General Notes

Ancestral File Number:<AFN> Z6F1-M5
Katherine Banks Royall Isham was the wealthiest woman in the UnitedStates in her era.

Will of KATHERINE ISHAM   1686   Henrico Co., Virginia

In the name of God amen.  I KATHERINE ISHAM being sick & weak  of bodybut  of sound & pfect mind & memory  (praise  be  therefore given  toalmighty  god do make & ordain this  my  last  will  & testament  inmanner & form following (that is to say)   First  I principally commendmy soul unto the hands of Almighty God hoping through  the meritts of mySavior Jesus Christ to have  full  and free pardon & forgiveness of allmy sins and my body I comitt  to the  earth  to be decently burried at yedescretion of  my  Extr, hereafter  named.   And  as the disposition  ofall  such temporall as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me Igive and dispose of as followth.

First Item  I will that all my debts and funerall charges be paid &discharged.   I  give to my Grandson Wm  Randolph  Ð20 sterling  money ofEngland such is not in the custody of my  son-in-law  Wm Randolph  to bedisposed of after my decease for  the proper  use & benefit of mygrandson above named, but in case  of his  mortaility  before he comes toage, then I give  &  bequeath unto  my  grandson  Henry Randolph the Ð20about  to  be disposed as above sd for his proper use and further I giveto  my grandson Henry Randolph five pds sterling money of England and tomy Granddaughters Mary Randolph & Elisa Randolph Ð5 a piece of  likeSterling money all such money above specified is now  in the custody ofmy son-in-law Wm Randolph.  And further I give the residue  of  my  monysuch is in custody  of  my  son-in-law  Wm Randolph  to  my  twodaughters Mary Randolph & Ann  Epes  to  be equally divided.  I also willthat my  claw trunk with all  that is  in  it  be  equally dividedbetween  my  two  daughters  Mary Randolph  &  Ann  Epes  and I give toeach  of  them  two  silver saltcellars.  And to Mary Randolph I give myWedding Ring &  best feather bed and furniture to it and my ?least silvertankard  but one  and fifteen shillings to buy a mourning Ring and desirethe sd Mary Randolph may be exempt from bearing any part of paying mydebts  or  funerall  charges.  And this is all my  legacy  to  my loveingdaughter Mary Randolph.
Item.   I give to my grandson Joseph Royall one Servt named  John Jordnsall the time he hath to serve & my small silver  tankard.  And  furtherI give to my child of my son  Royall's  two  silver spoons.  And to myloveing son Joseph Royall the last Tankard.
Item.   I give to my grandson Richard Dennis one of my best  cows and twosilver spoons.
Item.  I give to my grandson Isham Epes my Negro Dick.  and to myGrandson Francis Epes my biggest silver tankard but one.  I  also giveto the child my daughter Ann Epes now goes with my  largest silverPorringer  & great silver cupp.  My sealed ring  &  great hoop ring witha pair of silver Clasps & Silver bodkin I give  to my daughter Anne Epes.
Item.   I  give  to my Grandson Richd Perrin one Feather bed  andfurniture to it.
item.   I  give to my grand daughter Sarah  Royall  one  Yearling heifer.
Item.  I give to my granddaughters Katherine Farrar, Mary,  Sarah &  AnnePerrin  to  each of them  two  silver  spoons.   And  to KatherineFarrar  one  Guinney  And to Anne  Perrin  one  silver porringer.
Item   I give to my granddaughter Sarah Dennis two silver  spoons andone pair of dowlass  sheets.  And to my two daughters  Sarah Wilkinson  &Katherine Perrin all my wearing  Cloaths  woolen  & Linnen.
Item I give to my loveing friend Mary Parker  six Ells of my best dowless& as much of my finest Serge  as will make her a gown  & petticoat.
Item  I give to my grandson Maiden Marshall one heifer two  years old.
Item  I will and bequeath all my land to my son Joseph Royall  to him andhis heirs forever.
Item  I  give my whole crop of Corn and tobacco to  my  Executorshereafter named except for much as will buy two gravestones,  one toc