1450552

Following is a copy of the will of 88 Col. John Woodson.5

In the name of God, Amen. I, John Woodson, of the county of Goochland, do make & ordain this my last will & testament in manner & form following, hereby revoking all wills heretofore made by me.

1st, my will & desire is that my just debts shd be paid & to enable my friends Matthw Woodson, Archd Pleasants and John S. Woodson & my two sons Josiah Woodson and John Woodson or any three of them to grant such Deeds or Bargain & Sell agreeable to law as may insure a Fee Simple property in all my land in Sabot Island containing, by estimation, One Hundred and fifteen acres, be the same more or less. I do hereby appoint my above named sons, Josiah & John Woodson & my friends Mattw Woodson, Archd Pleasants & John S. Woodson or any three of them as above my trustees. I order & request that they proceed to sell to the best advantage as soon as conveniently may be, my said tract of land and I order & direct that the Surplus after paying my Debts be applied as is afterherein Directed & I likewise assign to my sd Trustees all my Right and title in the tract of land whereon my Bror Jos Woodson now lives which is made over by Deed recorded in Goochd Court to be by them sold for the purpose of Paying my Debts in the same manner as the above tract in Sabot Island.

2nd. I lend unto my beloved wife Dorothea Woodson three Negroes namely, Dungeon, Sall & Chloe during her natural life and at her death to be disposed of as is hereafter directed with liberty to occupy my manor house and such part of my land as may be sufficient to work her Negroes on. I also lend unto my said Wife two Cows & Calves, Two Work Steers one horse one feather bed and furniture, 1 Dozen Chairs & whatever Else may seem necessary for her at the discretion of my Executors the above bequest to be a Consideration for her Relinquishing all her Right of Dower in my estate.

3d. I give & bequeath to my son Josiah Woodson all my part of Land whereon I now live including the part lent to my wife at her decease Except the land in the Island Directed above to be sold to him and to his heirs forever.

I also give to my sd son Josiah Woodson two negroes by the name Dick & Peter to him & to his heirs forever.

4thly. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Lucy Woodson two Negroes by the name of Sam & Sarah & their increase & one feather bed & furniture One bay mare & two Cows to her & her heirs forever.

5th. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Woodson two Negroes by the name of Bob & Patt & her increase One feather bed & furniture a Likely Gray Horse two Cows & one Side Saddle to her & her heirs forever.

6thly. I Severally give & bequeath unto my Children not before named in this Will, Namely, Jane Pleasants Ann S. Woodson Elizabeth Cheadle Susanna Railey Jno. Woodson Martha Railey & Judith Railey all the Negroes & their increase and all the other property now in their possession wch they have heretofore had out of my estate to them & to their heirs forever. I likewise give & bequeath unto my Daughter Judith Railey in addn to what she hath already in possession one feather bed & furniture to her and her heirs forever. My will further is that after the payment of All my Just Debts Legacys and funeral expences the Residue of my estate of what nature or kind soever it may be Equally Divided amongst all my children Including my Wife's dower at her death to them & their heirs forever.

Lastly I constitute and appoint my sons Josiah Woodson & John Woodson and my friend Matthw Woodson Extrs of this my Last Will & Testament.

Signed with my hand and seal this 2nd day of Novr in the year of our Lord Christ One thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Nine.

(signed) JOHN WOODSON (seal)
JAMES BRYDEN
MATTHEW PLEASANTS
JOHN GORDON
JOHN UTLEY
At a Court held for Goochland county the 18th day of January, 1790 This last will and testament of John Woodson Gent, Deceased is Presented in Court by Josiah Woodson one of the Executors herein named & being proved by the oath of Matthew Pleasants, John Gordon & John Utley, was ordered to be recorded. Then on the motion of the said Josiah Woodson who made oath according to law and gave bond with Robert H. Saunders & Benjamin Hughes his security in penalty of three thousand pounds Probate thereof was granted him in due form with leave for the other Executors to come in when they shall think fit.

Teste: WM MILLER, D. Clk.
A copy from the records, Deed & Will Book No. 15,

Page 335, Goochland County, Clerk's Office.

Teste: P. G. MILLER, Clerk of Circuit Court of the County of Goochland, State of Virginia, July 24, 1914.

88 Col. John Woodson's widow, Dorothea Randolph, died February 2, 1794.