Person:John Sawyers (1)

John Sawyers was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

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Will of John Sawyers

Will of Col. John Sawyers, probated Knox County, Tenn., January 1832:

In the name of God amen, I John Sawyers of Knox County and state of Tennessee, Being far advanced in the evening of my days, and seized with many infirmities: but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God for his goodness towards me. Caling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die! do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say, Principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent and christian like manner; at the discretion of my executors hereafter appointed, nothing doubting this at the resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased to bless me in this life I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Rebeccah Sawyers all of my real estate in said for and the term of her natural life, and after her decease I give the same to my children herein after named and to be enjoyed and their heirs forever also all of my household and kitchen furniture and all my stock of cattle and hogs and all my farming utensils and one house to dispose of as she thinks fit and proper and also one negro boy named Cato and one other boy named Sames also one negro women named Ann for and during her natural lifetime also all of my books to do with them what she thinks fit and proper.

Second I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved daughter Betsy Forgey a certain bounds of land on the west side of the big flat creek beginning on said creek where the fence crosses a small branch is part of the spring where the said Betsy now lives running westwardly so as to inclose all the cleared land that I have hereford permitted Alexander Forgey the husband of said Betsy to cultivate, to it strikes the said creek thence down to the meanders of the creek to the beginning also ten acres on the east side of said creek running so as to include a small field that the said Forgey cleared and at this time is cultivating.

Third, I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved son John Sawyers and his heirs a certain bounds or tract of land lying and being in said county beginning at the east corner of my thousand acre survey where a large elm stood corner of said survey running south to Wm. Mynatt and Thomas Grime pine corner thence to four marked lines on the east bank of big flat creek at the mouth of the small Branch thenc up to said Branch thence up to the meanders of the creek to the mouth of McClenens Branch thence up the said Branch to a double white oak or spenish oak near the division fence of Wm Peterson beetween what is called the bid field and meadow thence to the beginning of the original line also one negro boy named Frederick and one negro woman named Sally and her two youngest children Nancy and Preston. I do hereby obligate my son John Sawyers to pay to my daughter Nancy Craig four hundred and thirty three dollars in any current bank notes to be paid in yearly installment of one hundred dollars yearly to commence with the first payment on the first day of January in the year of our Lord 1830.

Fourthly I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved son William Sawyers and his heirs a certain bounds or tract of land lying and being in said county beginning on a pine William Mynatts and Thomas Grime's corner running thence to four mark Linns on the east bank of big flat creek thence to a mark black walnut on the west bank of said creek thence down the meanders of said creek to the mouth of a small Branch above the first Bluff my son William's mill, thence up the meanders of said Branch and a glade connected with said Branch to the public road leading from my house to Knoxville thence with said road to the west side of a late entry made by me thence due south to two pines on a bank of little flat creek thence due east to a poplar thence due north to the beginning also one other Tract of land lying and being in the State of Tennessee in the tract of county Known by the name of western District Located in Col. Tipton surveyors District containing three hundred and twenty acres also one negro boy named Nelson and also one other negro boy named Henderson. I do hereby obligate my son William to pay to my daughter Rebecca Meek four hundred and thirty three dollars in any current bank notes to be paid in yearly installment of one hundred dollars yearly to commence with the first payment on the first day of January in the year of our Lord 1830.

Fifthly, I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved son Josiah Sawyers and his heirs all the balance of my land that I own in said county that I have not given and bequeath away also one negro boy named James at the death of my wife also one other negro boy named Jacob, I do hereby obligate my son Josiah Sawyers to pay to my daughter Nancy Craig sixty-seven dollars in current bank notes on the first day of January 1830 also I do hereby obligate him to pay my daughter Rebecca Meek one hundred dollars on the first day of January 1831 and sixty-seven dollars on the first day of January 1832.

I give and bequeath dearly beloved (daughter) Betsy Forgey one dollar it is my will that my three sons John, William and Josiah are hereby jointly and severally bound to pay all my just debts also I do hereby bind them and injoined it on them to furnish their mother with sugar and coffee and other necessaries she may stand in need of also I do hereby bind them to take care of Ann after the decease of my wife and lastly I do constitute and appoint my sons John and William Sawyers executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revolking all other or former wills or Testaments by me hereafter made in whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 14 day of June in the year of our Lord 1828.

interline in three placed before signed.

(signed) John Sawyers

As an addition to the above I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Meek one negro girl named Scinthy to her and her heirs forever.

(signed) John Sawyers

Signed sealed published and declared to be the last will and Testament of the above signed John Sawyers in presence of us who at his request and in his presence have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses to the same.

Joseph Mynatt

Andrew Roberts

[Source: Family History of Col. John Sawyers and Simon Harris and their Descendants, pg. 13-14].

Records of John Sawyers in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

• Page 439.--22d October, 1765. Joshua Mathew's estate settlement, by George Mathews, recorded--25th December, 1764, paid Edward Sharp; 16th March, 1765, paid Darby Shay; 7th June. 1765, paid Benj. Bennett; 23rd August, paid Jas. Hartgrove; November, 1764, paid Wm. Saxton, Alex. Baggs, Danl. Goodwin, Stephen Arnold, Sarah Sproul, John Sawyers; paid George Darr, per Col. Preston. Contra--19th October, 1764, by Capt. Audley Paul's bill; Jacob Click's; Jeremiah Dennis' bill; Edmond Crump's; Benj. Watson's.

• Vol. 1 - NOVEMBER 18, 1779. - (152) Admn. of estate of George Weldon granted John Sawyers.

• Page 373.--18th January, 1782. James Sawyers' will, "in middle of my age"--To dearly and well-beloved Hannah Sawyers, wife; to children, until youngest is 18; to son Thomas, son David, son Geo. Washington; to daughter Ann, daughter Rebeckah (a negro slave, said slave is to attend Mrs. Archer during her life; to daughter Martha, daughter Rachel; to father, negro Nelson to wait on him his lifetime; to sister, Rebecca. Executors, Col. Geo. Mathes, Wm. Crawford, wife, Jno. Sawyers, David McNare. Teste: Sampson Sawyers, Ann Renick, Wm. Crawford, Daniel McNare. Codicil, 9th September, 1782. Teste: Daniel and David McNare. Proved, 18th November, 1783, by Sawyers, Renick, McNare. Widow Hannah, Wm. Crawford, Daniel McNare qualify. (Note: James Sawyers was the brother of John).

• Page 232.--19th January, 1790. James Sawyers' will--To son, Sampson Sawyers, 5 shillings; to son, James, 5 shillings; to son, John, 5 shillings; to daughter, Rachel Crawford, 5 shillings; to daughter, Rebecca Sawyers, executrix, all property. Teste: Wm. Sterrett, Wm. Armstrong, Wm. Edmondson. Thos. Sawyers. Proved, 15th June, 1790, by Sterrett, Armstrong, Edmondson. Executrix qualifies. (Note: James Sawyers was the father of John).

• Page 176.--14th February, 1795. Samuel Crawford's will--To wife, Elizabeth, until son comes of age; to son, William; brother James Crawford empowered to sell a tract in Cumberland granted to John Sawyers by Wm. Griffith and assigned to me. Executors to sell a lot in town of Nashville in Cumberland. Executors, Wm. McPheeters, Jno. Crawford, wife Elizabeth. Teste: Jno. Young, Robert Wallace, Daniel Friel. Proved, July Court, 1795, by all witnesses. All executors qualify.

1.   Carter, William Randolph. Family history of Col. John Sawyers and Simon Harris, and their Descendants.