Person:Peter Johnston (3)

Will Transcript

Will of Peter Johnston, Culpeper County, Virginia, Written 31 December 1755

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I Peter Johnston being very sick and weak but in perfect sence & memory, blessed be God for it, but calling to mind the uncertainty of this life, humbly recommend my soul to almighty God that gave it me thro'(through) the merits of his only son Jesus Christ my only saviour & redeemer and as for my body to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereafter mentioned.

Item: My desire is that 400 acres of my land at Mount may be sold towards paying my debts.

Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth one hundred acres of land at Mount Poney and one negro girl named Dianh.

Item: I give unto my son Peter Johnston 147 acres of land at Mount Poney.

Item: The rest of my Mount Poney land to be equally divided between my sons John Johnston & Andrew John, to them and their heirs forever lawfully begotten.

Item: I give all the land whereon I now live to my son William Johnston & to his heirs lawfully begotten.

Item: I give to my daughter Cathrine Morrison one cow & calf.

Item: All the rest of my estate my desire is that my well beloved wife Margaret Johnston should keep in her possession during her widowhood, but if she should marry or after her death to be equally divided between my son William Johnston, Peter Johnston, John Johnston, Andrew Johnston, Anne Johnston, Sarah Johnston & Prescila Johnston.

I doe hereby constitute & appoint my my (repeated) well beloved wife Margarett Johnston Executrix & Francis Moore & John Lowen Executors of this my Last Will & Testament revoking all others.

AS WITNESS my hand & seal this 31st day of December 1755.

Signed) Peter X Johnston (LS) [His Mark]

Witnesses:

Isaac George

John Frazier

Alex (X) Frazier [His Mark]

At a Court held for the County of Culpeper Thursday, the 21st day of October 1756

This Last Will and Testament of Peter Johnston, dec'd, was exhibited to the court by Margaret Johnston & Francis Moore, gentleman, two of the executors therein named, John Lowen, the other Executor nominated therein renounced & refused to take the burthen of the execution thereof, which was proved by the oaths of John Frazier & Alexander Frazier, witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded and was sworn to by the said Margaret & Francis, two of the Executors therein named, and on their motion, Certificate is granted them for obtaining a Probat thereof in due form.

Teste:

Roger Dixon, Cl.Cur.

[Source: Culpeper County, Virginia Will Book "A", pgs. 139-141].