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ABRAHAM VENABLES II, only surviving son of Abraham Venables I of New Kent Co., Va., was born March 22, 1700, O. S. baptized, as stated above, April 27, 1701, in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co., Va. "He lived first on the Pamunky River in what was then New Kent Co., Va., afterwards, King and Queen, which was cut off from New Kent in 1691, and later and at present, King William County, which was cut off from King and Queen County in 1701. Abraham Venables II moved from the Pamunky region and settled in what was then Goochland County, in the fork between the Rivanna and the James Rivers. This region was cut off into Albemarle County in 1744 and in 1777 that end of Albemarle was formed into the present county of Fluvanna. The land upon which the village of Columbia is situated is a portion of the original home tract of this Abraham Venables II." This is taken from the records of Abram B. Venable of "Scott-Greene," Prince Edward Co., Va., written about 1870. Abraham Venables II owned immense tracts of land in Hanover, Louisa, Goochland, and Albemarle counties, on the Hardware River in South Garden and on "Ye Byrd Creek." He was prominent in the affairs of his country and church; justice of the peace of Hanover County, Va., before 1742; one of the first justices of Louisa County, Dec. 24, 1742; after 1742, County Lieutenant of Louisa; Captain in the Colonial Militia, Louisa County; Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from Louisa for over twenty years, 1742-1751-1753-1755-1762, and other years. He was vestryman of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Va., prior to 1742, of Trinity Parish 1762-68, and of Fredericksville Parish, 1742-1761. He was friend, political supporter, and client of Patrick Henry.

Will of Abraham Venables of Louisa Co. Va.--recorded Jan. 9, 1769.
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN:

Abraham Venable of Trinity Parish in Louisa County being in health of Body & of Perfect Mind & memory thanks be given to Almighty God & calling to mind the Mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make & ordain this my Last Will & Testament that is to say, Principally & first of all I recommend my soul unto the Hands of God that gave it, & my Body I Recommond to the earth to be Decently Buried at the Discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting But that at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God & Touching such Worldy Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me, I give & dispose of the same in the following manner & form: First I will that all my Lawful Debts & Funeral Expenses be paid & Discharged, & that each of my children to whom any aprt of my estate is now given do pay their respective parts of my Debts & legacies left to be paid in money in proportion to what they receive of my estate after my decease (Land only excepted) and that their respective parts be subject to pay each of their proportionate parts of debts & legacies aforesaid. ITEM: I give & Bequeath unto my son John Venable my seven hundred & Eighty three acres of land with the plantation whereon I now live situate lying & being on both sides the South Anna river in Louisa County, the s'd dividend of land, be the same more or less, to him the s'd Jno. Venable & to his Heirs & assigns forever & I also give & bequeath unto my s'd son Jno. Venable my four negroes (viz) Jack, David, Daniel & my negro girl Joyce & their increase, to him and his heirs & assigns forever, & I also give to my son John one feather bed, bedstead & furniture which of my beds he shall chuse, my young bay mair & grey horse colt & that he keep the sorrel horse Cedall heretofore verbially given him & I likewise give to my s'd son John, Three cows & calves, his choice out of my stock & six young cattle not under two years old, Ten sheep, my copper still & brass kettle all my books both stitcht & bound, all my Kitchen Lumber & Cider casks & it is my will that he my s'd son John doth not pay above Twenty pounds current money of my debts or less than that sum if his proportion doth not amount to so much, anything above mentioned to the contrary Notwithstanding. ITEM, I give & bequeath unto my Daughter, Mary Moreman, wife to Charles Moreman Jr. & to her Heirs & assigns forever, my negro Boy Ben. ITEM, I give & bequeath unto my son Nathaniel Venable & to his Heirs & assigns forever my four negros, Isaac, Phillis, & two children Milly & Isham, children of Phillis, he paying fifteen Pounds current money to my daughter Mary Moreman besides her proportion of the remaining value towards my debts as above mentioned but if any of the s'd negro shall die before he is possessed of them, then & in that case, he to be exemted from paying the s'd fifteen pounds. ITEM. I give & bequeath unto my son Jas. Venable & my daughter Ann King, wife to Phillip King & to their respective heirs & assigns forever, my Three negros, Peter, Sarah & Sam, child of Sarah & their increase to be divided between them in the following manner, that is to say, my s'd son James to have one third part & my s'd daughter Ann to have two third parts & being unwilling to part the said Negros, I am desirus if it should suit my s'd son & Daughter, but not to compel them, that my s'd son Jas. do take all the s'd three negroes & pay to my s'd daughter Ann two third part of the vallue of the three negroes according to appraisement as they can agree, & whereas I have undertaken to bring up Sarah Tucker, an orphan child, it is my request that my sons Nathl. & Jas. do take care of her as far as necessary. ITEM. I acquit my son in law Phillip King the ballance of his old account being fifty six shillings & four pence half penny.

ITEM. I give unto my daughter Elisabeth Morton wife of Josiah Morton & to her Heirs and assigns forever my negroe girl Judith & her increase. I will that my negro woman Hannah may go to which of my children she shall chuse I will that my negro man Tom may go to which of my children legasees he shall chuse or to be sold at the s'd negro Election, if he can be sold for his value in the judgm't of my exect'rs (or one of them).

ITEM. I give & bequeath unto my son William Venable my surveyors Instrument now in his possession. ITEM. I give to Sarah Tucker Ten pounds current money. I will that my crop of Tobc. on hand at my death after cloathing my negroes according to the season the remainder may be applyed as far as necessary towards paying my debts & the Legasie left to be paid in money & at the division of my negros may be left on the plantation for the support of my son, John, & his negroes & stock apportionable part of the corn wheat & oats then remaining. All the rest of my estate of what nature soever I give & bequeath to my son Jn. Venable & my three daughters Ann King, Elizabeth Morton, & Mary Moreman, to be equally divided among them, in such manner as they shall agree, or on their disagreement, the same to be done according to the Rules of Law & I do constitute & appoint my friend Mr. Waddy Thomson & my sons Abraham Venable, Nathaniel Venable, Hugh Lewis Venable & Jn. Venable, Exors. of this my last will & Testament & I do appoint my friend Mr. Patrick Henry, my trustee & I do hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this my last will & testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this Eleventh Day of April one thousand seven Hundred & Sixty eight.

Signed, sealed Published &
Abraham Venable (Seal)

Declared
In the presence of
James Tate
Love Statham
James Arnet
Jns. Byars
Jns. Lea
At a Court held for Louisa County Jan'y 9th, 1769.
This Will & Testament was this day in open Court proved by the oaths of three witnesses thereto & by the Court O. to be Recorded.

Teste:--John Nelson, C. L. C.
A Copy:--
Teste:--P. B. Porter, Clerk.

A record of Abraham Venables of Louisa Co. Va. found in Goochland
Co. Va.
At a Court called for Goochland County the twenty ninth day of Aprill MDCCXXXII for the Examination of Anthony Wheeler.

PRESENT.

Daniel Stoner, George Payne, George Raine, Anthony Hoggatt, Gent. Justices.

Abraham Venables acknowledges himself indebted unto Our Soveign Lord King George the Second in the Sum of One hundred pounds Sterling to be levied on his Goods & Chattles On Condition that if the said Abraham do appear on the Second Tuesday in June next before the Honble the Judges of the Court of Oyer and Terminer at the Capitol in Williamsburg then and there to give Evidence on behalf of our said Lord the King against Anthony Wheeler, And if the said Abraham do cause a Negro male child named Simon belonging to the Estate of John Syme, decd, to be carried to the said Court at Williamsburg then this Recognizance to be void else in force.

(Court Order Book No. 3, pages 62 & 63).
A Copy from the Record,
Teste: P. G. Miller, County Clerk
of the County of Goochland, Virginia,
February 13, 1923.