Person:Morgan Darnell (3)

Born in St. Mary's Co., MD. Removed with his parents to Virginiain 1686, settling in Richmond Co. in 1691. This, later, was in theMuddy River District; then in King George Co., but through an exchangeof land between the counties, probably lies in Stafford Co.; MuddyRiver now forming the boundry between these counties. In 1719 he soldthis land to his brother Waugh, having patented 427 acres in the ElkMarsh Dist., "on the East side of a great marsh commonly called theRappahannock Marsh." In 1722, Waugh sold his land and patented 1200 acres in the sameneighborhood; both brothers dying in the summer of 1726 and bothestates were probated at the 7 November term of King George Co. Court. He died 1 July 1726. On 6 April 1704, Morgan Darnall, brother ofWaugh Darnall, petitioned the justices of Richmond Co. that "ThomasDeacon'd deliver up the estate of his (Darnall's) father in hiscustody." (Richmond Co. Court Order Bk. 3.) It seems possible thatMorgan was just then reaching the age of 18 years and thus entitled tomanage his own affairs. "DAVID DARNALL, one of the Executors appointed in the last Willand Testament of Morgan Darnell dec'd, took the oath of an Executor,and Elizabeth Darnell, widow of the said Morgan, came into Court andrelinquished her executorship and prayed that she might have herthirds of the said Estate set apart and be possessed thereof, whichwas granted her, and accordingly Be it ordered that Mark Hardin, JohnBradford, William Hackney & Charles Morgan or any three of them beappointed to meet at the house of Morgan darnell dec'd and makedivision of the said Estate and set apart one third thereof for hisWidow and that she be possesed of the same according to law, and thatthey make report of their proceedings to the next Court." (King GeorgeCo. Order Bk. 1, p. 378 - under date 2 Sept. 1727)

Re-Inventory and appraisement of the Estate of Morgan Darnall Dec'd: The widow of the deceased as above makes known it is agreed thatshe shall have the plantation where the deceased last lived and thetract of land thereto belonging excepting: part of the said tractcalled the lower plantation thus vis.: beginning at the East corner ofthe cornfield fence to these lower plantation thence along the fenceto the west corner of the fence to a hickory thence west to the marshto four water oaks and one white oak thence up the marsh to a cornerbox oak thence along the back line to two marked white oaks thence tothe north corner of the said corn field fence to a marked white oakand thence along the fence to the first Station.

The Will of Morgan Darnall (from "King George County Virginia WillBook A-1, 1721-1752" page 51)

"In the Name of God Amen. I Morgan Darnall of the County of KingGeorge & Coloney of Virginia, being in perfect health and of a soundmemory,... doe make appoint and ordain this to be my last Will andTestament in manner and form followeth... Imprimis: I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife all my Negroes &Goods, Stock, Cattails & Chattails, during the time of her widowhoodor her natural life, my Riding horse, Saddle & bridle excepted butafter the day of marriage or her decease, It is my desire and willthat my Negros shall be divided amongst my Children to each of themone as far as they will allow and if it shall so happen that the NegroWoman shall increase so far as that there shall be each of them one bythe time above mentioned or by then the youngest of them comes to yeage of twentyone, it is my will and desire that the aforesaidmentioned increase of Negros shall be allowed in the aforesaiddivision the oldest of my sons to make choice first and after himevery one of them to make his or her choice according to theirbearthright and I do give and bequeath ye aforementioned Negros tothem and their heirs or male heir forever. Item: It is my Will & Desire that after the day of marriage ordecease of my wife that the remaining part of my worldly estate beequally divided amongst my children by the discression of two or threemen as they shall chuse and after which division the oldest of my sonsto make choice first and after him every one of them according tobirthright and it is my will and desire that every one of them becontented with such division and not to have the aforementioned estateappraised. Item: I give and bequeath to my oldest son David Darnall theplantation whereon he now dwells with one hundred and fifty acres ofland belonging to the same, It being part of a tract binding on GeorgeWhittley and John Smith the said tract containing about 700 acres. Item: I give to my son Morgan Darnall one hundred and fifty acresof land, it being his choice of the aforesaid tract. Item: I give to my son John Darnall one hundren and fifty acresof land it being his choise of the aforesaid tract according to hisbirthright yt after his two oldest brothers. Item: I give to my son Waugh the remaining part of the tract. Item: I give to my son Joseph Darnall two hundred acres of landbinding on the Great Marsh. Item: I give to my son Man Darnall the remaining part of thetract with the plantation whereon I now dwell. Item: I give to my son william Darnall one thousand pounds ofTobacco to pay for taking up a tract of land. The aforementioned landI do give and bequeath to these my above named children and heirs orheir male forever. Item: give to my son David Darnall my Riding horse, saddle andbridle above excepted. Item: My wil and desire is if my wife remains a widow that mychildren shall be with her until they come to the age of twenty one orthe day of marriage but if she marries or dies, it is my will anddesire thay shall be set free to act and do for themselves when theycome to the age of sixteen. And lastly I constitute appoint and ordainmy beloved Wife Executrix and my oldest and beloved son David DarnallExecutor to this my Last Will and Testament revoaking all other wills,deeds or gifts made by from or under me, This being my last Will andTestament and true intended meaning. Witness my hand and seale this23rd day of June Anno Dom: 1726 Morgan [MD] DarnallSeale Testatis Charles Morgan Timothy Reading

At a Court held for King George County on Friday ye 7th day of OctoberAnno Dom: 1726.