Person:John Shepherd (53)

Will of John Shepherd

In the name of God Amen, I John Shepherd of Accomack County being sick and weak of body but of sense and memory capable to make a will taking into my serious condition uncertainly of this mortall life and the certainty of death doe hereby make this my last will & testament in maner and forme following (Vizt)

Item—I give and bequeath my soul unto the hands of the Almighty God which gave it me and my body to ye earth from whence it came For my worldly estate that God of his mercy hath been pleased to bestow upon me, I give and bequeath as followes viz:

Item—I give and bequeath unto my son Morris Shepherd my chest and all my wearing clothes one pair of brass hand Irons, two books one called Precious Remedy's and the other called A bed of Spices and my great table and formes.

Item—I give and bequeath unto my Grandson John Shepherd one negro man named King Robin with all the products of his labor except what I shall hereafter give in this my will unto my daughter Ann, that is to say until he shall attaine to the age of twenty and one years and then to be wholly possest with him ye sd negro King Robin, but if he shall die before he comes to that age then to his next brother or sister if he have either if no brother or sister then to my son Morris Shepherd.

Item—I give & bequeath unto my Grandson Jacob Johnson one plantation commonly called & known by the name of the Forked Neck with 200 acres of land adjoining to it, situate lying & being in the Co of Northampton on the bay side now under the Tennor of Robert Gill the land aforesaid to him the sayd Jacob Johnson and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever and for want of such heirs I give the land aforesd unto my Grandaughter Abigail Watson and her heirs forever.

Item—I give & bequeath unto my Grandaughter Elizabeth Watson, alias Smith a parcell of land at the head of a neck on Andewy Creek from a marked gum in the branch next Thos. Hall to a red oke marked two ways standing in ye line of marked trees between Robt Andrews his land and the land which I gave to my son Morris Shepherd. These trees both standing by the roadside which road goes from Coll. Edmond Scarburgh to pungoteague church, The land aforesd to her the sd Elizabeth & the heirs lawfully begotten on her body forever.

Item—I give & bequeath unto my Grandson John Shepherd one silver Becor

Item—I give & bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Shepherd alias Andrews my horsemill with all the appurtenances during her lifetime and after her death to be betweene them, the two sons of hers that shall posses the land whereon she now dwells.

Item—I give and bequeath unto Jane Smith one ewe lamb Item—I give unto my Grandson Robert Andrews one gun Item—I give & bequeath unto my daughter Ann Simkins two months work in a year of my negro before named King Robin for five years from the date of this my will conditionally that my son Morris keeps his land of which he seems att present to be doubtful and such is that if he should lose his land then she may not have the (blank—S. N.) no longer than he keeps his land and so long as he doth keep his land she shall have two months work yearly & every year for five years that is to say one week att a time as she most wants it.

Item—Further I give unto my daughter Ann Simkins all the rest of my estate that I have not given away also the rents of my plantations which I have leased Dure the time of their leases.

Lastly I doe ordain constitute and appoint my daughter Ann Simkins to be my lawful and sole Executrix of this my last will Revoking all other will or wills formerly made by me I doe hereby acknowledge & declare this to be my last will & testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & fixed my seal this 10th day of February in the year of our Lord 1708/9

(signed) John Shepherd [Seal]

The within last will & testament of John Shepherd was proved in open court of Accomack Co by yeoath of Richard Kellam,Luke Laylor and Wm Nicholson which the court oidered to be put upon record April ye 5th 1709

Recorded Teste: Robert Snead CI Cor. Co. Accomack

Signed sealed in the presence of us: Franc1s Wa1nhouse, R1chard Kellam, W1ll1am N1cholson, Luke Laylor.

Recorded April ye 20th 1709 (Accomac County Records—Vol. XI, p. 482).

Records of John Shepherd

From "Supplement to Genealogies", by Edwin Jaquette Sellers, 1922:

Dec. 3,1685, John Shepherd obtains judgment against Peter Mongrame, Indian, "Four good Buck skins and three bushels of Indian Corne" (Liber V, 9, p. 75. Accomac Records).

John Shepherd appointed Surveyor of the Highways from Taylor's Bridge to the extent of the County on the Bay Side, Dec. 21, 1679 (Liber V, 8, p. 148. Accomac Records).

John Shepheard appointed Surveyor May 28, 1689 (Liber V, 15, p. 432. Northampton Records).

John Shepheard, Church Warden in 1689 (Liber V, 8, p. 12—Northampton Co. Records).

John Shepheard elected Vestryman 1691 (Liber V, 17, p. 117, Northampton Co. Records).

March 21, 1692, to John Shepherd from Obedience Andrews, 250 acres near the Head of Anduy (Nandua) Creek (Liber V, 11, p. 15. Accomac Records).

Feb. 20, 1693, John Shepherd from William Andrews, 250 acres adjoining that bought of Obedience Andrews (Liber V, 11, p. 46. Accomac Records).

I, John Shepheard, of the County of Northampton in Virginia, Planter, send greetings * * * Whereas William Jordan formerly of the aforesaid County of Northampton (since deceased) Did purchase Two hundred & fifty Acres of Land * * * beinge the one moiety or halfe parte of a Pattent granted by Sr William Berkeley Knt then Governor, to John Elice, James Joanes and John Taylor, scituate, * * * in the County of Northampton aforenamed at Accahannock, which said William Jordan by his then wife Dorothy Jordan had a daughter & heire to whome the said Land descended and devolved whose name was Elizabeth Jordan, with which said Elizabeth I the said John Shepheard havinge marryed had issue by the said Elizabeth (vizt) Two Daughters namely Ann & Elizabeth Shepheard, Ann the Eldest who marryed with Peter Watson late of Accomack County deceased and Elizabeth with Robert Andrews of Northampton County aforenamed which said Land with another Devident of Land lyeinge also upon Accahannock Creeke in the County of Accomack aforesaid descended and came by the decease of the said Elizabeth Shepheard without Issue male to the said Ann and Elizabeth as coheirs: And the said Ann Eldest Daughter of the said John Shepheard and Elizabeth his said wife widow and late wife of the said Peter Watson, deceased as aforesaid—beinge in the actuall possession of the said ffive hundred and fifty Acres of Land in Accomack County aforenamed and the said Robert Andrews (and his wife Elizabeth) In the right of his said wife being likewise in the actuall possession of the said Two hundred and fifty Acres of Land in the County of Northampton afore Named: And being thereof soe seized and by mutual assent and agreemt: make particon of the said Two parcells or Dividents of Land: The said Ann having made choice of the said ffive hundred and ffifty Acres And the said Elizabeth of the said Two Hundred and fifty Acres as by their Respective Deeds of Partition made to Each other may Appeare: And whereas I the said John Shepheard by Virtue of the marriage with the said Elizabeth Daughter and hen- of the said William Jordan have good right and title during my Naturall life by the Law of England, as Tenant by the Courtesie of England to the said two parcells of Land and plantacons: Now Know yee That I the said John Shepheard as well for and in consideration of the Naturall Affection and ffatherly love which I have and beare unto my wellbeloved Daughter Elizabeth the wife of the aforenamed Robert Andrews, * * * hath Remised, Released and forever quite claimed * * * unto my said daughter Elizabeth and her beires, all maner of right * * * whatsoever which I the said John Shepheard now hath * * * as tenant by the courtesie or otherwise in or to the said Two hundred and fifty Acres of Land with the Tenante: hereditam": and appurten'nce whatsoever thereunto belonginee * * * In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this Twenty seventh day of July in the Eighth yeare of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord William & by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, Frannce & Ireland defender of the Faith, &c: and in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand six hundred Ninety and six.

John Shepheard Y" Seale (: :) Sealed & deliver*1 in prsence: North""1) July the 28tb Adorn. 1696 of John Laylor Probacon made to the above Deed in open

David James Junr Court * * * by the corporall oathes of

John Merain John Laylor, David James Junr and John

Meraine & ordered to be Recorded: as also the day and yeare aforesaid Acknowledged in open Court of the said County by Luke Laylor as the Attorney and on the behalf of Mr John Shepheard, as his reall Act & Deed.

Recorded Test: Dan: Neech C Cor Co: Northton (Northampton County Records—V, 16, p. 88.)

July 27, 1696, John Shepheard to Luke Laylor, power of atty. (Liber V, 16, p. 90. Northampton Records.)

July 19, 1707, John Shepheard to my trusty friend, Capt. Wm. Harmanson, power of atty. to acknowledge a deed of gift to my daughter Elizabeth and my grandson Jacob Andrews after her death. Recorded July 28, 1707. Witnesses, Luke Laylor, Jacob Dewey (Liber V, 16, p. 460. Northampton Records).

Sep. 9, 1696, John Shepherd, to his daughter Ann, by deed of gift, 550 acres on Occohonock Creek (Liber V, 11, p. 126. Accomac Records).

April 6, 1707, John Shepheard, of Northampton Co., to John Marshall of sd. Co., letter of atty. Witnesses, George Marshall, Robert Scott—Recorded May 28, 1707 (Liber V, 16, p. 453. Northampton Records).

April 6, 1707, John Shepheard, of Northampton Co., Gentleman, to daughter Jean (Jane) and her husband John Smith, deed of gift, one parcel of land where I now live containing 200 acres upon Nusswatox for their lives and after their decease unto my grandson John Smith, for want of heirs to the next brother as is expressed in my will. To grandson Isaac Smith after my decease one plantation containing 200 acres on the Bay side called Bowelman's Branch where John Warren formerly lived, and for want of heirs, as is expressed in my will bearing date with these presents— Recorded May 28, 1707 (Liber V, 16, p. 452. Northampton Records).

April 14, 1707, John Shepherd to his son Morris Shepherd a tract of land on Anduy Creek (Accomac Records).

July 19, 1707, John Shepheard, of Northampton Co., Gentleman, to daughter Elizabeth, wife of Robert Andrews, deed of gift for life of 50 acres in Northampton near Occohannock Creek, which land I bought of Coll. Jno. Custis, deceased. After her death to my grandson Jacob Andrews; should he have no heirs to my grandson Nathaniel Andrews. Recorded July 28, 1707. Witnesses, Luke Laylor, Jacob Dewey (Liber V, 16, p. 461. Northampton Records).

July 28, 1690, to John Shepheard from John Burt and Frances his wife, 200 acres on Nuswaddox Creek, part of 300 acres purchased by John Burt from John Custis in 1671 (Liber V, 14, p.255. Northampton Recrds).

Aug. 7, 1690, John Custis gives deed to John Shepheard for 200 acres by latter from John Burt (Liber V, 14, p. 276. Northampton Records).

• John Shepherd had married twice, as he mentioned in the release to his daughter in 1696 that his wife Elizabeth Jordan died without male issue. It is difficult to state whether Elizabeth Jordan was his first or second wife. By his other wife (name unknown) he had Morris (who follows). A daughter who married a Johnson and had a son Jacob. Jean or Jane, who married John Smith and had John.

Isaac.

By his marriage with Elizabeth Jordan he had

Ann, Executrix of her father, who married, first, Peter Watson, and second a Simpkins. By her first marriage she had Abigail. Elizabeth, married Charlton Smith (Vol. XVI, p. 5. Accomac Records). Elizabeth, married Robert Andrews and had Jacob. Nathaniel. Robert.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008).