The Last Will and Testament of Francis Roberts - 25 March 1744/45 - COPY - Transcribed by Gail M. Walczyk
Spelling remains the same
In the Name of God Amen I Francis Roberts of the
county of Accomack in Virginia being Sick & Weak of Body but of Perfect Sence & Memory
Thanks be to Almighty God for the Same & do by these Presents make my last Will &
Testament as Followeth, I Give & bequeath my Soul unto the hands of God that gave
it me & my Body to the Earth from Whence it Came to have decent & Christian like
Burial & as for my Worldly Estate after my Debts & Funeral Charges are paid I give
& bequeath as Followeth Item my will & Desire is that my Loving Wife Rosey have the
Use of this Plantation whereon I now Live being One hundred & Seventy Acres of Land
& the Use of all my Negroes During her Lifetime or Widowhood & and afterwards I dispose
of them as followeth. Item I give & bequeath unto my son Abel Roberts the Land and
Plantation whereon he now Lives upon that was left me by the last Will & Testament
of Japhat Davis I also give & bequeath unto my Son Abel Roberts Thirty Acres of Land
More of this Tract that I now Live upon myself beginning at the County Road & so
Running of an Equal Breadth to the head to Concluded the said Thirty Acres of Land
joyning upon the before Land given to him which said Land and Plantation I give to
my Son Abel Roberts & his Heirs forever Item I give & bequeath unto my son John Roberts
the Plantation whereon I now Live being One hundred & Seventy Acres of Land which
said land & Plantation I give to my son John Roberts & his Heirs forever Item I give
& bequeath unto my Son John Roberts & my son Abel Roberts all my wearing Cloaths
to be equally divided between them two. Item I give & Bequeath unto my Grandson Edmund
Watson Ten Shillings to be paid him out of my Estate by my Executors. Item I give
& bequeath unto my Grandson Benja Watson Ten Shillings to be paid him out of my Estate
by my Executors. Item I give & bequeath unto my Grandaughter Amy Watson & my Grandson
Peter Watson & my grandaughter Margaret Watson & my Grandaughter Priscilla Watson
& my Grandson Francis Watson Nine Pounds to be paid them by my Executors as my Estate
is Appraised Item I give & bequeath unto my Son John Roberts one Negro Boy called
Peter to him & his Heirs forever Item I give & bequeath Unto my Daughter Sabra Simkins
one Negro Man called Lity & One Negro Girl called Lisha to her & her Item I give
& bequeath unto my Grandaughter Rose Green one negro boy called Isaac to her & her
heirs Lawfully begotten of her Body & If she Should die without Such Heirs them I
give the said Negro Boy to my Son John Roberts & his Heirs forever Item My Will &
Desire is that all my Whole Estate after my Funeral Charges & Debts are Paid to be
equally divided into three Parts Except what is before given & my wife Rose have
her Chuse of the Three Parts Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Sabra Simkins
One of the other Two Parts that is left to her & her Heirs forever Item I Give &
bequeath the other Part to my son John Roberts & my son Abel Roberts to be Equally
Divided between them two Item I give & bequeath unto my Wife Rose all the meat &
all the Corn that I die Possessed off upon my Plantation Item My Will & Desire that
my Loving Wife Rose & my Son John Roberts be whole & Sole Extrix & Executor of this
my last Will & Testament Revoking all other Will or Wills made by my at every Time
Whatsoever & & Do by these Presents declare this to be my last Will & Testament as
Witness my hand & Seal this xxivtth Day of march In the Year of Our Lord 1744/5.
Francis
Roberts
Signed Sealed in the Presence of Us Francis Savage John Hutchinson
Jonathan Garrison
At a court held for Accomack County February 25th 1745
The
Within Last Will & testament of Francis Roberts deced was presented in court by the
Executors therein Names John Roberts Heir at Law to the Testator being Present in
Court & Consenting: the Same was Proved by the Oaths of all the Witnesses thereto
& Admitted to Record And on the Motion of the Said Executors & Taking the Oath Certificate
is granted them for Obtaining a Probate thereof in due Form
Geo: Holden Cur
Copy
Test
Litt: Savage Cl Cur Acco.
Sources:
_____. Accomack County VA Chancery Causes, 1727-1805. Petition of Sampson - (Alias George). Local Government Records Collection, Northampton County Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Accessed 8 December 2011.
© Copyright 2011-2012 by Gail M. Walczyk