Friday, December 1, 2017

Friend of Friends: The Probate/Will of Jesse Watkins, Isle of Wight County, Virginia, about 1816

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Thanks to a genie angel of mine, I have the following information, I did not do the transcription.  I would suggest looking at Ancestry dot com and/or contacting the Isle of Wight Courthouse if you desire a image/copy.  I may have a copy buried in the mega masses of images that have not been processed and buried in my computer files.  Slave names in red.

Jesse Watkins
Probate Date: 14 Aug 1816
Probate Place: Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA
Inferred Death Year: Abt 1816
Inferred Death Place: Virginia, USA
Item Description: Mixed Records, Vol 16-18, 1821-1831
Vol 16-18 pp 361-362

[page 362]

In the name of God Amen I Jesse Watkins of the county of Isle of Wight being in usual health and at present enjoying a sound mind and disposing memory for which I thank God and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desired to dispose of all such worldly estate as it has pleased God to bless me with, I give and bequeath the same in manner following that is to say

Item the 1st I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Polly Watkins two negroes (namely)
Ned and Pat, to her and her heirs forever. It is further my will and desire that a sufficiency of my personal estate should be sold to pay all my just debts and the residue of my personal estate and all other of my estate both real and personal, I lend unto my wife aforesaid until the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty six at which time my Son Meredith H Watkins will arrive to the age of twenty one years provided she should stay single during that time and if in case she should marry it is my will that immediately a division should take place as to the residue of my personal estate and the slaves which I have not heretofore given away and that my wife should have one third part of the residue of my personal estate, and the remaining two thirds to be equally divided amongst my children which I give to them and their heirs forever and when the division takes place my wife Polly Watkins is to have no part of the slaves which was not first given to her

Item 2nd I give unto my daughter Sally Watkins (namely)
Mary and Lucy to her and her heirs forever before the division takes place in the residue of my slaves named in the first Item, these two negroes it is to be taken out and for my daughter Sally __ to have an equal part in the division as before mentioned in the 1st Item besides those two Slaves -

Item 3rd I give unto my

[page break p 362]

two sons Meredith H Watkins and Wiley Watkins the whole of my lands and plantation to be equally divided between them, which I give to them and their heirs forever, I wish my land so divided that my wife should have her third of all one of my sons parts and at her death or intermarriage or my son Meredith H Watkins arriving to the age of twenty one years for him who have the part that her third is in to have her third and for the other to draw no part of the said thirds. and lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my wife Polly Watkins and Exum Eley whole and sole Executrix and Executor to this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all other former wills heretofor by me make In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 14th day of August 1816

Signed sealed acknowledged Jesse Watkins

In presence of
Allen Gay
Lewis Coggin

At a Court held for Isle of Wight County the 7th day of September 1818 the forgoing Will was presented in Court by Polly Watkins the Executrix therein named who made oath thereto according to law and the same being proved by the oaths of Lewis Coggin one of the subscribing Witnesses thereto and continued for further proof. Exum Eley the Executor therein named refused to take upon himself the ____ of Executor and on the motion of the said Executrix who together with Meredith Holland and Job Holland her securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of six thousand dollars consideration as the law directs certificate was granted her for obtaining probate thereof in due form of Law. And at a Court held for the said County the 3d day of July 1826. Mills Powell and Exum Eley presently appeared in open Court and made oath that they have frequently seen Allen Gay who is subscribing witness to the said will and who is since dead, write that they believe the name of Allen Gay as a witness to said will, is in the proper hand writing of him the said Allen Gay and thereupon the said Will was ordered recorded.

Good luck in your research.  Any corrections concerning this transcription or document are always appreciated.




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