Person:William Porter (73)

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Will Transcript

In the name of God amen. Know all men whom it may concern that I William Porter snr. <NOTE: his father was deceased so he assumed the title of senior> being of sound mind in a measure of health of body calling to mind the mortality of my present state do this eighth day of September one thousand eight hundred and three and twenty eight years of the independence of U S of America for the distribution of my worldly goods after my decease make this my last will and Testament. All my just and lawful debts are to be paid.

I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary her bed and bed cloaths, her wearing apparel and dresses furniture without being included in the possessions of the personal estate I do give her during her widowhood, to have her living and maintainance and to manage the stock for the support of earnings till the lands e sold, and when all is sold the third part of the value of the estate when it is sold at her own disposition.

To my beloved daughter Agnes McCutcheon I bequeath two dollars. She has already received her due portion.

To my beloved daughter Lilly Wilson I bequeath two dollars. She has already received her due portion.

To my beloved daughter Jean McClure, I bequeath two dollars. She has already received her due portion.

To my beloved daughter, Mary Sharp, I bequeath two dollars. She has already received her due portion.

To my beloved son, John Porter, I bequeath a still and still vessels and also one hundred pounds, Virginia currency, out of the price of a tract of land when it is sold. The tract lies between John McCowan’s line and along said line as the mountain containing one hundred acres, and I allow it to be sold as soon as convenient. And to my beloved son David Porter I give and bequeath one hundred pounds English currency out of the price of the same tract of land.

And to my beloved son Charles Porter I give and bequeath a horse and one hundred pounds Virginia currency out of the price of the same tract of land.

To my beloved son Joseph Porter a horse and saddle and a small tract of land lying at the foot of the mountain between the above land and the mountain and known by the name of the Broad Spring Entry, containing thirty-eight acres.

To my beloved daughter Elizabeth Porter I give and bequeath a bed and bed cloaths and suitable wearing apparel, a horse and saddle, three cows and six sheep.

I appoint and authorize my truly beloved executor after named to sell at their….<illegible> all my lands on the river to above my son William’s land and to divide the price equally between my sons Joseph, Stephen, Samuel, and Rees Porter. And after they have sold all the lands I appoint them to sell the personal estate and divide the price of things equally between my sons Joseph, Stephen, Samuel, and Rees Porter, returning to my wife her third of the personal estate as above mentioned. And I allow my children to divide my books among them as they please. And further I name and appoint constitute and authorize my faithful and beloved wife, Mary, and my truly beloved son, Joseph Porter, my executrix and executors to see that my last will and testament in all its parts be fulfilled and executed. and I hereby revoke and renounce all other last wills and testaments heretofore made by me, and in the presence of the witnesses hereunto subscribing declare this to be my last will and testament, Signed sealed this ninth day of September one-thousand-eight-hundred and three.

William Porter ( seal )

Witnesses

John Rodgers, Sr.

William Buchanan

John Snider

At Rockbridge County September the 4th, 1804

This writing purporting the last will and testament of William Porter, deceased was produced in court by Mary Porter, widow and relict of deceased, executor and Joseph Porter, executor being name and proved by the oath of John Rodgers and William Buchanan and John Snider subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of the executrix and executor who made oaths according to law certificate is granted them for obtaining probate thereof in due form, they having together with John Rodgers, and Wiliam Porter entered into an acknowledged bond of in the sum of three thousand dollars conditioned according to law.

A copy, Test. A. Reid C.R.C.

Source: Will Book 3, page 381, Genealogytrails.com.

Notes

Some additional information for Wm. Porter Jr. (73)

William Porter Jr. was a soldier in the Continental Army for three years. It is believed he served in the same company as his brother-in-law, John Bowen (VA. ensign 12th VA. 10 Sept. 1777; Regt. designated 8 VA., 14 Sept. 1778. Lt. 8 Feb. 1781 and served to June 1783)". On May 15, 1781 "Mary Porter, wife of William Porter, soldier in the Continental Army" was allowed 369 pounds by the Virginia Colony. No reason was given for this large sum of money in the records but passed down in the family, it is said she knitted socks, mittens, scarves and probably supplied various supplies for the Army. She had 7 or 8 children at that time.

Chalkley's Vol.l : (330) Mary Porter, wife of William Porter, a soldier in the Continental Army, allowed £360 for her and her children.

Also: Chalkleys Vol.l: JULY 18, 1786. (80) Elijah McClenachan allowed £3 for boarding William Porter, a Continental soldier, when in the smallpox.

William Porter Jr. died 10 May, 1804 probably in Rockbridge County where his Will was proven. It was drawn 9 Sept. 1803 and proved 4 Sept. 1804. It is not known where he is buried.

William Porter Jr. and Mary Bowen Porter had 13 known children but her tombstone says " mother of nine sons and five daughters". Perhaps, a son, whose name is not known, died before his father and is therefore not named in his father's will. The name, Eli Porter, from one family list may have been the ninth son.

After William Porter's death, eventually, all of his land was sold to comply with the terms of his will. On September 3, 1810, Mary Porter, widow of Wiiliam, sold to Daniel Stickler a tract of land which he had purchased from William Peoples (Deed Book A, p. 276). This land was in the original Borden Tract and was about fourteen miles northwest of Lexington. In 1843, Stickler sold this property to Wm. Wilson. The house was remodeled into a resort hotel and became known as the "Wilson Spring Hotel" and was used as a summer resort for many years. The house was located at the eastern entrance of Goshen Pass, well back against the mountain behind it. It is about three hundred yards from the highway and the Maury River. At a small island in the river just across the highway is a sulphur spring which was the attraction for the hotel.

Not all of the children are shown on William Porter's page. Children were: Agnes,Lily, William, Jean(Jane), Mary, John,David, Charles, Joseph, Elizabeth, Stephen, Samuel and Reese. Most of this family migrated to Tennessee. All children were born in what became Rockbridge County.

1.   Porter, Mary Entrikin. A family history, William Porter Jr. of Rockbridge County, Virginia: (1740-1804) and five generations of his descendants. (El Reno, Oklahoma: M.E. Porter, c1984).

   Title: Mary E. Porter, A Family History William Porter, Jr. Of Rockbridge County, Virginia (1740-1804) And Five Generations Of His Descendants (El Reno, OK: by author, 1984)
   Text: pgs. 21-24