MySource:Quolla6/Will of Benjamin Porter (7)

Taken from: Ancestry Lilli Walker, original source not specified. (Probably ultimately from Orange county Court Wills 1735-1906 FHC film 0033002 ff)

1761 WILL OF Benjamin Porter In the name of God Amen, I Benjamin Porter of Orange County Virginia, being in perfect health and of sound mind and memory--Thanks be to Almighty God for the same--but knowing the certainty of this life, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament.

• First, I resign my soul to God, hoping for pardon and remission of all my sins through the merit and suffering of my kind Savior, Jesus Christ.My body I yield to the earth, to be buried in Christian like manner. As to my executors, hereinafter named, shall they meet and to such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bestow on me, I give, devise, and bequeath the same in manner and form the following:

• I give and devise all my land and tenements in the tract I now live on and that lies on the east side of my Spring branch, down to the river, unto my sons Nicholas, Thomas, Charles and Abner--to them and their heirs forever, to be equally divided among them; my son Nicholas having his choice either of the manor home or the plantation where he now lives.

• I give and divise to my sons Benjamin and Joseph all the lower tracts of land I purchased of Mr. Nicholas Battail, and the lands I purchased of Mr. Rowland Thomas, with a waterfront on the river--to them and their heirs.

• I empower and order my executors to sell at auction the upper part of the land I purchased of the aforesaid Battail to the highest bidder and the money coming from such sale to be equally divided between my daughters, Elizabeth and Frances and their heirs.

• I give and bequeath unto my following children viz: Benjamin, Thomas, Charles, Joseph, Abner, Jane, Bettie, Mary and Frances---all my slaves and personal estate--to them and their heirs forever, to be equally divided among them, except as to my son Nicholas, which I give an equal part of the personal estate (negroes excepted) , he having received his share of them.

• I desire that my grandchildren of my daughters may be educated by my executors, out of the profits of my estate.

It is my desire, and I do order that if any of my sons should die before they arrive at the age of twenty-one years, or marry, that their part of the land be equally divided among the surviving heirs to whom I have given my land.

• Lastly, I do appoint Nicholas and Benjamin, my executors of this last will and testament.

Witnesses:
George Taylor
Lewis Taylor
George Bledsoe
James Madison (handwritten in pencil, father of President Madison)