Person:Lawrence Stephens (2)

Will Transcript

LAWRENCE STEPHENS' WILL.

In the name of God, amen: I, Lawrence Stephens, of Frederick, County and Colony of Virginia, being well in body and of perfect mind and memory, Thanks be to God for the same. But calling to mind the uncertainty of this life, and that all men must die, do this tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three, make and publish this, my last will and testament in the manner following, that is to say—

Inprimis. I commend my soul to Almighty God, and my body I commit to the earth, to be decently buried, by and at the discretion of my executrix and executors hereinafter named, and as for my worldly estate, I dispose thereof as followeth:

That is to say, I do first appoint all my debts and funeral expenses to be paid out of my real and personal estate (that is to say), I desire and order that two tracts of land lying on the westerly side of Shenandoah river, on the drains of Crooked Run, in the County aforesaid, to be sold by my executrix and executors (to wit): One of said tracts containing 463 acres, appears by his lordship's deed, dated the 3rd day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-five; the other tract, containing 550 acres as appears by deed as aforesaid, dated the 27th day of July, 1772; also, two lots in the town of Stephensburg, formerly belonging to Frederick Shively; which tracts and lots I desire them to be sold by my executrix and executors within six months after my decease. In case the above tract doth discharge all my lawful debts, I will, and order that none of my personal estate shall be sold, and if the said tracts and lots (when sold) do sell for more than what will discharge my debts, I desire that it may be divided amongst the under named legatees.

Item, I give to my wife all my movable estate and household furniture, together with the plantation which joins the town of Stephensbnrg, containing 225 acres, for, and during the time and term of nine whole years from my decease; it being for and in consideration of maintaining, clothing, schooling and raising up the legatees of her own body, and at the expiration of the above time or terra, the said plantation, with half of the household furniture and movable estate to be given unto my son, George William, with the hereditaments and appurtenances. Also two hundred pounds, which is in the hands of Lawyer Jones, in order to assist him to discharge a mortgage which my Lord Fairfax has upon said tract of laud.

The third part of said place exempted for the use of my wife during her natural life, also one of the Negroes, either male or female kind, which she sees cause to choose, which Negro I leave her to dispose of as she pleases, and what Negroes I now have with their increase, I will and desire they may be sold by my Executrix and Execiitors, at the expiration of the above term of nine years, the amount of which sales are to be equally divided amongst my sons Peter, John, Jacob, Isaac, Joseph Lawrence and Bryan Martin, also a tract of land lying and being in the county aforesaid near the Sugar Hill, with all its tenements and appurtenances, unto the above named Legatees.

Item, I give and devise to my said wife the house which I now live in with all the lots, outhouses and buildings thereon, erected and built, also Carver's lot, during her natural life, and at the expiration of her natural life, I desire the same may be sold aud the amount of the same to be divided between my sons Jacob, Isaac, Joseph Lawrence and Bryan Martin.

Item, I will and desire that my son George William shall pay unto each of the following Legatees, the different sums hereinafter mentioned. (That is to say), to pay to my sou Peter, ten pounds current money; my son John, ten pounds; my daughter Mary, ten pounds; my daughter Sarah, ten pounds; also my son Jacob, forty pounds; Isaac, forty ditto; Joseph Lawrence, forty pounds; and Bryan Martin, forty pounds, to be paid as above, by my son George William at the end aud term of nine years, after my decease, and if any of said sons aud daughters shall happen to die before they come to the age of 21 years, I desire the same herein willed to them may be equally divided amongst the several Legatees herein mentioned.

And lastly, I do hereby make and constitute, nominate and appoint her, my said wife, Mary Stephens, together with Col. John Hite, David Brown and Joseph Smith, of Maryland, Joint Executrix and Executors of this, my last Will and Testament, desiring them to take upon themselves the execution of the same, and to see the same duly and truly performed, and also all reasonable expenses, costs and charges, as they, my said Trustees, shall be at or expend in the execution of this, my Will, and the trust in them reposed shall be from time to time paid, borne and discharged out of my said estate.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

(Signed) Lawrence X Stephens. [his mark]

Sealed, signed in the presence of us:

Joseph Holmis, Joseph Stevens, John Emett,

Robert Throckmorton, Isaac Zane.

At a Court held for Frederick County the 5th day of Nov., 1776, this last Will and Testament was proved and ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of Mary Stephens, Executrix therein named, who made oath according to law, certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form, she with security, having entered into and acknowledged bond, conditioned as the Law directs.

By the Court,

Jas. Keith, C. C. C.

State Of Virginia }

County of Frederick.} To-wlt:

I, T.K. Cartmell, Clerk of the County Court of Frederick County, do certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the original Will of Lawrence Stephens, now on file and of record in my office.

Witness my hand this first day of July, 1891.

T.K. Cartmell, Clerk of County Court of Frederick County.

Records in Frederick County, VA

From Frederick County, Virginia Road Orders 1743-1772:

11 August 1744 O. S., FOB 1, p. 177 Robert McCoy Junr. Lawrence Stephens & James Bounds are hereby Appointed to View Mark and lay Off a Road from the Mouth of Crooked Run the Nearest & best way to Capt John Hites.

2 June 1747 O. S., FOB 2, p. 255 Thomas Branson & Lawrence Stephens are hereby Appointed Overseers of the Road in the Room of Bathany Haines And it is Ordered that they cause the said road to be Kept in good repair according to Law --

4 August 1747 O. S., FOB 2, p. 259 On the motion of Lawrence Stephens it is Ordered that the Tithables living within four miles on Each side the Road whereof he is Overseer, work on the same.

4 October 1748 O. S., FOB 2, p. 497 William Ewing is hereby Appointed Overseer of the Road from Capt. John Hites to the Drafts of the Indian Run in the Room of Lawrence Stephens, And it is Ordered that the said William cause the said Road to be kept in good repair according to Law.

16 May 1750 O. S., FOB 3, p. 290 Ordered that Thomas Sharp be Overseer of the Road from Bransons Mill to the dividing Branch and Lawrence Stephens Overseer of the Road from the sd Branch to Hites Mill and it is further Ordered that the Tithables formerly appointed to work on the sd Road keep the same in Repair according to Law.

5 March 1754, FOB 5, p. 325 Lawrence Stevens is appointed Overseer of the Road from Crismans Spring to Hites Mill and it is Ordered that the Tithables formerly appointed keep the said Road in Repair according to Law.

1 July 1755, FOB 6, p. 341 Jacob Cristman is appointed Overseer of the Road from Capt. Hites mill dam to the sd Cristmans Spring in the Room of Lawrence Stephens and it is further ordered that the Tithables formerly appointed keep the sd Road in Repair according to Law.

3 May 1757, FOB 7, p. 239 Henry Stevens is appointed Overseer of the Road from Lawrence Stevens’s by Lewis Stephens’s Old Plantation to Colo. Martins Road in the room of Lewis Stephens and it is Ordered that the Tithables formerly appointed keep the said Road in Repair according to Law.

3 May 1758, FOB 8, p. 36 Ordered that Jacob Crisman be Overseer of the Old Road from Colo. Hites to Crismans Spring in the room of Lawrence Stephens and that the Tithables formerly appointed keep the same in Repair according to Law.

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley’s Augusta County Records:

• Vol. 1 - AUGUST, 1750 (C). - Lawrence Stevens vs. James Gordon.--I, James Gordon, of Township of Gwyneed, County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Debt on bond dated 20th April, 1748. Writ dated 6th March, 1749. Bail bond dated August, 1750

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   Lawrence Stevens
   Birth 1722 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Death Oct 1776 in Frederick, Virginia, United States
   
   http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/19049598/person/752711732?ssrc=

2.   Clark, Edward Stephens. The Stephens family, with collateral branches: giving the genealogy and history of some American families, tracing their ancestry to ante-Revolutionary times. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1973-1974)
   pg. 7.

   Lawrence Stephens
   Son of Peter Stephens and Maria Christina __________. Born in about 1730. Married Mary _____ about 1750. All of his children were born after 1753.
   Lawrence Stephens died in October, 1776.
   Children: Date of Birth
   George William abt. 1754
   Peter abt. 1756
   John abt. 1757
   Mary abt. 1759
   Sarah abt. 1760
   Jacob abt. 1761
   Isaac abt. 1763
   Joseph Lawrence 27 Apr. 1764
   Bryan Martin abt. 1767