John West

From http://www.westsofvirginia.com/?page_id=52

Son of unknown West & Elizabeth Gilliam:

1.2 John West (c.1673-1742)

John West died about 1742, leaving a will:

In the Name of God Amen Augst ye 3d 1742 I John West Senr/ of Amelia County in ye Parish of Raighlie being in perfect health/ of Body & of Sound mind & memory for wch I thankfully adore/ ye Divine Goodness But not knowing how soon my Change may/ come do make & ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner/ following. First & Principally I Recommend my Immortall soul/ into the hands of Almighty God that gave it hopeing through ye/ Merits of my Blessed Savior to Injoy life Everlasting. & my/ Mortall body I commit to the Earth out of which it was formed/ to be Buryed at ye discresion of my Executor hereafter named & as/ to my Temporal Estate wch ye Almighty of his Goodness has been/ Graciously pleased to bestow on me I give & Dispose of in/ Manner following. First, I will all my Debts be justly payd/ and Funerall Expenses discharged

Item I Give and bequeath to my Son John West the Plantation & part of/ the Tract of Land whereon he now lives meaning all that part/ below the Branch commonly Called the Cellar fork all which/ I give to him & his Heirs forever

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Grandson Abraham West all my/ Land in the fork called the Cellar fork where my son Robert West/ once lived all which I give to him and his Heirs for ever

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my son William West the Plantation/ whereon I now live & one hundred & fifty acres of Land Joyning/ the Plantation meaning the uper part of my Land also I give/ unto my son William a Negro Woman named Janey her &/ her Increase all wchich I Give to him and his Heiors for ever/ only my will and desire is that my Daughter Lurana have / the same liberty to make use of the Plantation and the Negro Woman/ named Janey as my son William so long as she shall/ ___ single

Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Lurana West/ a Mulatto girl named Lidda Shavons

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Son Robert Twenty Shillings/ to be paid out of my Estate

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Agnes Canton Twenty Shillings

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Leney Irby Twenty Shillings

Item I Give & Bequeath unto Mr Richard Dennis all the remaining/ part of the Tract of Land whereon I now live ye part not allredy/ Bequeathed unto my Son William all which I give to ye said/ Dennis & his Heirs for ever. And all the rest of my Estate not/ allredy Bequeathed I give unto my Sopn William and my Daughter/ Lurana to be Equally divided between them by Richard Dennis/ whom I appoint my whole & Soul Executr of this my last Will &/ Testament And it is my will & Desire that my Estate nor any/ part thereof be Inventoried or appraised But that my Executor/ before mentioned have full power & authority to divide & Dispose/ of ye Same according to the Intent and meaning of the above/ requests In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this 3 day of August 1742

John W West (seal) his marke

Signed Sealed & Acknowledged } In the presents of us } Richd Jones Wood Jones Danl Jones