In the name of God, amen, I, WILLIAM MASSIE of the Parish of St. Peters in the county of New Kent make this my last will and Testament. I resign my Soul to its Creator in all humble hope of its future Happiness (as in the disposal of a Being infinitely Good), and as to what Temporal Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me, I dispose of it as followeth:
Imprimis, I give to my Beloved Wife MARTHA during her Natural Life my Plantation with the Stocks of all kinds thereon, and other the Personal Estate belonging to the same, with three Hundred Acres of Land, be the same more or less, on Powhite Swamp in Hanover County. I allso give my said Wife Eighteen Slaves to wit: NELL, DELPH, and her children, DAVY, FAN, BECK and her children, SARAH, JOYCE, TOM, SQUIRE, PETER, OLD BEN, and at Powhite Plantation JACK, JOE, CUPID, DICK, EDY and her Children, ROSE & SIS, and my Will and desire is that my Wife may have the Liberty of disposing of the said Slaves at her Death to whichsoever of our two Sons she shall think fit, but in case my said two Sons William and Thomas should die before my Wife's decease then I give the above mentioned Land and Slaves to my said Wife and her Heirs.
Item, I give to my Son WILLIAM and his Heirs my Tract of land & Plantation on the Branches of the little Bird in Goochland County, containing two thousand acres be the same more or less. I allso give to my said Son William my land and plantation which I purchased of Col WILLIAM MACON commonly called and known by the name of Hardens to him and his Heirs, as allso one half of the low and sunken ground Land which my father purchased of William Allen on Chickshominy swamp to him and his heirs.
Item, I give to my son THOMAS and his Heirs my Tract of Land containing Seven Hundred and ninety Acres be the same more or lam lying on the little Bird in Goochland County, part of which was grantee to me by Patent, the other part I purchased of DAVID MASSIE. I alias give to my Son Thomas and his Heirs my Tract of Land and Plantation where I now live Except the Tract of Land called Hardens which adjoint to the same, and which is given to my son WILLIAM. I allso give to my said Son Thomas and his Heirs the other half of the above mentioned low and sunken ground Land on Chickahominy swamp purchased by my Father of WILLIAM ALLEN as aforesaid.
Item, I give to my son THOMAS and his Heirs my Tract of Land en Black Creek which my Father purchased of Ashcroft, I allso give to my said Son Thomas and his Heirs my tract of land near the mouth of Black Creek containing one Hundred Acres be the same more or lea* which my Father purchased of JOHN FOSTER.
Item, my will and desire is that my wife MARTHA may have the use and Improvement of the Plantation and Houses and Lands belonging to the same where I now dwell during the time my Son Thomas is under the age of Twenty one years, but in case my said son Thomas should die before he arrives to Lawfull age, then I give the said Lands, Houses and Plantation to my said Wife during her Nature 1 Life. I allso give to my said wife Martha all my Household goods and Furniture of what Nature or kind soever and other the Personell Estate where I now live,
Item, my will and desire is that in case my two Sons WILLIAM and THOMAS should both die before they arrive at Lawfull age, then I give to my Wife MARTHA her choice of one third part of the forty three slaves hereafter mentioned as allso one third part of all my Personelt Estate ofwhat nature or kind Boever to her and her heirs.
Item, I give to my two sons WILLIAM and THOMAS the following forty three slaves to wit: GEORGE, SUSAN, POMPEY, WILL, JAMEY, JAMES, CHESTER, NATT, DUKE, CHARLES, DICK, NED, BILL, PAUL, ROBIN, PATRICK, JACK, WILL, LUEY, DOLL, SUE, BETTY, SAUL, TAMER, PHILLIAS, PHILLIS, FEBEE, MOLL', children BEN, MIALL, NEPTUNE, JEMMY belonging to LUCY, MIALL, JEFFREY, NANNY belonging to DOLL, AGGE, HANNAH, ROGER belonging to SUE, SUSANNA, MARTIN belonging to PHILLIS, JOE, FILLIS belonging to TAMER, and JAMES, a Mulatto boy, to be equally divided and their Increase between my said Two sons, when my son WILLIAM arrives at Lawful! age.
Item, my Will and Desire is that the cattle and hogs on the plantation given to my two sons shall be delivered to them, when they arrive at Lawfull age, to whom I give the same.
Item, I give to my son William my lott and house in New Castle town to him and his heirs.
Item, my Will and Desire is that the Lands and Slaves now under mortgage to me may be Equally divided between my two Sons to whome I give the same and to their heirs, or in case of Redemption, I desire the money may be equally divided between my said sons to whome 1 give the same.
Item, I give my gold watch to my son William.
Item, my will and desire is that the crops of Tobacco made by the slaves hereby Given by this my Will to my two Sons may be ship'd and consign'd to some Merchant in England by my Ex" hereafter named, or part of the said crops as my said Executor shall Judge most for my 2 sons advantage and the other part sold in Virginia, and after my affairs are settled the money due to my Estate I desire may be Equally divided between my sons Willam and Thomas to whome I give the same when my son William arrives at Lawfull age to have the said Money and Produce of the said Crops divided between him and his Brother, and my Will and Desire is that part of the Money that shall be due my Estate, and is hereby given to my Sons as aforesaid, may be put into the Merchant's hands that has the Consignment of the Tobaccos, or so much thereof as shall be sufficient to pay the Bondable Duty and the remainder put out to Interest after the yearly charges are paid ofmaintaining & educating my Sons Cloathing their negroes & supplying their Plantations with necessaryes.
Item, my Will and Desire is that in case either of my two Sons should die before they arrive at Lawfull age or Leave no Lawfull issue, then I desire the Survivor may inherit all the Estate given to my said two sons both real and personal to whome I give the same, and to his Heirs, but in case both my said Sons should die before they arrive at Lawful age or leave no Lawfull Issue then my Will and desire is that what I have hereby given them my Sons by this my Will may be equally divided between or amongst my five kinsmen, Thos. Darrieott, William Massie, son of my Brother Peter, Thomas Massie, son of my brother James, John Pinchback and Joseph Smith, or the survivors of them, to whams I give the same and to their Heirs, and Lastly my desire is that there should be no appraisement of my Estate, and I do hereby appoint my beloved Wife Martha Executrix, Colo William Macon, Capt. John Darricott, Capt. Richard Meaux, and Mr. William Macon Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this 25 day of October, 1749.
Note: WILLIAM MASSIE was the son of THOMAS MASSIE & MARY WALKER, and grandson of PETER MASSIE, the immigrant. His wife was MARTHA MACON, the daughter of WILLIAM MACON & MARY HARTWELL. He was the nephew of my ancestor CHARLES MASSIE, who also died in 1749.
Have a great day!
Betty
© Betty Tartas 2011
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