Person:William Witcher (2)

The Last Will and Testament of William Witcher

In the name of God amen. I, William Witcher Sr., of the CountyPittsylvania being of weak body but of sound memory, and knowing thatit is appointed for all men to once to die, do make and declare this my last Will and Testament(revoking all others) in manner and form as follows:

         ITEM: My will and desire is that all my just debts should bepaid out of my estate hereafter mentioned by my executors of aperishable
         kind.

         ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son, John Witcher, mynegroes, Sarah, and her children, Sinda, Ceala, and Anna, in additionto what I
         have already given him, which I give to him and his heirsforever.

         ITEM: I lend to my son, Daniel Witcher, my negroes Stephenand Anderson during his lifetime, and after his decease my will anddesire
         is that his heirs should inherit them forever.

         ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son, William Witcher Jr., mynegroes Tamer and her children Phebe, Betsy, and Peyton in addition to
         what I have heretofore given him, all of which I give to himand his heirs forever.

         ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son, Ephriam Witcher, mynegroes Bob, Abraham, Sam, Phillis, Jacob, and Will; also the land Ipossess
         in the County of Pittsylvania aforesaid on the North side ofthe Pigg River whereon I now live, bounded by the lines of John Smith,John
         Witcher, Daniel C. Edwards and William Swanson Jr. and PiggRiver, all of which property both real and personal I give to him andhis
         heirs forever.

         ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son, James Witcher, mynegroes Hannah, and Sellar her child to him and his heirs forever.

         ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son,, Caleb Witcher, onehundred pounds for the purpose of discharging a Judgment obtainedagainst
         him by John Smith in the County Court of Pittsylvania, alsoto discharge his bond to George Herndon, both of which sums my willand
         desire is for my to pay them out of the sum specified andthe surplus if any to go to my son Caleb Witcher and to his heirsforever. Also
         I lend to my son Caleb Witcher during his natural life, mynegro girl, Bethsheba and after his decease my will and desire is thathis eldest
         child Thillada should inherit the negro girl Bethsheba withher increase forever, and in the case that Thillada should deceasewithout
         lawful heirs of her body, then my will and desire is thatthe rest of my son Caleb’s should inherit her (Bethsheba) with herincrease
         forever.

         ITEM: I lend to my daughter Elizabeth Razer during hernatural life my negroes Edmond and Rose and after her decease I givethem to
         her heirs forever.

         ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Rachel Morrison andher heirs forever all my tract of land whereon William Morrison (her
         husband) now lives on the South side of the Pigg River,bounded by Pigg River, Herman Cook’s lines and William Parker’s lines
         containing one hundred acres more or less all of which landI give to her and her heirs forever. Also two cows and calves I giveto her
         and her heirs forever.

         ITEM: My will and desire is that what money is in hand at mydecease, after discharging my debts, my will and desire is that it beequally
         divided between my sons, John Witcher, William Witcher Jr.,Daniel Witcher, Ephriam Witcher, and James Witcher.

         ITEM: My will and desire is that after my decease all mystock of every kind, plantation utensils, household and kitchenfurniture, with
         the crop on hand, be sold to the highest bidder on a creditof twelve months, and after the later is finished, the money arisingtherefrom
         be equally divided between my sons, John Witcher, WilliamWitcher Jr., Daniel Witcher, Ephriam Witcher, and James Witcher

And lastly I do constitute, appoint and ordain my two sons, JohnWitcher, and William Witcher Jr., the whole and sole executors of thismy last will and testament in witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighth dayof December, one thousand eight hundred and six.

                         William Witcher (seal)

Sealed and delivered in the presence of Joseph Matchett, Donald (illegible), Peyton Graves

                                                Probate of Will

At the court of Pittsylvania County the 18th day of July, 1808, thelast will and testament of William Witcher (deceased) was presented inCourt and proved by the oaths of Joseph Matchett and Peyton Graves two of the subscribingwitnesses and ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of JohnWitcher and William Witcher Jr., the executors in the said will named, who made Oath according tolaw, and together with Peyton Graves, William Swanson., EphriamWitcher, William Witcher Jr., and their securities, entered into and acknowledged their bond in thepenalty of Thirty Thousand Dollars for that purpose conditioned as thelaw directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate of the said will in due form.

                                               Fiske WillLemstall--(?)
                                                (signature illegible)

The History of Pittsylvania County Virginia

                                              By Maud Carter Clement

"In 1776 Pittsylvania County and Camden Parish were organized and atthe first meeting of the vestry, held June 21, 1776, at thecourthouse, there were present the following vestrymen, 'who subscribed in the Vestry to becomfortable to the doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England asby law Established: John Donelson, John Pigg, Hugh Innes, George Rowland, Crispen Shelton, JohnWilson, Peter Perkins, Abram Shelton, Theophilus Lacy, RobertChandler, and William Witcher' "

"While the Virginia troops were still in their entrenchments atGwynn's Island an express arrived from the governor ordering them tomarch at once against the Indians along the western frontier. The inciting of the Indians totheir barbarities against defenseless frontiersman is the darkest bloton England's fair name during the Revolutionary War ... "

"Virginia sent a force of 1,600 men against the Cherokees, while Northand South Carolina sent out expeditions at the same time. Virginia'stroops rendezvoused at Long Island in the Molstein River, where in the early summer a forthad been erected and named Patrick Henry in honor of the newly electedgovernor ... "

"The Cherokees lived on the Tennessee river, and all things being inreadiness on October the 1st, the troops set out from Fort PatrickHenry for the march of 115 miles through the wilderness to the Indian towns. Captain WilliamWitcher was left with a guard of 200 men for the Fort."

"Indian outrages continuing along the frontier, the states forces wereordered to take the field in another Indian expedition in 1777. Twocompanies from Pittsylvania marched in this campaign, one commanded by Captain JohnDonelson, ...  ; the other was commanded by Captain William Witcher.Both rendezvoused at Pittsylvania Old Courthouse (Callands) in the month of March 1777."

"General Nathaniel Greene assumed command of the Southern ContinentalArmy in the autumn of 1780 at Millsboro, North Carolina, and Virginiaat once sent re-inforcement's. Several companies of militia marched fromPittsylvania that autumn and winter. Captain John Winn commanded acompany ... Captain James Brewer a company ... Captain William Witcher a company ... CaptainIsaac Clements a company ... Captain Joshua Stone a company ... "