Will: William Howison

William Howison's Will
PWCo Will Book I, pg. 65

Washington Nov. 15th 1804

Most honored parents,

Our departure has been delayed from Monday 'till friday, very much to my satisfaction as it has given us time to breathe a little before commencing so long a journey.  Our preparations are now compleated, and we are to set out early in the morning. Every thing promises an agreeable journey if the weather is favorable, and the accommodations will be such that we cannot suffer much even by the worst weather. 

Although I have great hopes of revisiting this Country before the expiration of many years, yet as the great distance to be traveled must make my return uncertain, I wish to provide for the disposition of what little property I leave behind, in case circumstances should call for it: This I shall do by simply signifying my wishes, assured that they will be as much respected as if expressed in the most binding form. 

The property I shall leave in this part of the country consists of. Five shares of stock in the Bank of Virginia worth at par $500. 

To fill up these shares Mr. Trone is to pay Saml Howison $150 when called for ... $500

A Debt of $200 due from Samuel Howison, which if he finds it convenient is to be likewise invested in Stock ... $200

A Mahogany press and Book case left in the care of William James Esquire to be sold if it will bring $35 ... $35

Several small debts left with W. Boyd Esquire to collect, amounting to about ... $15

John Howison owes me $750 which I may possibly collect on my way ... $17.50

$707.50 [subtotal]

The money and property I shall take with me after paying every debt, are supposed to be worth $500 ... $500

$1267.50 [Total]

Should I not return, I wish the following distributions to be made. The debts due from my brothers John and Samuel are to be relinquished to them, if remaining unpaid.

My parents, if they or either of them survive me are to enjoy whatever else I may leave, during life. At their death let it be equally divided between my sister Mary ann and my brother Robert after giving my Brother Stephen $200.

It is to be understood that this arrangement is only to take place if I die leaving no family of my own or without making a future disposition of my estate. I have neither time nor paper to add more. May you all merit and experience the Guardianship of that providence on whom we all depend.

With lasting and dutiful affection,
Yours,

Wm. Howison

(Directed to Mr. Stephen Howison for P. Wm. County, Virginia)

At a Court held for Prince William County, Sept. 2d 1805

This last will and Testament of Wm. Howison decd was presented to the Court and the said Will being proved by the Oath of John Williams to be all in the hand writing of the said William Howison the same was ordered to be recorded. And administration with the said Will annexed is granted to Stephen Howison he having taken the Oath of an admor. and entered into and acknowwedged a bond with Security according to Law.

Teste, J. Williams
Ct. Cur.

Will: Sarah C. Calvert

Will of Sarah C. Calvert
PWCo. Will Book O, pg. 422
Executed 21 August 1839; Proved 2 September 1839

I Sarah C. Calvert of the County of Prince William in the State of Virginia being at this time sick but of sound memory and disposing mind, do make this my last will and testament. 

1. I give to my son Robert A. Calvert slaves, Lewis, Henry, and William and the increase of the said slave Henry to have & to hold the same to him and his heirs forever.

2. I give and devise to my said son Robert A. Calvert and  his heirs slaves Ned, Delia, and Julia, and the future increase of the females to hold the same in trust, for the use and benefit of my daughter Chloe Ann Cooper, wife of Benjamin Cooper, for her sole and separate use after the death of the said Benjamin Cooper her husband, should she survive him, and in the mean time to permit the said Benjamin Cooper and Chloe Ann his wife to take possession of said slaves and to have their services and hires without accountability to the said Robert A. Calvert for and during their joint lives; and then for the survivor of them during his or her life, and after the death of both of them, then for the use of the children of the said Benjamin and Chloe Ann issuing from their marriage born or hereafter to born until the youngest of them shall attain the age of twenty one years, at the happening of which last event the trust herein reposed in the said Robert A. Calvert shall cease and the said slaves and their increase shall thenceforth be the property of the children issuing from the marriage of the said Benjamin Cooper and Chloe Ann his wife and their heirs to be equally divided between them.

3. I give and bequeath to my son Robert A. Calvert one bedstead bed and furniture.

4. I devise to Lucien Alexander Davis son of my daughter A. F. who intermarried with William W. Davis one bedstead bed and furniture; also, one hundred dollars to be paid to him by Robert A. Calvert one of my Executors to be hereafter named upon his arrival at the age of twenty one years, and should he the said Lucien Alexander Davis die before his arrival to that age, then I give and devise the said bedstead, bed and furniture to my said son Robert A. Calvert and his heirs forever.

5. I give to my grand daughter Sarah C. Cooper one bedstead bed and furniture.

6. I give to my grand daughter Mary Virginia Cooper one bedstead bed and furniture.

7. I devise to my son Robert A. Calvert the sum of one hundred dollars herein before given, by the 4th clause in this my will to Lucien Alexander Davis provided the said Lucien Alexander Davis shall die under the age of twenty one years.

8. The residue of my estate real personal or mixed I devise to my daughter Chloe Ann Cooper and to my son Robert A. Calvert to be equally divided between them, they paying in equal portions my just debts, and funeral expenses.

9. And lastly I appoint Robert A. Calvert and Benjamin Cooper executors of this my last will and testament. Given from under my hand the 21st day of August A.D. 1839.

Sarah C. Calvert [X her mark]

Signed sealed published and declared by the testatrix as and for her last will and testament in her presence and in the presence of each other.

Moses Arnold
Nancy Sidebottom [X her mark]
M. B. Sinclair

At a Court held for Prince William County Sept. 2d 1839

This last Will and testament of Sarah C. Calvert decd was proved according to law by the Oaths of Moses Arnold and Mordecia B. Sinclair witnesses thereto and is ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Robert A. Calvert and Benjamin Cooper the Executors named therein who made oath thereto and together with Alexander Howison and Charles G. Howison their securities, entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of $8000 conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate of the said will in due form.

Teste   J. Williams  c. c. 

Newspaper Heraldry: Howsen/Hooe (1907)

San Antonio Light (Texas)
3 February 1907

TEXAS GENEALOGY
Compiled by Mrs. Jas. H. French

Robert Howsen, said to have been from Wales, took up 6000 acres of land on Great Hunting creek, on part of which Alexandria, Virginia, is now located. A daughter of Robert Howsen married Colonel Rice Hooe, who in 1715 built a large brick house on the Potomac river, which his descendent, Dr. A. Barnes Hooe, lived in 1861. This house was destroyed by the federal troops in that year. Colonel Rice Hooe and wife, a Miss Howsen, had a son, Howsen Hooe, whose will was dated December 16, 1773, and who married Frances Bernard. They had Howsen Hooe of Prince William county, Virginia, who married a daughter of Robert Dade.

Newspaper Heraldry: Howison or Howson?

Long before the Internet, many newspapers ran heraldry/genealogy query pages or columns that focused on regional surnames. 

One such newspaper was the Sun (Baltimore, MD), which received the following letter from a reader in 1908.

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Sun (Baltimore, MD)
5 July 1908

Messrs. Editors:

In your issue of March 22, 1908, an article appeared in regard to the Hooe family and mentioned an intermarriage with the Howson family. Ann Moore Howison, born April 11, 1807, died March 4, 1872,, was the daughter of Samuel, born 1780, died 1843, and Helen Rose (Moore) Howison, born 1787, died 1850. Samuel was the son of Samuel (?) or Stephen (?) Howison, of Charles county, Maryland, and later of Prince William county, Virginia. He married Mary Brook(e), of St. Mary's county, Maryland, and was the son of John (?) Howison, of Scotland, later Maryland, the emigrant, who married Mary Wood, formerly of Scotland.

Is not the name of Howson and Howison the same, only differently spelled? Is the Robert Howson referred to in the article of March 22, 1908, any relation to the above-mentioned Howison family of Maryland and Virginia? Has any article appeared on the Howison family?

M.