Person:Richard Buckner (2)

Will of Richard Buckner

In the name of God, Amen. I, Richard Buckner of the County of Westmoreland, being sick and weak of body but of sound mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament, in manner following, viz:

Imprimis, my will and desire is that a double tombstone be sent for to Great Britain nine months after my death, value about thirteen pounds sterling, with this humble inscription. "Underneath this stone lies the bodies of Richard and Elizabeth Buckner, who lived to a good old age, and then dropped like ripe fruit from the stock".

Item. I desire that my brother Francis Buckner's estate shall not be liable for any part of my Father's debts to Robert Giterest; property being left in my hands for that purpose.

Item. I desire that my Executors shall advertize in nine months after my death for Alexander Conntee to bring his account against me, so it may be paid, amounting as I suppose to about fourteen pounds.

Item. I give and bequeath to my son Ariss Buckner, the four following negroes at the death of his grandmother. Jenny, Milly, Betty and Billy.

Item. I give likewise to my son Ariss Buckner my two guns, and confirm to him all the articles I have before given by letter.

Item. I give and bequeath to my grandson James Richard Miller, two negro boys, Jack and James.

Item. I give to my granddaughter Lucy Roy Miller, two negro girls, Les and Dinah and their future increase. These two bequests not to take place until after the death of my wife Elizabeth Buckner.

Item. It is my desire that a certain Mr. Scott a joiner who worked on a vessel of mine, shall receive out of my estate, one hogshead of tobacco, and Mr. Thomas Miller to see it paid.

Item. All the rest of my estate of what kind soever not already given, I give and bequeath to my loving wife Elizabeth Buckner, such as negroes with their future increase, also all the stocks of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs, with all the household and kitchen furniture, and all the crops of corn and wheat, tobacco, etc., with all debts due and demands of whatsoever kind or nature; to be disposed of by her in any manner she thinks proper, only subject to this restriction, that if she marries, she shall only be entitled to her thirds.

Item. It is my will and desire that my said wife shall be burthened with the payments of all my just debts.

Lastly, I nominate and appoint my loving wife Elizabeth Buckner my sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament in manner and form. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 15th day of October, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three.

(Signed) Richard Buckner.

Teste. Thomas Thompson.

Richard Mothershead. (X) his mark.

Notes

Richard Buckner was a signatory to the Association of Westmoreland ("the Westmoreland Protest") in 1766 and later a member of the Westmoreland Committee of Safety during the Revolution, as well as a justice of the peace for the county. His estate was called "Albany."

His parentage is somewhat unclear. The two more likely possibilities are that he was a son of William Buckner of "the Neck" in Caroline Co. VA (d. ca. 1751) or that he was a son of William's brother, Richard Buckner Jr. Unfortunately, the extant documentary evidence is thin. The best clues are in the will, which indicates that his brother Francis and father were both deceased by 1793. Richard Buckner Jr. died probably around 1783 and certainly in the 1780s, so it's difficult to exclude either one based on that evidence. That his father's estate had unpaid debts to Robert Gilchrist suggests that the estate was still undivided at the time, which would usually indicate that his father's widow was still alive or he had young siblings, though that's not a certainty. It also suggests connections to Caroline Co. VA and Port Royal, where Robert Gilchrist was a merchant.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 FamilySearch: Unidentified database - please replace source when identified.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Crozier, William Armstrong. The Buckners of Virginia and the allied families of Strother and Ashby. (New York: Published privately for William Dickinson Buckner by the Genealogical Association, 1907).

   RICHARD BUCKNER of "Albany," Westmoreland County, son of William and Judith (Hawes) Buckner of "The Neck," Caroline County, was born probably about 1730-5. He was one of the signers of "The Westmoreland Protest," which Richard Henry Lee wrote and presented against the Stamp Act in 1765. He married Eliza Ariss, only child of Spencer Ariss and Sarah Ataway, and granddaughter of Richard Ariss.
   
   From certain deeds, we learn that Sarah (Ataway) Ariss married one Pierce, and that her first husband died previous to 1792.