Person:James Edmondson (14)

Will of James Edmondson

The will of James Edmundson, August 19, 1741, in complete detail, gives additional important information not abstracted in the past. The will, probated Sept. 15, 1741, states: In the name of God Amen I James Edmondson of Essex County being of disposeing sence and memory make this my Last will and Testament First I bequeath my Soul to Almighty God my Heavenly Father in hopes of pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins in and through the merits of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and my body to the earth to be decently buried and as to my Estate real and personal I dispose of as follows. 2ly I give to my son John Edmundson and his heirs forever my manner house with all the Land I have on the West side of the main Swamp that runs into Dunns Mill Dam I also give my sd Son John Two of my Negro’s Cook and Harry and one horse named Wonton Ten head of Cattel and the best Bed and furniture Excepting that Whereon my wife Lies and six of the newest Silver Spoons 3ly I give to my Grandson John Edmondson and his heirs the Plantation where his father lived with all the Land I have on the South side of the above sd Mill Swamp 4ly I give to my Grand Daughter Sarah Edmondson my Negro Jenny to be delivered to her at the age of eighteen or the day of Marridg Allso one feather bed of six pound prise but if she should died before this Legasie becomes due then its my will that it return to my Son John Edmondson. 5ly I give my daughter Susannah Edmondson three Negroes Dirk, Beck and Plato and the next best feather bed and furniture not disposed of Allso Eight head of Cattle ten Barrels of Corne Eight hundred Tobo one horse Colt named Blasd the chest wherein her Cloaths Lies and Liberty to Live on my Plantation and work her Negroes as long as She remains unmarried and no longer 6ly I give my Daughter Elizabeth Hay my Negro man Named Walley and twenty six pound cash and six head of Cattle 7ly I give to my Grand Daughter Sarah Hay my Negro Rachel 8ly I give to my Daughter Sarah Townly Twenty five pounds cash 9ly I lend my beloved wife Judith the use of four Negro’s Tom Duke Rose and George dureing her widowhood and no longer I give my beloved wife Eight Hundred pounds of Tobo 10ly all the goods I have in the hands of my Son Thomas Edmondson and Cash that I have in the hands of James Webb I desire should be Equally Divided between them Excepted fifty ??? s of brown linen and all the white Sheeting and twenty two yards of Negroe’s Cotton which is for my famileys use and twelve yards of Cheek Linen 11ly I give to my Son Jno Edmondson all my Cash and Cash accts and Tobo & plate not above dispos’d of in this my will. 12ly I lend my beloved wife all the Remainder of my household Estate not above disposed of as long as She remains a Widow and after my sd wifes decease or marring again I give George and Rose and my Lent Estate to my Son John Edmondson and Tom to my Daughter Susannah and Duke to my Daughter Elizabeth Hay: and it likewise my will that no part of my Estate be appraised and Lastly I do hereby ordain my beloved Son Jno Edmondson my Executor to Execute my Last will and Testament

Signed Sealed and delivered (s) James Edmondson (seal) to be my Last Will Test Thomas Edmondson jun Robert Edwards Aug 19th 1741 Christian Gresham

At Court held for Essex County at Tappahannock on the 15th day of September 1741 This Last will and Testament of James Edmondson deced being Exhibited by John Edmondson the Executor therein Named, Thomas Edmondson jun heir at law to the said James came into Court and declared that he had no objections to make against the said Wills being proved; and then the said John Edmondson made oath to the said Will as the Law directs and the same being duely proved by the oath of the Witnesses thereto was admitted to record Test S. Robinson

Information on James Edmondson

From Genforum.com post of Stephen W. Edmondson:

JAMES EDMUNDSON (167_-1741) AND DESCENDANTS ( THOMAS-1)

James appears to be the eldest son of Thomas and Ann Gregory Edmundson. James Edmundson married Judith Alleman Parr, widow of Philip Parr, in 1700 (Essex County Marriages, Book 10, p. 70). Judith was the daughter of Thomas Allaman of Gloucester County. Philip Parr’s will was dated Dec. 30, 1699, and was proved in Essex County June 10, 1701. Parr, of South Farnham Parish, in the County of Essex, gives 150 acres lying upon the Gleab Swamp to kinsman Richard Carter, to eldest daughter Judith Parr, all the land in Middlesex County, formerly given to her by her grandfather, Thomas Alleman; to daughter, Mary Parr, my Manor plantation; daughter, Constant Parr, wife Judith Parr, all the rest of my land; father-in-law, Thomas Allaman, and brother-in-law, Mr. Richard Covington, executors. On June 11, 1702, James Edmundson , with James Boughan as security, executed a bond to Thomas Ellis, conditioned upon prosecuting an appeal from a judgment rendered against James Edmundson and Judith, his wife, administrators, with the will annexed, of Philip Parr, deceased. A later court document related to a suit before the General Court stated that Thomas Allaman, who died in Gloucester County March 9, 1706, married twice, and had by his first wife a daughter Judith, who married Edmundson and had Thomas Edmundson and John Edmundson, both living in 1753. (William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol. 13, 276; Tyler’s Quarterly, Vol. 1, p. 225).

March, 1703/04. James Edmondson and Edward Adcocke witnessed a deed of gift by Francis Thornton of Stafford County. Wills and Deeds, Essex, No. 11, p. 214.

1704, Essex County. James Edmondson reported additional inventory in the estate of Philip Parr. Tobacco due the estate: Elizabeth Gregory, 180. Mr. Thomas Edmondson, 300. Mr. Bindrey, 100. Mr. Robert Deputy, 365. William Hudson, 15. Tim. Driscoll, 9. Henry Nixson, 15. Richard Huchens, 16. Richard Bradbury, 67. Robert Webb, 136. John Webb, 136. Edmond Roberts, 109. John Brasur, 210. John Brooks, 200. Francis Meriwether, 129.

James Edmundson owned 500 acres of land as shown on the Quit Rent Roll, 1704, Essex County (English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, by deCognets, p. 136, pub. in 1958; Virginia Tax Records, p. 548). James and Joseph Edmundson witnessed a deed, July 10, 1703, by which John Haile, son and heir of Capt. Richard Haile, deceased, sells 100 acres in King and Queen County, part of a larger tract owned by Capt. Haile, part in King and Queen County and part in Essex (Deed Book 11, p. 29).

Nov. 10, 1704. James Edmondson witnessed a bond for Nicholas Copeland as guardian of Jno. Adkinson, orphan.

Feb. 16, 1705/06. James Edmondson stated he owes George Loyd, ordinary keeper, 1250 lbs. tobacco which he refuses to accept.

Oct. 23, 1712. Will of John Braser was witnessed by James Edmondson, Thomas Russell and Ann Gibbons.

March 12, 1712/13. A deed was recorded from Plunkett Holt to John Boughan, Sr., 620 acres, beginning at Kings Swamp below Piscataway Mill. Witnessed by Thomas Bryan and James Edmondson.

James Edmundson bought 150 acres from Leonard Tarent and his wife Mary, April 8, 1714 (Deed Book ?, p. 225, Essex County).

James Edmundson of Essex County, January 13, 1714/15, sold to his brother Samuel Edmundson 150 acres of land for 45 pounds sterling, bought from Leonard Tarent . Witnesses were William Edmundson, Bryant Edmundson, Robert Bryant. Judith Edmundson, wife of James, gave power of attorney to James Boughan to relinquish her right of dower. James and Benjamin Edmundson took inventory of the estate of Edward Coffy in Essex County, Dec. 4, 1716. James Edmundson signed bond as administrator of the estate of Jeffery Dyer in 1716. James Edmondson’s land is mentioned in a patent to Robert Forish in King and Queen County and in Essex, June 22, 1722. (Va. Gen., Vol. 3, p. 237).

Bond was made as follows: Know all men by these presents that we John Edmondson & Thomas Edmondson are held and firmly bound unto Thomas Waring Alexander Parker William Daingerfield and Mungo Roy Gentlemen Justices of the peace for the County of Essex, their heirs and Successors in the sum of fifteen hundred pounds sterling to the which payment well and truly to be made we bind our Selves our heirs Exrs & Adms jointly and severally firmly by these presents Witness our hands and seals this 15th day of Septemr anno Dom 1741 The Condition of this obligation is such that if the above Bound John Edmondson Executor of the Last will and Testament of James Edmond-son desd do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said desed which have or shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of the said John Edmondson or into the hands possession or knowledge of any other person or persons for him and the same so made do Exhibit or cause to be Exhibited into the County Court of Essex at such time as he Shall be there unto required by the said Court and the same goods Chattles and Credits & all other goods Chattels and credits of the said Deceased at the time of his Death which at any time after Shall shall come to the hands or possession of the said John Edmondson or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him do well and truly Administer according to Law and Further do make a just and true account of his actings and doings therein when thereto required by the said Court and also do well and truly pay and deliver all the Legacies contained and Specified in the said Testament as far as the said goods Chattels and credits will thereunto Extend according to the Value thereof and the Law Shall Charge Then this obligation to be void and of none Effect otherwise to Remain in full force and Vertue. John Edmondson (seal) Tho Edmondson jr (seal)

At a Court held for Essex County at Tappahannock on the 15th day of September 1741 John Edmondson and Thomas Edmondson jr acknowledge this bond to be their act and Deed which was ordered to be recorded. Test S Robinson

The will of Judith Edmundson, dated March 6, 1763, names daughters: Constance Edmundson, Eliza Hull, Mary Breedlove, Judith Faulkner; son, John Edmundson. To brother William Alleman, negroes now in the possession of Toy Tabb. Sons, John Edmundson and Thomas Edmundson. Witnesses: James Edmundson and Thomas Edmundson. Several of the daughters’ names do not coincide with daughters’ names in her husband’s will. However, the will of Phillip Parr, quoted earlier, names daughters of Parr’s marriage to Judith: Judith, Mary and Con-stant Parr. Another source states Constance Parr married Thomas Edmundson. (Bond, Dec, 18, 1750, related to the estate of Thomas Edmundson). Judith Alleman Parr Edmundson’s brother, William Allaman, died in 1732, leaving a widow Ann who married John Tabb and had Humphrey Toy Tabb (Tyler’s, Vol. I, p. 125). James Edmundson’s daughter Elizabeth Hay appears to have one daughter Sarah Hay in 1741 and to have married again by 1763 (Eliza Hull). The grandchildren of James and Judith, John and Sarah Edmundson, would appear to be the children of his son James Edmundson, Jr. and Christiana Gregory Edmundson. (See Dinwiddie County).

Children of James Edmundson and Judith Allaman Parr Edmundson:

1. James Edmundson, Jr., who married Christiana Gregory in 1731 and died in 1734, leaving two children, John and Sarah. See Dinwiddie County for John. His grandfather when he died in 1741 left him the plantation on which his father had lived. Sarah was unmarried in 1741.

2. Thomas Edmundson, said to be Captain Thomas Edmundson, was mentioned in his father’s will in reference to goods held by Thomas. As no other legacy is given in the will, one might think major property had been settled on Thomas at an earlier time. He is said in the Allaman suit quoted above in the William and Mary Quarterly to be living in 1753. He was one of the administrators of his uncle Thomas’ estate with the widow Constance. His male line seems to have become extinct in the late 1700’s.

3. John Edmundson, executor of his father’s will. Said also to be living in 1753. Probably the man who signed the Westmoreland Resolutions in 1765. See will of Joseph Greenhill below. Married Catherine Dunn. Died in 1773. Many descendants.

4. Elizabeth Edmundson who married Mr. Hay before 1741 and had a daughter Sarah Hay and apparently married later Mr. Hull. Sarah Hay was named in her grandfather’s will in 1741.

5. Sarah who married John Townley before 1741. See account.

6. Susannah Edmundson, unmarried in 1741. Needs research.

Stepchildren of James Edmundson, children of Judith Allaman and Philip Parr:

1. Constance Parr who married Thomas Edmundson, brother of James.

2. Mary Parr who married Charles Breedlove. (Deed, Essex County, May 1-2, 1724.

3. Judith Parr who married Faulkner (probably Henry Faulkner).

(Eliza Hull might be another daughter of Judith’s first marriage and not Elizabeth Edmundson, married now to a second husband, Hull, as suggested. However, no Eliza Parr is named in Philip Parr’s will).

4. Anne Parr who married William Boulware and lived in St. Anne Parish, Essex. See 1941 deed below. This daughter is not mentioned in any other document I have seen and would have been born after the will was made. SWE