Will: Mary C. Gallagher

Will of Mary C. Gallagher
PWCo Will Book N, pg. 259
Proved: 7 June 1830

I Mary C. Gallagher of Providence Farm, County of Prince William, Virginia, being of sound mind but a low state of health, do hereby make this my last will and testament.

To my sister Margaret S. B. Gallagher I leave the whole of my interest in my brother Williams estate, and my interest in my fathers estate, I leave to be equally divided between my three sisters Ann Gallagher, Margaret S. B. Gallagher, and Julia F. Gallagher. 

I leave to my dear Nephew Bernard H. Peyton a gold watch with a handsome seal and key, and to my niece Ann Eliza Peyton a mourning breast pin with her mother's hair and mine set in it.

Those articles I desire my sister Margaret to purchase for them when Bernard H. Peyton shall arrive at the age of eighteen, out of the funds which I leave her. I leave my sister Ann Gallagher executrix of this my last will and testament and desire that the Court shall not require security of her for the performance of this trust. 

In Witness whereof I set my hand and seal this 31st day of March in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twenty nine.

Mary C. Gallagher {seal}

Sally Linton
Sally B. Campbell
Margaret Gallagher

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County the 7th day of June 1830

This last will and testament of Mary C. Gallagher decd. was presented to the Court by Ann Gallagher her Executrix therein named, and being proved by the Oaths of Sally Linton & Margaret Gallagher is ordered to be recorded, and the said Ann Gallagher having taken the oath of an Executrix and entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of $2000 Certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form, the Court dispensing with security according to the desire of the Testator, it appearing that she died possessed of visible property more than sufficient to pay her debts.

Teste,  P. D. Dawe   Ct. Cur.

Sunday's Obituary: John D. Chichester

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
9 December 1904

Death of John D. Chichester

John D. Chichester of Birmingham, Ala., died at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, in Baltimore, Monday last. He had been a patient there suffering from a complication of diseases for about two weeks. Mr. Chichester was well known in this city. He is a brother of Mrs. William A. Linton, Mrs. Charles H. Halphead, Mrs. Edwin B. Craine, Miss Julia Chichester and of James M. Chichester of Richmond, Charles R. Chichester and G. PIckett Chichester, both of Fauquier county, Va.

The deceased was a native of Prince William county, Va., but about twenty years ago went to Birmingham, Ala., where his energy and enterprise soon placed him at the front among its enterprising business men. He was a leading spirit in many undertakings that have placed the iron city of the south where it is today, and his death will prove to be a distinct loss to that community. He was ill about nine weeks. With him in his last hour were his wife and two sons, his brother James of Richmond and Mr. William A. Linton, his brother-in-law, of this city. 

The remains have been conveyed to his late home in Birmingham.

Deed: Ashby to Linton (1912)

Deed:  W. J. Ashby and Elizabeth Ashby to R. C. Linton

PWCo Deed Book 63, pg. 143

THIS DEED made this 30 day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and twelve, between W. J. Ashby and Elizabeth Ashby, his wife, parties of the first part, and R. C. Linton, party of the second part:

WITNESSETH: That the said parties of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS, to them cash in hand paid by the said party of the second part, before the signing, sealing and delivering of these presents, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, do grant unto the said party of the second part, with covenants of GENERAL WARRANTY, all of that certain tract or parcel of land, lying and being situate near Independent Hill, in Coles Magisterial District, Prince William County, Virginia on the Warrenton-Dumfries Road, containing about FORTY ACRES, be the same more or less, it being the remainder of that certain tract of land,c ontaining 62 acres, roods and 11 poles, which was conveyed to Lawrence Cole by deed from Lucien A. Davis, clerk of the county court of Prince William County, bearing date the 13th day of April, 1876, and recorded in the land records of said county Deed Book 30, pg. 438 and by the said Lawrence Cole conveyed to the said William J. Ashby by deed, in which the wife of the said Lawrence Cole united, bearing the date 8th day of December 1883 and recorded in the said office in Deed Book No. 34 P. 418, less, however a tract of land heretofore conveyed by the said parties of the first part to the said party of the second party, and also less another part and parcel of the said land heretofore conveyed by the said parties of the first part to William Retzer, leaving a tract estimated at FORTY ACRES, which is hereby conveyed, to which said several deeds reference is here made for a more detailed description of the said land hereby conveyed, which adjoins the lands of the late Frank Gallahan, Ed. Keys et als., it being expressly covenanted, however, that the land herein conveyed, is sold by the lump and not by the acre, and that there is to be no other compensation or reduction, should the said tract exceed or fall short of forty acres.

In testimony whereof, the said parties do hereto affix their signatures and seals the day and year first above written.

W. J. Ashby (SEAL)

Elizabeth Ashby (SEAL)

STATE OF VIRGINIA, County of Prince William, to-wit:

I, Robt. A. Hutchison, a commissioner in chancery for the circuit court of Prince William, do certify that William J. Ashby and Elizabeth Ashby, whose names are signed to the writing annexed, bearing date the 30th day of December 1912, have acknowledged the same before me in my county aforesaid.

Given under my hand this the 30th day of December, 1912.

Robt. A. Hutchison, Com'r in Chy.

In the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court for Prince William County, January 1, 1913 at 3 O'clock, P.M. THIS DEED from W. J. Ashby and Elizabeth Ashby to R. C. Linton was received with certificate of acknowledgement of the grantors annexed, and admitted to record.

Teste: J. E. Herrell .  Clerk

[Margin Note:  "Mailed to R. C. Linton March 4, 1913.  J. E. H."]

Military Monday: Deserted (1779)

Virginia Gazette
2 October 1779

August 29, 1779.

DESERTED, three of the recruits from Prince William county, to wit: ANDREW MURPHEY, an Irishman, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, well made, black hair, a large black beard, had on a round hat, brown cloth sailors jacket, check shirt, and a pair of osnabrug trowslers. JAMES MILLER, an Englishman, 5 feet 8 inches high, of a swarthy complexion, short brown hair, curls before, well made, had on a white coarie cloth jacket, cotton shirt, and osnabrug trowsers. ROBERT WOODERFIELD, an Englishman, 5 feet 11 inches high, fair complexion, short light hair, well made, much given to liquor, lost his foreteeth, had on an old white shirt slit on the shoulders, a pair of bed ticking trowsers, and a pair of old shoes. Any person apprehending the above deserters, shall receive 150 dollars, or 50 dollars for each upon delivery to

WILLIAM LINTON

Sunday's Obituary: Linton / Muschett / Peake

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC)
25 September 1821

On Sunday the 9th September, in the 26th year of his age, of a violent bilious fever, which he bore with exemplary fortitude, John Tyler Linton, only child of John Linton, Esq. of the town of Dumfries, in Virginia.

Daily National Intelligencer
18 February 1823

DIED, at the residence of Col. Gibson, in the town of Dumfries, on the 14th ins. of a pulmonary disease, Dr. Alexander Muschett, aged 31 years and 29 days. He was eminently distinguished for his professional and general acquirements. He has left a wife, one child, and a numerous circle of friends to mourn his loss; but they have the happy consolation in the reflection that, for some time previous to his death, he had the most satisfactory hope in a future state.

Commercial Advertiser (New York, NY)
01 February 1826

In Prince William county, James Peake, 89.

Will: John King (1797)

JOHN KING Will

Prince William County Will Book H, pg. 228

16 May 1797; Proved 2 Oct 1797

In the name of God Amen I JOHN KING of the County of Prince William being weak in body but of sound & perfect mind and memory do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following.

I give & bequeath unto RACHEL BOOTMAN all the property I am possessed of consisting of stock and household goods and whereas I am entitled to money due me from the Commonwealth as a pension & have impowered JOHN LINTON to draw the same for me I further give and bequeath that to RACHELL BOOTMAN the whole of the stock and household goods & money I give to the said RACHELL for the use and benefit of my four children which I have had by her, namely MARYANN KING, WILLIAM KING, WILSY KING & ELIZABETH KING.  I also appoint the above named RACHELL BOOTMAN executrix of this my last will and testament.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 16^th Day of May in the year of our lord 1797.

JOHN [his mark] KING  {seal}

Signed sealed published & declared by the above named JOHN KING to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses in the presence of the testator

JOHN LINTON

JOHN OARD

THOMAS OARD

At a court held for Prince William County the 2^nd day of October 1797

This last will & testament of JOHN KING decd. was presented to the Court by RACHEL BOOTMAN the Executrix therein named who made oath thereto according to law and the said will being proved by the oath of JOHN OARD is ordered to be recorded; and the said Executrix having taken the oath of an Executrix and entered into bond with JOHN OARD and WILLIAM ANNISS Jun. Her securities who swore they were worth one hundred dollars each after their debts are paid, certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste

JOHN WILLIAMS  Ct Cur.

Will: Robert Graham (1821)

ROBERT GRAHAM Will

Prince William County Will Book L, pg 360

12 Feb 1816; proved 04 Jun 1821

I give and bequeath to my wife MARTHA PEYTON GRAHAM the land on which I live containing three hundred & forty acres more or less and also the tract of land on which RICHARD LEE lived and where his widow now lives containing one hundred & forty acres more or less to her in absolute fee simple for ever.  This is my last will and testament in my own hand writing the twelfth day of February eighteen hundred & sixteen.

ROBERT GRAHAM  {seal}

last will and testament JOHN LINTON, JOHN TYLER LINTON

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County 4^th of June 1821.  This last will and testament of ROBERT GRAHAM decd. was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of JOHN LINTON and JOHN T. LINTON is ordered to be recorded.

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE

Tombstone Tuesday: George W. and Sarah J. Retzer

Woodbine Church Cemetery, Independent Hill, VA
(photo by C. Lynn)

GEORGE W.

RETZER

Co. D 8th Ind.

Vet Vol.

1834 - 1923

SARAH J.

His Wife

1839 - 1919

~ ~ ~

Baltimore Sun (Maryland)

June 16, 1922*

GEORGE W. RETZER, 83 years old a Union veteran of the Civil War, died yesterday at the Maryland General Hospital after an illness of a month from infirmities of age.  He was born in Lancaster county, Pa. but had been a farmer at Independent Hill Va. for 20 years.  He retired three years ago and since that time had made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Josephine R. Graeff, 1206 West Lexington Street.

Mr. Retzer is survived by another daughter, Mrs. Robert C. Linton, of Independent Hill, two sons, William W. Retzer of Herndon, Va. and George Perry Retzer, of Vienna, 19 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Manassas Journal

June 23, 1922

--Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Retzer, of Vienna, were in Manassas last Saturday, having been called here to attend the funeral of Mr. Retzer's father, G. W. Retzer, who died in Baltimore Thursday of last week, and whose remains were brought to this town and interred in Woodbine cemetery.

*Although the obituary for George W. Retzer is dated June 1922, his headstone is erroneously dated 1923.

Friend of Friends Friday: Will of Ann Linton Nesbett (1817)

ANN LINTON NESBETT Will

Prince William County Will Bk L, pg 93

10 Oct 1817; proved 01 Dec 1817

I ANN LINTON NESBETT of the County of Prince William do make the following my last will and testament.  First. If my negro boy CHARLES should not sold before my decease for the payment of an execution which Carrs Exors had against WILLIAM DOWNMANs estate & which I have given a forthcoming bond for it is my will and desire that my executor should sell said negro boy CHARLES & pay off said debt & the balance if any be used for the benefit of my estate.  Secondly in consequence of two of my niece MARIA LESLEYS negros being sold to pay off debts due from CAPT. DOWNMANs estate & which her property as well mine was equally bound for I give her the said MARIA two of my negroes namely BILL & ALBERT which gift I hereby confirm.  Thirdly it is my will & desire that my executor as soon after my decease as it can conveniently be done sell my negro man JOHN and my negro woman CATE & her son GEORGE & her young child for cash, and out of the proceeds thereof pay to my nephew GEORGE BAYLEY two hundred dollars which is meant as a legacy from me to my said nephew & the balance arising from the sale of said negroes to be paid to my sister PHAMY LINTON at this time living near the sweet spring in the County of Monroe.  Fourthly I give and devise to my friend JOHN LINTON of the town of Dumfries my half of the tract of land (left by WM. DOWNMAN to myself & my sister LESLEY) and the balance of my negroes, stock, plantation utensils & household & kitchen furniture, in trust, as a support for my brother JAMES NESBETT during his life, and at his death the said trust is to cease and the whole of the said land & negroes with their increase & whatever stock, plantation utensils & household & kitchen furniture there is at that time, I will and devise to my niece MARIA LESLEY if she should be living, or if she be dead, and leave an heir or heirs it is my will that he her or them shall have the whole of said property, but if she should be dead & leave no child or children, then, it is my will & desire that the whole of said property should go to my sister PHAMY LINTONs two single daughters that are now living with her.  Fifthly I give all my wearing apparel to niece MARIA LESLEY.  It is my will and desire that the Court where this will is proven shall not take security of my executor and it is my particular will & desire that there should not be an appraisement or inventory of my estate.  Lastly I constitute and appoint my friend JOHN LINTON SENR. Executor to this my last will & testament.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this tenth day of October 1817.

ANN L. NESBETT

Signed sealed & acknowledged as the last will of the subscriber in the presence of

ANN HANCOCK, MARGARET HANCOCK, SALLY LINTON

At a Court held for Prince William County Dec 1^st 1817.  This last will and testament of ANN L. NESBETT decd. was presented to the Court by JOHN LINTON the Exor. therein named and being proved by the oaths of ANN HANCOCK and MARGARET HANCOCK is ordered to be recorded and the said and the said LINTON having taken the oath of an Exor and entered into bond without security (the testatrix by her will not requiring security and the Court agreeing that none should be given and one of the legatees being in Court and consenting thereto) certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE

Will: William Tyler Senior

WILLIAM TYLER SENIOR Will

Prince William County Will Book L., pg. 9

14 Sep 1816; proved 04 Nov 1816

I WILLIAM TYLER SENIOR of the county of Prince William do make the following my last will and testament as follows.  It is my will and desire that my estate consisting of lands, negroes & stock should be kept together and worked and managed as it has been heretofore by myself for the term of six years from the first day of next January and the proceeds of the crops to be applied to the payment of all my just debts & the support and education of my children.  It is my desire that my Executors herein after named or their survivors shall keep regular accounts for what each child has from the estate towards their board, cloathing and education and at the general distribution to let each childs account be deducted out of their part of my estate, if at the expiration of the above mentioned six years my executors or a majority of them should think it more for the interest of the estate for it to be kept still longer together.  I hereby empower them to keep it together and undivided for the further space of two years longer and then to divide it equally among my children living at the time, and if any of my said children should marry & die before the division of the estate & leaves children, that their child or children should have their father or mothers part.  It is further my will intention and desire that my executors should have full power and authority to sell the whole or part of either of the two tracts of land I purchased of ELISHA EVANS, and the Estate of the late RICHARD BRENT on cedar run if they in their judgment should think it for the advantage of my children or if my debts should make it necessary at any time before the general division of my property takes place; when the period arrives which my executors fixes on for a division of my property among my children, it is my will and desire that the negroes should be equally divided, and that they my executors shall use their discretion and judgment in the division of the lands that then belongs to the estate (that is to say) they may either lay off in equal proportions or sell them for the best price they can get and divide the money among my children or their heirs.  It is also my will & intention that when the general division of my property takes place that the whole of the stock & crop then on the estate should be sold and the proceeds equally divided as the other property is divided.  It is also my will and desire that if at any time before the division takes place my executors or a majority of them shall have full power to purchase any property either real or personal which they may think will benefit the estate, and any property so purchased is to be considered in the same situation as the property I die possessed of and lastly I constitute and appoint my friend JOHN LINTON, WILLIAM LINTON, WILLIAM TYLER, JUNR., & JOHN WEBB TYLER executors to this my last will.  It is my will and desire that the above named JOHN LINTON should be the principal and governing executor and his advise to be followed by the other executors.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 14^th day of September 1816.

WM. TYLER  {seal}

Signed, sealed & acknowledged in presence of

NATH. GRAY, JAMES W. WALLACE, GUSTAVUS B. TYLER

This my codicil to my will.  It is my wish and desire that my Executors furnish my servant JAMES with a horse the value of fifty dollars and that he be annually decently dressed.  It is also my wish and desire that my racing jockey club engagements be this fall complied with and forever after dissolved.  September the 26, 1816.

WM. TYLER

Witness,

JAMES W. WALLACE, GEO. G. TYLER

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County Nov. 6, 1816.

This last will and testament of WM. TYLER decd. was returned to the Court and being proved by the oath of GUSTAVUS B. TYLER is ordered to be certified, and at a Court held by adjournment for Prince William County Decembr. 3^rd 1816, this last will and testament of WM. TYLER decd. was fully proved by the oaths of NATHANIAL GRAY and JAMES W. WALLACE and ordered to be recorded.  And on the same day a codicil to the Court in the last will and testament of the said WILLIAM TYLER decd. was presented to the court and being proved by the oath of JAMES W. WALLACE is ordered to be recorded, and WILLIAM LINGON one of the Exors. Named in the last will and testament of WM. TYLER decd. came into court and made oath to sd. Will and codicil thereto and having taken the oath of an Exor. and performed what is usual in such case certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form/

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE