Person:Richard Jones (117)

Will Transcript

Richard Jones Will

In the name of God Amen. The 14th January one Thousand Seven hundred and ninety Seven, I Richard Jones of Halifax County being sick of Body but of perfect sense & Memory & of mind thanks be to God therefore calling to mind the Mortality of Man that it is appointed for all men once to die I do think fit to make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament.

Item it is my will that my son Thomas Jones shall have one half of my Land to be laid off so as not to Interfear with my dwellings whereon I now Live to be laidoff on the part Joining Majr. John Nelsons fork plantation & so as not to injoure the other Tract also a Negro man named Joe, one feather Bed & furniture, two Cows & Calves also my barb Colt to him & his heirs forever.

Item it is further my will that my son Charles Jones shall have the other half of my Land at the death of my beloved Wife.

It is further my will that he shall have Choice of Negroes not here before Given, one feather Bed & furnature, Two Cows & Calves, a horse & Saddle to be furnished out of the Remainder of my Estate not heretorore Given when my son Charles Jones Comes of age or Marys to him & his heirs forever ~

Item. It is further my will that my Daughter Lucy Jones should have a Negro Girl Sall, one feather bed & furniture, two Cows & Calves, a horse & saddle to be furnished out of the Remainder of my Estate not heretofore Given to her & her heirs forever.

Item. It is further my will that my Daughter Frances Jones shall have a Negro Girl Mine?, one feather bed & furniture, Two Cows & Calves, a horse & Bridle to her & her heirs forever. ~

Item. It is further my will that my three Little Daughters Sarah Jones, Rebe[cca?] Jones & Elizabeth Jones. Should each of them have a Negro Girl & feather Bed & furniture, two Cows & Calves, a horse & saddle to be furnished out of the Remaining part of my Estate not heretofore Given when they come of age or marry to them & their heirs forever.

Item. It is further my will that the Child which my wife is not pregnant with should it be a male Child it is my will that my son Thomas Jones should pay to him when he comes of age or marrys the sum of Two hundred pounds also it is further my Will that my son Charles Jones shall pay to the above mentioned person Two hundred pounds, also it is further my will & Desire if the above mentioned person shall come of Lawfull age or Marry that he ^shall have a Negro Boy, a feather bed and furnature, Two Cows & Calves, a horse & saddle to be furnished out of the Remaining part of my Estate not heretofore Given ~ But provided it shall be a female Child it is my will that it shall be Equal with the Rest of my Daughters to him or her heirs forever.

Item it is further my will that that Land whereon John Dennis Dec'd Lived I Give unto Matthew Dennis & John Dennis provided John Dennis do pay to Martha Dennis his proportionable part of what gave for the said land & should the above John Dennis not Comply with the above Mentioned Termes [Terms] it is my will that the above Mentioned Mathew Dennis enjoy the same to him or them & their heirs forever.

It is my will that all the Remainder of my Estate not heretofore given shall be Equally Divided amongst the Surviveing part of my Children at the death of my beloved wife, to them & their heirs forever.

I do appoint my friends Samuel Clay, Johnson Faulkner, Thomas Jones & my beloved wife Lucy Jones Executors of this my last will and Testament Revoking all former wills by me made & Declaring this to be my Last will & Testament

[Signed] Rich.d Jones [L.S.]

Signed in the presence of Nathaniel Talley, Robert Church, James Ligon, T. Hall

At a Court held for Halifax County the 26th day of June 1797

The within written last Will and Testament of Richard Jones dec'd was exhibited in Court and proved by the oaths of three of the Witnesses thereto Subscribed, and ordered to be Recorded.~

And thereupon Johnston Faulkner and Thomas Jones two of the Executors therein named Came into Court and refused to take upon themselves the burthin of the Execution of the same which was ordered to be Certified, and it is further ordered that the Sheriff Summon Samuel Clay the other Executor named in the said Will to appear here at the next Court to take upon himself the Execution thereof, if he should think fit.

Teste: Geo. Carrington Clk.

At a Court held for Halifax County the 25th day of September 1797

On the motion of Samuel Clay one of the Executors named in the foregoing Will of Richard Jones dec'd who made oath according to Law, Certificate is granted him for obtaining Probate of the said Will in due form, he giving security whereupon he together with John Wilson Junr. Gent. and Daniel Wilson his securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of Twenty thousand Dollars conditioned as the law directs. ~

Teste: George Carrington C.H.C.

Exd. Truly Recorded

Teste: Berry Green D.C. H.C.

N.B. It is my will & Desire that if either of the above Mentioned Legatees should Die without a Lawfull heir what I have given to them to Return to the Common Stock & be Equally Divided amongst the Rest of my Children to them & their heirs forever.

1.   Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/5120778/person/142054254665/facts
   Note: ancestry tree claims he was born in 1730, but this appears several years too early based upon the established birthdates of his two sisters in the mid-1750's. Needs further research.

2.   Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900.

   Name Richard Jones
   Residence Date Abt 1797
   Residence Place Halifax
   Will Date 14 Jan 1797
   Probate Date 14 Jan 1797
   [1797 Jun 26]
   Probate Place Halifax, Virginia, USA
   Inferred Death Year 1797
   Inferred Death Place Virginia, USA
   Item Description Will Books, Vol 3, 6 1792-1804
   Individuals Listed (Name) Relationship
   Richard Jones Testator
   Thomas Jones Son
   Joe Enslaved Person
   Charles Jones Son
   Lucy Jones Daughter
   Gall Enslaved Person
   Frances Jones Daughter
   Sarah Jones Daughter
   Ruth Jones Daughter
   Elizabeth Jones Daughter
   Samuel Clay Friend
   Johnson Faulkner Friend
   Lucy Jones Wife