is my will and desire that my negroes at the decease of my loving wife may be valued and drawn for by my eight children, viz, Geo., Thomas, & Leonard Brasfield, Nancy Wheeler, Mariah, Lucinda, Betsy and Julia Brasfield, so that each may have a chance to get one by paying the difference in value, and I give the same to them and their Heirs forever.

Item seventh, it is my will and desire that all the rest of my Estate of whatsoever kind shall be equally divided among my eight children Viz. Nancy Wheeler, George, Thomas, Leonard, Mariah, Lucinda, Betsy and Julia Brasfield.

Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my son in law William Wheeler and my son George Brasfield Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all other or former Wills or Testaments by me heretofore made, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 22nd day of March 1817.

Leonard Brasfield {seal}

Signed, Sealed published and declared as and for the last will and testament of the above named Leo. Brasfield in presence of Wm. Cundiff, Thos. Newman, William J. Newman, Thomas Fortune, Richard Newman

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County June 2, 1817.

This last will and testament of Leonard Brasfield dec. was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of Thomas Newman and Thomas Fortune is admitted to record. And Wm. Wheeler and George Brasfield the Exors. therein named came into Court and made oath to the same according to Law and having taken the oath of Exors. and having performed what is usual in such cases Certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste,

Phil. D. Dawe  Ct. Cur.

Will: Allman Fortune (1817)

ALLMAN FORTUNE Will

Prince William County Will Book L, pg. 45

14 Jul 1816; proved 02 Jun 1817

I ALLMAN FORTUNE of Prince William County being in ill health but of perfect mind, do make this my last will in the manner following, to wit, I give to my relation GARNER FORTUNE all the property I may die possess’d of, it is also my will that he shall sue for or recover on any other way in my name but for his benefit all the right title & interest that I have in a certain sum of money which my mother made a deed of gift of to me, which stands on record in the office of Caroline County for the recovery of which money I have ordered a suit, in testimony whereof, I have set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of July one thousand eight hundred and sixteen.

ALLMAN FORTUNE {seal}

Witness:

THOMAS I. NEWMAN, GEORGE W. BRASFIELD, GEO. TENNILL

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County June 2^nd 1817 this last will and testament of ALLMAN FORTUNE decd was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of GEO. W. BRASFIELD and GEO. TENNILL is admitted to record and administration of the estate of ALLMAN FORTUNE decd with the will annexed is granted to GARNER FORTUNE who took the oath of an admin. And entered into and acknowledged a bond with security according to same.

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE

Friend of Friends Friday: Will: Maria Brassfield (1825)

MARIA BRASSFIELD Will

Prince William County Will Book  M, pg 364

20 Oct 1825; proved 07 Nov 1825

In the name of God Amen I MARIA BRASSFIELD of Prince William County in Virginia being at this time very sick but of sound and disposing mind and memory and wishing to dispose of the worldly goods with which it has pleased God to bless me do make constitute and appoint this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following.  To Wit.  First I give and bequeath to my beloved sister ELIZABETH BRASSFIELD my negro girl FANNY, my bed, bedstead and bed clothes my hymn book prayer book Christian pattern Westleys sermons life of Fletcher and Dictionary one dining table half a dozen chairs writing desk and a chest to her and her heirs forever.  Secondly I give and bequeath to my beloved sister LUCINDA BRASSFIELD my saddle and bridle my unfinished quilt white cotton counterpane the Saints Everlasting, a walnut table and chest.  Thirdly I give and bequeath to my beloved sister JULIA FORTUNE a yarn counterpane a quilt and pieces to make another and a walnut table.  Fourthly I give and bequeath to my brother GEORGE BRASSFIELD a yarn counterpane two volumes of the History of the Bible the Bible and Westley’s notes.  Fifthly I give and bequeath to my brother LEONARD BRASSFIELD a yarn counterpane two volumes of the History of the Bible and Mrs. Thayres letters.  Sixthly I give and bequeath to my friend Mrs. MARY SPINDLE my sunflower yarn counterpane as a mark of my esteem for her.  Seventhly my will and desire is that my land be sold and out of the money arising from said sale that al my just debt and funeral expenses be paid and the balance if any to be equally divided between all my brothers and sisters.  All the rest and residue of my property of what kind soever I give to my two sisters LUCINDA and ELIZABETH and lastly I appoint my brother GEORGE BRASSFIELD Executor of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other wills by me heretofore made and acknowledging this as my last.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20^th day of October 1825.

MARIA BRASSFIELD

Signed & sealed in the precense of

ROBT HAMILTON, WILLIAM H. DOGAN, JOHN D. DOGAN

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County  November the 7^th 1825.

This last will and testament of MARIA BRASSFIELD decd. was presented to the Court and being proved by the oath of WILLIAM H. DOGAN is ordered to be recorded.  And at a Court of Quarterly sessions contd. And held for said County Nov. 8^th, 18235.  This said last will and testament of MARIA BRASSFIELD decd. was fully proved by the oath of JOHN D. DOGAN and admitted to record.  And GEORGE BRASSFIELD the Exor. therein named came into court and made oath to the same according to law and having taken the oath of an executor and performed what is usual in such cases certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste, P. D. DAWE