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Charles City County, VA; Will of John Eppes, 1836
Last Will and Testament of John Eppes
29 January 1836 - Charles City County, VA
Proved and Recorded on 18 February 1836
Page 1

In the name of God, Amen; I, John Eppes of the County of Charles City a
State of Virginia, do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby
revoking all former wills made by me in appearance and form following to wit.
Imprimus, I direct my Executors herein after named to pay all my just debts and
funeral expenses as speedily after my decease as practicable.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my wife Francis Eppes, to her and her hei
forever all the estate real personal and mixed which I received on my
intermarriage with her in right of my said wife; and I direct my Executors to leave
the same under her exclusive control without any the least interference on their
part; and that there may be no misunderstanding as to the slaves which I
received in right of my said wife, I herein recite their names as follows: Silvy,
Kipsy, Maria, Dolly, Hannah, Jane, Carcy, Erasmus, Julius, Wilson, Susan and
Deck. I also give to my said wife One Hundred Dollars ($100) in cash to her and
her heirs forever; and I loan to her for and during the term of her natural life my
gigg and harness and my sorrel horse.

ITEM: I give and devise to my son John C. Eppes a tract or parcel of land be the
same more or less on the South side of the road leading to the Long Bridge
containing by estimation one hundred and twenty five acres and bound
follows. Commencing at a small walnut tree near the old gate, and running a
straight course to a persimmon, from the spring a south east course and down a
small branch to the spring, from the spring a south east course and down a small
branch which empties into the Edna Mill (Illegible word) to him and his heirs
forever. I also give and bequeath to my said son the following slaves to wit:
Susan, Sam, Milly, William and Burwell, and the future increase of the females,
also any now in his possession. Children of the said Sally and Milly which I
have not named because I do not know or recollect their names - all to him and
his heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son Littleberry Eppes, the following slaves to
wit: Moses, Davy, Killy, wife of Davy, Maria and her three children, Emeline,
Killy and Cresa, also Sam and Daniel together with the future increase of the
females, also my black mare all to him and his heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Bradley, the following
slaves to wit: Siller (sic) and Polly and the future increase of the females to her
and her heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my grand-daughter Virginia Bradley, eldest
daughter of my daughter Elizabeth, a Negro girl named Anna and her futu
increase to her and her heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Marston, the following
slaves to wit: Mahala and son William, Carter, Old John, Eliza, Chrishanna, and
Barnett and the future increase of the females to her and her heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Ann Eppes, the following
slaves to wit: Sally, George, Oliver, Washington, Nancy, Ianetta and Mary and
the future increase of the females to her and her heirs forever. I also give to my
said daughter my carriage and harness in fee simple, but my son Littleberry is to
have the use of it until she arrives to age or marries.

ITEM: I give and devise to my son James Eppes, the following lands adjoining
the tract I reside on purchased of Littleberry Bradley containing one hundred and
forty acres, a tract purchased of Richard W. Ragland containing fifty acres and
that portion of lands purchased by me from Edward Roper’s estate which lies on
the west side of a line to be laid off from the main road, commencing where the
fence now meets the road, and running south to Robert Hubbard’s Corner to him
and his heirs forever. I also give and bequeath to my son the following slaves to
wit: Rico, Randolph, Minerva, Betsy and son John and my sorrel mare and
sorrel coult (sic) two years old, my new saddle and bridle and one bed and
furniture, all to him and his heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son Robert P. Eppes the plantation on which I
now live called and known by the name of Spring Field, the tract devised to my
son James now considered part of my home tract is of course excepted. I also
give and devise to my said son Robert that portion of Roper’s tract which lies on
the east side of the line described in the devise to my son James: The said
lands I give and devise to my son Robert to him and his heirs forever. I also
give and bequeath to my son Robert the following slaves to wit: Jerry, Kepup,
Adeline, Melvira and Nat and the future increase of the females to him and his
heirs forever. I also give my said son in fee simple half dozen silver table
spoons, half dozen silver tea spoons and one bed and furniture.

ITEM: It is my will and desire that if either of my said sons James or Robert
should die under the age of twenty-one years or before marriage, that t
survivor should have the real estate devised to him; and proportion of the
personal estate is to equally divided among all my children, and if both should
die under that age and unmarried, then all the estate real and personal which I
have devised and bequeathed them is to be equally divided among all my
children.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to Henry Marston ten barrels of corn and one stack
of blade fodder, to him and his heirs forever.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my friend James R. Roper two barrels of corn and
one stack of blade fodder to him and his heirs forever.

ITEM: I give the residue of my estate of every description not heretofore
disposed of and all monies that my come into the hands of my executors from
any and every source whatever after the payment of debts expenses and
legacies to five of my children to wit: Elizabeth Bradley, Rebecca Marston, Mary
Ann Eppes, James and Robert P. Eppes to be equally divided among them a
their heirs forever. If my son Littleberry thinks proper to live on the plantation
which I have devised to my son, Robert P. Eppes (part of paragraph is illegible).

Twenty ninth day of January eighteen Hundred and Thirty Six.

Signed, Sealed, published and declared by John Eppes as and for his last Will
and Testament and by his express directive and in his presence we have
subscribed our names as witnesses.

Flemming H BateJno. Eppes (Seal)
John Slaton
Thomas Bradley
Warren Southall

At a court held for Charles City County at the Courthouse on Thursday the 18th
day of February 1836.

This will was produced in court proved by the oaths of Flemming H. Bate and
Thomas Bradley, Witnesses to the same and ordered to be recorded.

Teste: Ro: W. Christian
Court Clerk