Richard Stockton

Richard 3 (Richard 2, Davis 1) Stockton, Jr.

Will of Richard Stockton, Franklin County, Virginia

Will Book 2:297-299, 10 Aug 1819;

In the name of God, Amen. I, Richard Stockton of the County of Franklin & State of Virginia being of sound disposing mind & memory and calling to mind that it is appointed for all men to die, do hereby constitute this as my last will & Testament, revoking all other will or wills by me heretofore made. First I recommend my Soul to God who gave it existance and that my Body be decently buried at the discretion of my Executrix and Executors hereafter named; My will and desire is that all my just debts be paid also that my loving wife Elizabeth Stockton have the use and benefit of the Land and plantation whereon I now live, including the lands I purchased of Samuel Luttrell and Willis Luttrell with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging, also the following negroes, namely, Simon and his wife Aggy, and their daughter, Anly, also Gilbert and Letty, with all the Plantation tools, household furniture and Kitchen furniture with all Stock of every kind, also my Still except as hereafter mentioned, all which I lend to my beloved wife during her natural life.

Item I give to my Daughter Elizabeth Copland the land I purchased of Dennis Marshall and the Title conveyd to me by Elisha Arnold and Joseph Pedigo also a Negro man named David, which land and negroe my said Daughter has already in possession.

Item I give to my Daughter Christiana King two negroes namely Hercules and Edice and which she has already received..

Item I give to my Daughter Nancy Wingfield the following negroes towit, Siney and her 2 children named George and Aggy, also a girl named Jimmey, all of which she now has in possession and with their future increase.

Item I give to my Daughter Maria Craig, two negroes, namely Lucy and Malinda with their future increase, which said negroes she now has in possesion.

Item I give to my Daughter Sophia Stockton, three negroes, namely Delila & Frances and a boy named Simon (son of Aggy) with any future increase of the said Delila or Frances, and after my wifes decease, a half dozen table and tea spoons of silver now in my possession, also a horse, saddle & bridle out of my Estate after my wife' s decease and upon her arriavel to lawful age or marriage to have a feather bed & furniture and a cow and calf.

Item I give to my son Peter C. Stockton our negroe man named Tom, also one hundred and thirty pounds, and which said negroe and money my said son has already received .

Item I give to my son Charles Stockton a negroe man named Patrick and hundred pounds in cash, also one obligation on Joseph Collins of South Carolina for one hundred and five pounds, Virginia Currency, also after my decease my negroe man named Will and a female negro named Caroline with her future increase.

Item I give to my son Copeland Stockton a negroe man named Stephen also a horse out of my stock, such as he may choose also a feather bed and furniture and a cow and calf to go into his possession on his marriage or on his arrival to lawful age.

Item I give to my son Preston Stockton a negro boy named Ben, also a horse, such as he may choose also a feather bed and furniture, and a cow & calf out of my Estate on his marriage or arriving to lawful age.

Item my will is that the whole of the Land I now own in Franklin County be after my wifes decease divided by the following lines towit, Beginning on a toped red oak in the line between me and William Campbell and 7 poles north west from where Campbells line crosses a branch, flowing down from Campbells field and running from thence, North 7 degrees East 20 and poles to a persimmon tree, thence north 7 degrees West 47 poles to a stake, thence North 30 degrees 105 poles crossing a branch to the line dividing my land from Benjamin Cooks, and I give to my son Copland after my wife's decease all the land lying southeast of the above mentioned line and to my son Preston after wifes decease the residue of my land lying Northwest of the before described line. And I further desire and direct that during my wifes life the said Plantation be cultivated in the manner that I have of late practiced viz that no part be tended in corn of lesser than once in every third year and after my wifes decease I give to my son Copland my Desk and Bookcase, and to my son Preston, my still and Cupboard. And my negroes not herein named are to remain with my wife during her life, and after her decease, all those negroes loaned to her with any owned by me or belonging to the Estate and not herein bequeathed all the stock of every description and every species of property which may remain of my Estate is to be equally divided amongst by before mentioned children or their legal representatives in any manner that a majority or them or their legal representatives may agree on, but should any of my aforesaid children or their representatives enter into any lawsuit about the distribution herein made or directed, in that case I do hereby most solumnly revoke all legacy herein given to such child or children, except one dollar to each of such individual child or children or representative or representatives. Lastly I hereby appoint my beloved wife Executrix, and my son Peter C. Stockton, Christopher Wingfield, Robert Innes and Benjamin Cook Executors of this my last will and testament. In Witness whereof I have and do hereunto set my hand & seal this 10th day of august 1819. Witnesses, John Cook, P. Dickenson, Willis Luttrell, Peter Campbell and Zachariah Finney.

Jerry Stockton - jerrystockton8@msn.com