Robert Carter makes disposition in his will begun in 1726 (with codicils in October 1726, September 1728, and June and July 1730) of his extensive lands, slaves, investments, and other property to his children with small bequests to his trustees and friends, his minister, and the parish poor.
In the name of God Amen I Robert Carter
of Lancaster County in the colony and Dominion of
Virginia Esquire being in a sickly
declining state of Body
but of sound mind and memory (to God be the praise)
and being now in the sixty third year of my age do make
this my last will and Testament.
I resign my soul to God as into the hands of a Faithfull
Creator and my Body (when it shall please him to take
me out of this World to the earth) trusting in and through
the merits and Mediation of my ever blessed redeemer our
great and only high priest at the right hand of the Father
to have my sins pardoned and washed away and
to attain
to the resurection of the Just disclaiming any righteousness
of my own and firmly believing in the ever blessed Trin-
-ity Father Son and holy Ghost placing my only hopes in
in the Satisfaction and propitiation of my dear Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ I order my body body
to be laid
in
the yard of Christ Church near and upon the right hand
of my Wives a decent funeral to be kept at my interment
a monument or tombstone to be sent for to be erected
Christ Church, Lancaster County; the Carter tombs are to the right of the building.
over my grave of about the value of my last wives Tombstone
with a proper Inscription at the discretion of my son John
or of my other executors in case of his Mortality and I
do dispose of that worldly estate which God hath
blessed me with in
manner
following.
I give unto my son John Carter
Esquire and to his
heirs Male
all my lands Houses and appurtenances, and all my slaves
and real Estate whatsoever lying and being in Lancaster
County (excepting such Land slaves and real estate as
I shall otherwise dispose of in this my will) likewise
my water Mill and the lands I bought of Richard
Sattimore adjoining whether lying in Lancaster or
Northumberland County.
I give unto my said son John and to the heirs male issue of
his body lawfully begotten all that tract of Land I bought
of Mr John Spicer in Essex County
hundred acres with all housing Members and appurtenances
with all the slaves and real estate thereon excepting the
slaves in this my will hereafter excepted.
I give unto my said son John and to the heirs Male issue
of his Body Lawfully to be begotten my tract of Ten thou-
sand acres of Land upon the branches of
upon Cedar run, Owl run & Licking run,
adjoining to
the Germans, granted to Captain
him conveyed to me, unto him my said son John, and
to the heirs male issue of his Body and for want of such
unto my son Charles, and to the heirs male issue of his
Body, and for want of such unto my son Robert
and to
the heirs male issue of his Body and for want of such
unto my own right heirs forever.
I give unto my said son John and to the heirs male issue of
of his Body Lawfully to be begotten, one moyety or half
part of all those lands I lately bought of Robert
Cary
of London Merchant with their and every of their ap-
-purts lying in Richmond & Westmoreland Counties to
be equally divided as followeth. The division to begin
somewhere near the plantation of Peter Smith where
the said Smith lives and so to run away
towards Rappahannock
River in such manner so
as to make
pretty near equal
Quantities in each part consideration being had to
the conveniences of both parts of these lands and that
the Fork of Totees Key
come in to the lower
division the
lower half of this Land I given unto my said son
John and to the heirs male issue of his Body
and for want of such unto my son
I give unto my said son John and to the heirs male
issue of his Body that tract of Land in King George County
that I bought of the said Cary, called the round
hills
being
esteemed to contained five hundred acres together with the
appurtenances thereunto belonging. All these Lands Tenements
Houses and appurtenances slaves and real estate I devise will
and bequeath unto my said son John and the heirs male issue
of his Body lawfully begotten and if my said son John
without issue male or his issue male die
without issue male
then my will is that these lands House Slaves and real
estate given to my said son John do go to my son Robert
and to his heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten
and if my son Robert die without issue male or
his issue
male die without issue male then my will is
that these
lands House Slaves and real estate given to my son John
do go to my son Charles and his heirs male issue of his
Body lawfully begotten and if my son Charles
issue male or his issue male die without issue
male then
my will is that these Lands houses slaves, and real estate
given to my son John do go to my son Landon
and his heirs male
issue of his Body lawfully begotten and if he
or his issue male die without issue male that
then these Lands
houses slaves and real estate given unto my said son
John do go unto my son George,
and his
heirs male issue of his
Body lawfully begotten and if he die without
issue male
or his issue male die without issue male that
then these lands
Houses slaves and real estate given unto my said son John do go
unto my Grandson Carter Burwell
second son
of my
daughter Elizabeth Nicholas
and to the heirs
male
male issue of his Body lawfully begotten and if my said Grandson
Carter Burwell do die without issue male or
his issue male
die without issue male that then these lands,
houses slaves
and real estate do go to my Grandson Robert
Burwell
and to
the heirs male issue of his body lawfully begotten and if my
said Grandson Robert Burwell do
or his issue male die without issue male that
then these lands
,houses, slaves and real estate given to my son John do go to
my Grandson Lewis Burwell
and to the heirs
male issue of
his body lawfully begotten and if my said Grandson Lewis
do die without issue male of his body that
then these Lands
houses slaves and real estate shall go to my Grandson
Mann Page
the son and heir of my daughter
Judith
Page
and the heirs male issue of his body lawfully begotten
and if my said Grandson Mann Page die without
issue
male or his issue male die without issue male
that then
these lands, house slaves and real estate given to my
son John do go unto my said daughter Pages second
or living son if any such there be, to be baptized
Carter and to the heirs male issue of his Body lawfully
begotten and if such Second or living son of my said
daughter Judith Page do die without issue male
then
I give these lands, slaves, houses and real estate
given unto my said son John unto my own right
heirs forever
I give and bequeath unto my son Robert
and to
his heirs male issue of his
Body lawfully begotten
all my lands houses slave appurtenances and real estate what-
soever lying and being in Westmorland [sic
]
County and
likewise the M ill,
and lands adjoining in
Richmond County commonly called and known by the
name of Dickersons Mill
also all my lands houses
slaves appur-
-tenances and real estate I have upon the branches of Wicocomoco
River in Northumberland County known by the name
-page (5)
-
of Fieldings Plantation
and necks containing
between eighteen
hundred and two thousand acres or thereabouts likewise all
my tract of land I bought of Major John Holloway
lying upon
Chappawamsick in Hartford county
and
also all my lands
lying upon the Branches of Ottaquan in the same County and
likewise the slaves tht. went from Middlesex since my
wifes death up to pewmens Emd
which I have sic
]
and to the heirs male issue of his
Body lawfully begotten and if my said son Landon dye [sic]
without issue male then to my son George and to the
heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten and if
my said son George die without issue male then
my
will is that this moiety of these lands and
appurtenances
given to my said son Robert do go to my right heirs forever --
I give unto my said son Robert that tract or parcel of
land I lately bought of William rust lying in Hartford
County upon the branches of Bull Run to him and
his heirs forever.
I give these lands houses slaves Appurtenances and real estate
I do give and bequeath unto my said son Robert and to his heirs
male issue of his Body lawfully begotten and if my son Robert
die without issue male then my will is that
(excepting the
lands I bought of Mr Cary which are settled on my son John
in remainder as aforesaid and the lands I bought of
of
I give and bequeath unto my son Charles and to all the
heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten All my lands houses
plantations and appurtenances in Lancaster and Northumber-
-land Counties which formerly belonged to Majr. William
Lister as also the plantation and lands I bought of
Mr Robert Jones
commonly called
and likewise the plantation and Lands I
bought and purchased of John Sudley the Father
[sic
]
and the son called Blough point plantation
on where
Thomas West
now
lives and also I give unto said son
Charles and to the heirs male issue of his Body law-
-fully begotten all lmy lands in King George and
Spotsylvania Counties lying above the falls of
Rappahannock River and also my Great tract of
land lying
upon the Branches of
Potomack whereon
I have three plantations now seated likewise I give
unto my said son Charles all the slaves that are upon
the said plantations Lands & settlements herein given
to him and all the slaves that shall be upon the sd.
plantations at the time of my death and I also give
unto my said son Charles my negroe Tom Gumby
and his wife & children and also my negroe Frank the
Carpenter & his wife and children & my two negroes that
are apprentices to John Hurst and my negroe boy called
Cesar I also and devise to my said son Charles and
to the heirs male issue of his body apiece of Land about
two hundred acres lying between the line of the Great
Tract I live upon and the lands that were
where the brick store stands and joining upon the Glebe
being a piece of Land on which John Bradley lived also
the lands I bought of John Wale the son
the relict of William Waugh
also the lands I
have lately
agreed for with Simon Sallard
and Blanch
his wife
for the executing deeds for the same I have Sallards bond
which deeds in case of my death before exempted it is
my will shall be past to my said son Charles and the
heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten.
I give these lands plantations houses slaves appurtenances
and estate I give unto my said son Charles and the
heirs male of his Body lawfully begotten and if my son
Charles die without issue male then my will is
that
these lands plantations houses slaves and appurtenances and
estates given unto my said son Charles do go to my son Robert
& the heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten and if my
son
Robert die without issue male then my will is
that these lands plantations
houses slaves appurtenances &
estates given unto my son Charles do
go to my son John and the heirs male issue of his Body lawfully
begotten
My will is that the respective stocks of Cattle horses
sheep and hoggs that are upon my several plantations,
shall go to such of my sons as the Lands are given to according
to my aforesaid will and to be and be continued as an
appurtenace to the several plantations to which they belong.
--
My will is that all my lands slaves stocks of cattle & hoggs
houses plantations and appurtenances to the said lands and real
estate belonging, lying upon merchants hundred
in James river
beheld [sic
]
&
enjoyed by my Daughter Elizabeth
formerly the
relict
of Nathaniel Burwell Gen. deceased and
now the wife of Doctor George
Nicholas for and during the time of her natural life and the
profits of the said estate to belong to her
and after her
decease my will is that these lands houses slaves appurts
stocks of Cattle & hogs do go to my Grandson Carter Burwell
--
& to the heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten, and for
want
of such unto my Grandson Robert Burwell,
and the heirs
of his Body lawfully begotten and for want of such unto my Grand-
-son Lewis Burwell & to the heirs male issue of his Body
lawfully begotten
and if my said Three Grandsons should
will is that these lands slaves, houses, appurtenances stocks of
Cattle and hogs do go to
my Grandaughter Elizabeth Burwell
and to
the heirs male issue of her Body, and
if all my said grandchildren should
Will is that these lands & estate of Merchant
hundred
with the
slaves and appurtenances do go to my
son John and the heirs male issue
of his Body and for want of such unto my
with the remainder over according to the disposition I have
already made of the rest of my lands slaves and real estates
in this my will, and my further will is that this estate in all
time to be called & to
go by the
name of Carter Grove provided
always
& it
is my and meaning that the number of slaves
that are now upon the said plantation shall
always be kept up
and that the mortalitys shall be still supply'd of the profits
of this estate, and that the number of Cattle and other
stocks shall always be kept up for the use and manure
of the said plantation to the same number
they are at my demise
and that the said
plantation
be always kept in good repair and that the contin-
-gent charges of the said estate be born
out of the profits ; --
That whereas I have bought two tracts of Land of Maj. John
Holloway
lying in King & Queen County which cost me
seven hundred pounds sterling six negroes of Mr.
-tine Moore
which cost me [illegible]
pounds sterling and sundry negroes in number
twelve of Mr John Pratt which cost me one hundred
and eighty pounds ten shillings which said
two tracts of
of [sic
]
Land
& negroes are now in the possession of Mann
Page
Esquire
and my daughter Judith Page
his wife and no
settlement
thereof made and having also given orders to the said Mann
Page to lay out a Debt due from him to me upon an ac-
-count amounting to one hundred and six pounds
Eighteen shillings and two pence in slaves for a
further settlement upon the afore said Lands
I do
therefore give and devise the said Lands
& slaves
that shall be bought with the said money
unto my
said daughter Judith Page for and during the
Term of her natural life and the profit of the said land and
slaves and after the decease of my said daughter Judith Page
the said land & slaves do go to my Grandson
heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten and for want
of such to my Grandson John Page
and to
the heirs male issue of
his Body lawfully begotten and for want of such to my
grandson Mann Page
and to the the heirs
male issue of his
Body lawfully begotten and if the said Three Grandsons
should die without issue male then my will is
that these
lands and slaves & appurtenances do go to my Daughter Page's
issue Female and the heirs of their Bodies lawfully begotten
and in case of failure of heirs of the Body of my daughter
Judith, first by her present husband in whose posterity by my said
daughter my design is that this estate be
by him then upon the issue of her Body by any other husband,
but if no such issue be, to take this estate according to my intent
then it is my will that this estate after the death of my said
daughter's husband Mann Page Esquire who
is to enjoy the profits of
it during his natural life these lands slaves Houses &
appurtenances
do go to my son John and his heirs male and
Tale male with the remainder over accordg [sic
]
to the order and dis-
-position of this my will as afore said and after the entail is
spent to revert And go to my own right heirs and my will
is that this estate be called and go by the name of Carter's Dale
in all times to come provided always and
it is my will and
meaning that the number of slaves that are now
upon the sd
plan-
-tation, shall always be kept up and that the mortalitys shall be
still supplied out of the profits of this estate and the number
of Cattle and other stocks shall alwaies
be kept up for the
use and manner of the said plantation to
the same number
they are at, at my decease and that the said plantation
be always kept in good repair and that the contingent Charges
of the said estate be
That whereas I have bought a tract of Land of Maj: Thomas
Randolph in henrico County with the appurts & stocks
thereon which cost me two hundred and fifty pounds ster-
-ling and another Tract of Lands in Surry County of Mr. Wil-
-liam Macon and [gap in text]
his Wife
which
cost me five hundred and sixty pounds sterling and also
Ten negroes which I bought of Mr Augustin More which cost
me Two hundred pounds sterling and three negroes more of
the said More which cost me sixty six pounds sterling all
which lands and negroes being now in the possession of Maj.
Benjamin Harrison & my Daughter Anne
his wife it is my will
& so I do give and bequeath all these lands & the said
slaves and
stocks that now are and shall be upon the said lands of my
purchase unto my said Daughter Anne for and during
her natural life and to her second son to be christened Carter,
and to the heirs male issue of his Body and for want of such to a
third son and to a the heirs male issue of his Body and for want
of such to the eldest son of my Daughter Anne and to the
heirs male issue of his Body and for want of such
issue
male
of my Daughter Anne's body to her my said Daughter's heirs
female and for want of issue male & female of my said
Daughter these lands and slave to go to my son Robert and
to heirs male issue of his Body and for want of such to
my son Charles and the heirs male issue of his Body and
for want of such to my son Landon and the the heirs male issue
of his Body and for want of such to revert to
my son
George
and the heirs male issue of his Body and for want of such
to revert to my right heirs forever provided always & it is my
will that the number of slaves that I have now bought for the
settlement as aforesaid be made up by executors to the
number of Twenty five workers within three years after my de-
-cease provided always and it is my will & meaning that the
number of slaves that are now upon the said plantations or that
shall be placed
there according to the intent of this my will shall always be kept
up and that the
mortalitys shall be still supplied out of the profits of this estate
and the number of Cattle & other stocks shall always be kept up
for
the use and manner of the said plantations to the same number
they are at at
my decease, and the
said plantations be always
kept in good repair and the contingent Charges of the
said estate be bourne out of the profits.
And it is my further will that if my said Daughter Anne be
living at the time of my decease there be five hundred
pounds sterling paid to her by my executors three years after my
decease And I do also given unto my said daughter Anne
forty pounds sterling to be in lieu & satisfaction for her
claim to my negro wench Martha being unwilling she
shall be parted from her husband, The said forty pounds
to be laid out in negroes to be
Daughter Anne & upon her daughter
It is my will then when my Daughter Anne's Daughter Betty
shall arrive to the age of Twenty one years or to be Married there
shall be paid to her the sum of five hundred
pounds sterling
by my executors and that when my said daughter Anne's Daugh-
-ter Anne
shall arrive at the age of
Twenty one years or to be
married there shall be paid to her the
of five hundred
pounds sterling by my executors and in case of the death of
either of my said Grandaughters the whole ten hundred pounds
to be paid to the survivor when she arrives at the age of Twen-
-ty one years or is married and if both of my sd. Grandchild-
-dren should die before they arrive at such
ages or marriage
then the said ten hundred pounds to be paid to such other son
or Daughter as shall be born of the body of my said Daughter
Anne when he or she shal [sic
]
arrive at the age of twenty
one years or marriage. My will is that if my Daughter Mary
shall
live to the age of twenty one years unmarried or if she should
marry before with the consent and approbation of Col: Mann Page Majr.
Benjamin Harrison
my son John & her
brothers Robert & Charles or the major
part of them or the survivors of them that then there be paid to her
by my
executors'' the being
being unwilling she should be parted
from her husband also the spinning Girl phillis
and the Girl Nanny which she already calls hers to
her the said Mary, and to the heirs of her Body and
if she dies without such heirs unto my daughter Harri-
-son, and the heirs of her Body forever. And I do order my
executors to send for, for my said Daughter Mary a gold
watch of thirty pounds price, and a pearl necklace of
twenty five pounds price when she arrives at sixteen
years of age, and it is my further will that if my said
Daughter Mary shall marry before she attains to the age
of twenty one years without the consent and approbation
of her brothers as aforesaid or the major part of the sur-
-vivors of them that in such case I do revoke & make
void all the aforesaid Legacies & then order my executors to
pay to her my said Daughter Mary the sum of
Five hun-
-dred pounds sterling and no more.
My will is that if my Daughter Lucy
shall
live to the age of twenty one years
unmarried or if she shall marry before with the consent and
approbation of
Colonel Mann Page, Majr.. Benjamin
Harrison my son John and her brothers Robert
and Charles that then there be paid to her by my Executors the
-een hundred pounds sterling to be paid in manner following (that is
to
say) at three yearly equal successive payments the first payment to
be made in eight months after my said daughter's marriage with
consent
as aforesaid, or her coming to the age of twenty one years and my
Will is that my said Daughter Lucy have a genteel maintenance
out of my estate until she arrive at such age or marriage, and
that she live with her sister Page, or her sister Harrison as
as they shall agree to be best and properest for her, I also give
unto my said daughter Lucy, the Madagascar Girl Belinda
and her child and Nausau's Girl Bridgett, and Toby's
to her the said Lucy, and the heirs of her Body and if she
without heirs of her Body unto my son Robert and the heirs of
his Body forever. And I do order my executors to send for, for my
said Daughter Lucy a gold watch of thirty pounds price,
and a pearl necklace of twenty five pounds price when she arrives
at sixteen years of age. And it is my further will that
Daughter Lucy shall marry before she attains to the age
of twenty one years without the consent and approba-
-tion of her brothers as aforesaid, or the major part of the sur-
-vivors of them that in such case I revoke
& make
void all the aforesaid Legacys and then order my executors to
pay to her my said Daughter Lucy the sum of
five
hundred pounds sterling and no more. --
My will is that if either of my two youngest daughters
dye
die before she comes of age or
is married so that
she doth not
come to enjoy the Legacies designed by this said will then
my will is there be paid by my executors to each of my sur-
-viving daughters the sum of two hundred
pounds sterling
and if the other of my two youngest Daughters
she come to enjoy the Legacies designed her by this will
then two hundred pounds more a peice to my surviving
Daughters, and in case of the death of my surviving daugh-
-ters or either of them leaving Child or children
the mothers part And Whereas I have in
Perry's
& Mr. Dawkin's
hands Four
thousand two hundred & fifty pounds
Capitol Bank stock & in Mr. Perry's hands a bank annuity of
fifteen hun-
-dred pounds and whereas I have sundry valuable debts due unto me in
Virginia upon Mortgage bonds & Interest it is my will
annuity shall be kept upon the same foot they now are and also two
thousand pounds of my best debts, that are now out upon mortgage
Bond and
interest as aforesaid still as the money shall be paid into my executors
hands shall be let out again unto me or more substantial person or
persons in Virginia with good security according to the discretion
of my executors upon mortgage or Bonds at interest & so to be
contin [u]
-
-ed at interest until my son George shall arrive at the age of
twenty one
years, and that the interest for the first two years after my death
to be
raised out of these bank stocks the bank annuity and the said of
two thousand pounds
shall go to my
three elders son my executors & shall
contribute to the payment of my Legacies the discharging the
incumbrances of this my will & to the maintenance & educat-
-tion of my Children in
Britain and
Virginia.
It is my will that when my son Landon shall arrive at the age
of twenty one years there shall then be paid to him & delivered
by my executors one moiety or half part of my said Capitol Bank
stocks & one moiety of my said Bank annuity and one moiety
or half part of the said two thousand pounds to be kept out at
interest as aforesaid and likewise one half part or moiety of
the interest that shall arise from the said Bank stocks
Bank Annuity and the said two thousand
pounds after the afore-
-said two years shall be run out & expired.
It is my will that when my son George shall arrive at the
age of one and twenty years the other moity [sic
]
or half part
of my said Capitol Bank stocks the other moiety or
half part of my said Bank annuity, and the other
moiety of half part of my said
two
thousand pounds ordered
to be placed out at interest as aforesaid together
with the interest that shall arise out of out of
the said moiety of the said Capitol Bank stocks
and
&
of the said
Bank annuity and of the saidtwo thousand pounds after the sd. two years
-page (17)
-
are expired and run out as aforesaid, shall be paid delivered and
assigned over to my executors or the survivors of them unto my said
son George.
It is my will that if my son Landon die
before he arrives at the
age of one & twenty years, so that according to the intent of
this my will,
he my son Landon will have no right to these Legacys designed him
when he
comes to the age of one &
twenty years & not before, that then
that moiety or half part of my said Capitol Bank stocks of
my said Bank annuity and of my said two thousand
pounds together with the interest that shall arise therefrom,
after the expiration of the aforesaid two years (ordered to be
paid to my said son Landon by my said executors when he comes
to the age of one and twenty years) shall be also paid to my
son George when he shall arrive to the age of one & twenty
years & not before or otherwise.
My will is that if my son George do die
before he arrives at the
age of one & twenty years, so that the moiety or half part of my
said Capitol Bank Stock, the moiety of my said Bank Annuity
and the moiety or half of the said two thousand pounds with the
interest arrising therefrom as aforesaid after the said two
years are expired, ordered to be paid to be paid
to my
son George
when he comes to the age of one & twenty years as aforesaid he
my
said son George will have no right to, according to the intent
of this my will that then that moiety or half part of my said
Capitol Bank Stocks of said Bank Annuity and of my said two
thousand pounds together with the interest that shall arrise
therefrom after the expiration of the aforesaid two years
(ordered to be paid by my said
executors to my said son George when
he comes to the age of one & twenty years) shall be also paid
& assign-
-ed over by my executors or the survivours of them unto my son
Landon
when he shall arrive to the age of one & twenty years
years
&
not before or otherwise.
Whereas that if my said sons Landon & George
respective Ages of one & twenty years so that in such case my
said Bank
stocks my said Bank annuity & my said two thousand pounds with
the Interest arising therefrom as aforesaid according to the
intent of this my Will will go and belong unto my three elder
[sons]
John Robert & Charles my extors & to the survivor or
survivors
of them it is in such case my will that when this
contingency does happen if any of my three elder sons
should be dead John, Robert or Charles having legitimate
child or Children then alive that then such Child
or Children have and e [n]
joy his or their
Father's part
But it is my further Will that if my said three elder
sons or their Children as aforesaid come to have
and enjoy my aforesaid Bank stocks my aforesaid
Bank Annuity & my aforesaid two thousand pounds
according to the intent of my will It shall be
upon this condition that they my three elder sons,
John, Robert & Charles & the executors & administrators
of my said
Sons, if either of my said sons should die
before be
fore
the time shall be answerable for & make
of the sum of Four hundred pounds sterling to
each
of my daughters that shall be then alive and if any
of my daughters should die leaving Child or
Children
the said Four hundred pounds designed for the Mother
shall be paid to such Child or Children and this will
be but an easy burden upon my said
three Elder Sons
when this large addition comes to their estates provided al-
-ways & it is my will & intent that
my executors my sons
John, Robert & Charles or the survivors of them or the major
part of them with the consent and approbation of my trustees and
more especially with the consent of Mann Page Esq.. if he shall be
then
alive taking all prudent care for the security of these estates
these Bank Stocks
this Bank annuity & this two thousand pounds and the interest
thereof
as aforesaid if any loss or lasses [sic
]
do happen in any of these estates my
executors
shall not be answerable for any such loss or losses out of their own
Estates.
I give unto my son Landon, and to the heirs of his body & for
want of such
issue unto my son George and the heirs of his body forever Smith
Robins
Girl Joan & Nausaus two eldest Children (Bridget which was given
away before excepted) and my will is that Landon be kept
at school in his Education until he is seventeen years of age
& then be disposed of in such a
manner as my executors his brothers
shall judge most condusive to his future well being.
I give unto my son George and to the heirs of his body & for
want of such issue unto my son Landon & the heirs of his body
forever my Negroe Boy Scipio & the mulatto boy Talbert & the
girl Mary that is now in for a share at the old house & her
Children & increase and it is my will that my son George be
kept in Virginia & that he be educated at the College of Wil-
-liam and Mary so long as my sons his brothers shall think
fit to continue him there and then to be disposed of
manner as my executors his Brothers shall judge most
conducive to his future well being. --
I give unto my said two sons Landon & George and to the
heirs male issue of their bodies lawfully begotten all my Estate
both real and Personal in Williamsburg & if both my sons
die without issue male then to my son John
& his issue male
And if my son John die without issue male then
to my son Robert
& his issue male and if my son Robert die
without issue male, then
to my son Charles & his issue male and in case of the Death of
all sons with-
-out issue male then to go to my own right heirs forever. And I do
here-
-by oblige my my
son John to keep the said estate in good
re-
-pair out of the profits of the said estate. My will is that the
mortgage I have of Edmund Jennings Esqr. of Rippon hall
in
York County the Ten following negroes be placed upon the said plan-
-tations immediately after my decease (to wit) Tom at the
town
with his wife & children, Sambo at
& child or Children Nick Read's Jos at Co
any a negroe Man & his wife and Children if any from
& his wife & Children if any from old plantation and also
that there
be bought five more chase [sic
]
working slaves to be seated &
settled there-
-on, for the improvement of the said estate and that the stock of
Cat-
-tle thereon be made up at least to sixty head for manuring
the grounds and it is my will and meaning that the profits of these
lands and slaves do go and belong to my two sons Landon & George
for and until my son George shall arrive to the age of twenty one
years and that then it is my will that upon my son George's pay-
-ment of two hundred pounds Sterling to my son Landon that
this estate Lands slaves and stocks, I do will and devise to
my said son George the said mortgage Lands the said slaves
& stocks in the following manner (that is to say) to my son
George & the heirs male issue of his body and for want of such
to my son Landon and to the heirs male issue of his Body &
for want of such to my son John & the heirs male issue of his
Body
& for want of such to my son Robert & the heirs male issue
of
his Body & for want of such to my son Charles & the heirs
male issue of
his Body and for want of such to my own right heirs forever. [sic
]
provided always and it is my will and
meaning that the num-
-ber of slaves appointed by this my will shall always be kept
up to the number fifteen workers upon the said Lands
and that the mortalities [sic
]
shall still be
supplied out of
the profits of the said estate until my said son George
comes to the age of twenty one years And it is my will
& meaning that this mortgage of Rippon hall shall be taken
and understood to be in payment of one thousand pounds
Virgin-
-ia Debts given to my sons Landon & George And my will
is that the houses upon the said rippon Hall planta-
-tion be well repaired and kept in good repair
out of the profits of the said estate that is the
repairs to be immediately made by my son John
& he to be repaid out out
sons
younger sons are directed to be.
It is my will that there be a true full & perfect Inventory
made
of all my estate as Slaves, Stocks, Goods Chattles moneys Debts
&
both in Virginia & Great Brittain [sic
]
& be recorded in the General
Court & that no valuation or appraisement be made of my
estate & that my executors named and
appointed in this my
will be not obliged to give security for my estate when they
take probate of my will.
It is my will that the tobacco now to ship & the crops both
of
corn & Tobacco that shall be made this year shall
part of my estate & shall be shipped
to Great Britain in
such probation as my executors shall
think fit & to the Mer-
-chants that I at present deal with if if
my
to vary the consignments however leaving them at liberty
to whom to consign, taking care to trust substantial Men
and it is my will that the aforesaid Tobacco be ship'd in the
name of my executors And it is my will that the Crops of all
my slaves both of Tobacco and Corn that shall be made in
the next two succeeding years that is in one thousand seven hun-
-dred & twenty seven & one thousand seven hundred and twenty
eight & when my son Charles will come to age shall be
held deemed & taken as my estate & the Crops of Tobacco to
be shiped [sic
]
in
the name of my
09:49 12/4/2002
executors as aforesaid and the produce
thereof to be accounted for to my estate for and towards the
discharge of
my debts Legacies & other incumbrances of this my will provided
al-
-ways there be allowed out of the produce of the said two years
Crops two
hundred pounds sterling a piece per annum
to each of my three eldest sons for their
maintenance likewise that the family have suitable
maintenance for the said two years & the contingent charges of
the
said estate to be bourne & that my
younger Children also have
a decent maintenance and it is my will
that the money
that is and shall be raised in Britain by the profits of my
plantations or by any other ways than what
will answer
my Debts Legacies Bequests & orders made in this my will
be divided into three equal parts my two younger sons
Robert and Charles to have a thousand pounds more
apiece than my son John towards building & Settling their
plantations And whereas several of my legacies are made
payable at some distance of time & some of them upon
such Contingencies which perhaps may never happen It
is my will that upon the division of the money that shall
belong to my estate as aforesaid that my three elder sons
& executors enter into reciprocal
Bonds to one and the other
to be answerable in proportion for the respective Legacies
and bequests in this my Will when they shall become due &
payable. --
It is my will that the charge maintenance & education of
my two youngest sons Landon & George
-tion & intention of this my will shall be equally
by my three eldest sons John Robert & Charles, out of
the profits of their estate, during their minority.
It is my will that if my daughter Page
shall
be alive on
the Tenth day of May In the year seventeen hundred and
twenty nine that then there be paid to her my said Daughter
Page the sume of three hundred pounds sterling by my
three eldest sons my executors out of
the estates & profits there-
-of I have given them And it is my further Will that my
executors shall pay to my Grandson Mann
Page when he
arrives to the age of twenty one years the
three hundred pounds Sterling and it is my further Will
that my executors shall pay to my Grandson Carter Page when he
arrives at the age of Twenty one years the
pounds sterling and my further Will is that my Executors
shall pay to my Grandson John Page when he arrives at
the age of twenty one years the sum of three
hundred
pounds Sterling And my Will is that if one of my said
grandsons should die before he comes to said
age of Twenty
one years the whole nine hundred pounds shall be paid
to the two surviving Brothers when they arrive at the said
age of twenty one years And if two of my said Grandsons
should die before they arrive to their
respective ages
of twenty one years then the nine hundred pounds shall
be paid to the last surviving Brother when he shall
arrive at the age of twenty one years.
It is my further will that if the large brick house now building
by
Colonel Page
in the
room of the house that was unfortunately con-
-sumed by fire shall be finished and
completed during
the life time of my said Daughter Page so that she shall
come to enjoy it & to have her Tithe of Dower in it then it
is my Will and I do lay it as a charge upon my three eldest
sons John Robert and Charles my executors out of the profits of
the estates I have hereby given to them the
hundred pounds one hundred pounds [sic
]
apiece to be paid
to my son in Law Mann Page Esquire if he
be then alive,
or else to my Daughter his now Wife towards furnishing
the said house. It is my Will that if [my]
Daughter Elizabeth
the wife of Doctor George Nicholas shall be
alive on the
tenth day of May seventeen hundred and twenty nine
that then there be paid to my said Daughter Elizabeth the sume [sic]
of three hundred pounds sterling by my Executors And I do also
give to my said Daughter a pair of Diamond Ear rings to cost
fifty pounds sterling, to be bought by such person as she shall
desire the money to be paid by [my]
Executors And it is my Will that
It is my Will then [sic
]
when my Grandson Lewis Burwell arrives
to the age of twenty five [ sic
]
years there shall be paid to him by
my Executors the sum of three hundred pounds
Sterling and
it is also my Will that my Executors shall pay to my Grandson
Carter Burwell when he arrives at the age of twenty one
years the sum of three hundred pounds
Sterling and it is
also my Will that my Executors shall pay to my Grandson
Robert Burwell when he arrives to the age
of twenty one
years the sum of three hundred pounds
Sterling and it
is my Will that if either of my three Grandsons should
I give unto my son John all my furniture in the new
house and half of the rest of the Furniture in my Kitchen &
other
houses about my mansion Dwelling the other half of my Furniture
I do give unto my sons Robert & Charles to be
valued by four of the most substantial of my neighbours
My Will is that my plate both old & new be equally divided be-
-tween my three elder Sons John Robert & Charles my books to
be divided into four parts, my son John to have two parts
of them my sons Robert & Charles to have the other two parts
my pictures each Child to have his own picture my son
to have my first picture and his mothers also my gold watch
and diamond ring my Son Robert to have my other picture & his
mothers picture & one half of my other rings & watches my
son Charles
to have the other half my sons Robert and Charles to have each of
them a gold watch sent for at the Charge of my estate to cost
to cost [sic
]
thirty pounds each all my Goods that are coming in for
my families to be disposed of among the
families for their Sup-
-ply as they were intended all my new Goods Tools nails
utensils & not already disposed of to belong to my said three
sons, John Robert and Charles to be equally divided between them
or appraised and the Value answered to my
sons as my Executors shall agree
My Will is that thirty mourning rings be sent for to be distri-
-buted by my executors among my friends
and relations and it
is my will that all the rest of my estate personal or real
not herein disposed of in Virginia or elsewhere do belong & I do
give it unto my said three eldest sons John Robert and Charles
and their heirs forever.
It is my Will that in regard those negroes which went from
Middlesex
are now seated and settled upon my son John's plantation called
pewmonds End
in Essex which slaves
notwithstanding I have given
unto my son Robert It is my Will and desire that my son John
let my son Robert have other slaves of their Value either new
or old & that after such Change made to the satis-
faction of both my said sons
such
I give my wearing apparel & Cloths the best of them and what
are
coming in for my own wearing & my wigs,
swords canes pistols
& [c]
to be divided among my three
elder sons & my other Cloths I
would have given to my good friends Capt. Thomas Carter
& Mr John Turbervile. -- --
I give unto my Son in Law Colonel
Mann Page twenty pounds
Sterling to buy him mourning also Major
Benjamin Harrison
Twenty pounds for the same use And to Doctor George Nicholas
Ten pounds for the same use And I do order all my Children
& Grand Children
to go into
decent mourning at the Charge of my estate.
It is my Will that what selling Goods I have coming in this
shipping when they arrive shall be delivered to Capt. Thomas
Carter to be by him sold & disposed of together with the
Goods already under his care for good tobacco and money
or Bills of exchange to be accounted for as also all the
Tobaccos & Debts due in the said Carters hands upon
the sales of Goods already sold out of the said Store
unto my said three eldest sons equally or the
survivors of them.
It is my Will that my son John have & enjoy the
Lease I have lately taken & am now in possession of
the northern neck from from
the proprietors & he to
have and receive in his own right the profits of
the same and the management thereof and that my
son John out of his own estate do pay the yearly
rents for the said Lease that I stand engaged for
to the said proprietors, It is my request to my son
John that he release to his brothers Robert &
Charles the rents of their Lands during the
term of the said Lease. --
I do name constitute and appoint my three elder sons John,
Robert & Charles to be Executors of this my will and to be guar-
dians of my younger Children & their estates and I do re-
quest constitute and appoint & make my honorable & good
friends & relations the aforesaid Mann Page Esqr. of Gloces-
-ter County Major Benja. Harrison of Charles City County
Major Geo. Eskridge
& Capt. Geo. Turbervile
of We
County Mr. Richard Lee
of Northumberland County
&
Captain Thomas Carter of Lancaster County
to be Assist-
-ant to my Executors & to be my trustees to see this my Will
performed & to be consulted and advised with upon all
emergent occasions more especially the said Mann Page Esqr.
It is my Will and I do ordain that whenever the Vestry of
Christ Church Parish shall undertake to build a
brick Church in the place where the present Church
stands that there be paid out of my estate by my
three elder sons &
Executors
the sum of two hundred pounds
sterling money one half part of this money is to be paid
out of my son John's estate the other half is to be equal-
-ly paid by my son Robert & my son Charles out of
their part of my estate this money to remain in my
Executors hands until one half one half
of the work is
completed provided
as a burial place place [sic
]
for my family as the present
Chancel is, and that there be preserved to my family a
commodious pew in the new Chancel and it is my
further Will that the bricks that are now made & bu [r]
nt shall be
appropriated to the Building of the said BrickChurch [sic
]
or as many
thereof as will perfect the building and likewise the bricks that
shall be made and be there at my decease and if my Son
John shall have occasion to make use of any of the said
bricks then he be obliged to make & burn as many more for the
use afore
said. I give twenty pounds Sterling to be laid out in a piece of
plate for the
use of our Church to be sent for and engraved according
My Will is that my white servants that are about my house
that are not tradesmen be divided amongst my three sons
John, Robert and Charles & those that are tradesmen to be-
-long to my said three sons and to be made use of as they
shall agree, in their respective trades and that the white
Servants that are abroad seated upon my plantations
belong to such of my said sons as the plantations are given to.
I give unto my son John, my Coach and four Coach horses also
my barge & furniture, my own riding horse, my Chariot &
other two Coach horses my Will is my son Robert shall have
when he removes to live on his own Lands
[.]
my two youngest
daughters to have each of them a riding horse & side
saddle provided for them out of my estate and that
my sons Landon & George have found for them Constant-
-ly a good riding horse & saddle out of my estate until
they come to their respective ages of twenty one years.
My Will is that my son John have four of my best Cart
horses & tht. all the rest of my horses & mares be equally
di-
vided between my three sons John Robert & Charles.
Whereas there are sundry debts & ballances due to me from
some of my friends & poor neighbours to whom I have a
mind to be kind I do therefore ordain as followeth &
give the following directions that Robert Gordon be discharg-
-ed of his whole debt he paying ten pounds Sterling to my
Executors that John Hutchins
be discharged
of his whole debt
he paying ten pounds sterling to my Executors. Majr.
George Eskridge's Debt upon obligations
& all other
accounts between us he having lately paid me
a bill of Exchange of seventy pounds it is my
Will that all accounts
for his quit Rents & stand ballances
between us the
debt he has of mine in his hands upon account of sales
of negroes out of the ship
-ble for, Mr. Richard
Lee's
obligation I remitt.
Whereas Captain Thomas Carter hath
gone through a series
of Business for me for several years together in selling
diverse cargoes of Goods and upon other
accounts of
whose honesty & integrity I have always had a very
good opinion It is my Will that such accounts of my
afairs [sic
]
as he
can make up be received as satisfac-
-tory from him by my Executors and that he be to no
trouble at law upon my account.
That Whereas in this my Will I have given the lands I
bought of Mr. Robert Cary which cost me above Two thou-
-sand pounds Sterling to my sons John & Robert it is my
Will that they my said sons John & Robert do pay unto
my estate some time within five years after my
decease each of them the sum of five hundred
pounds out of their own estates to be accounted as
part of my estate to go towards the discharge of
my legacies & incumbrances of this my Will.
Whereas I have paid for my son John several
amounting to between twelve & fourteen hundred pounds in
discharge of Colonel
-ty of the repayment of part of the said
money my said son John
hath mortgages certain negroes and for the payment of the rest
hath given me Bond and is obliged to pay me Interest for all
the said money until repayment thereof It is my Will that
in Lieu and satisfaction of this money due to me upon my
said sons mortgage & Bond that he my said son his Executors or
administrators shall repay unto my estate the
Sterling of the said money to be accounted as part of my estate
& to go
towards the discharging my Legacys & incumbrances of this
my Will and that my executors my sons
Robert & Charles have power to recover this said
of eight hundred pounds sterling from my said son John his
Executors and administrators under their
Quality of their being my executors .
Whereas I have given power to Mr Micajah
Perry
of London
Merchant to purchase for me the whole estate of John L.
Boyd Esquire deceased lying in Richmond
& Westmoreland
Counties the lands the negroes & the stocks & to give for
the
same four thousand pounds Sterling Now if the said
Perry should make the said purchase which must
come out of the Estate of my three sons John Robert
and Charles & to be
in case
of my Death it is therefore my will and I do devise the said estate
in common between my said three
sons John Robert and Charles
& to be
divided equally between them
as they shall agree upon division each son to hold his
part both of Land & slaves to him & his heirs Male of
his Body lawfully begotten and so to be continued in Tail
Male as the rest of my said respective Sons Lands are to go
(excepting the Lands I bought of Mr Cary) which are under
a diferent [sic
]
devise in respect of the remainders And where-
-as the entail of the lands bought of Mr.
Cary is carried
down no further than to the issue male
of male
of my
son Charles my further Will is that in case of failure
of issue
male of my said son Charles that then these
lands bought of Mr Cary do go to my son Landon & to
the heirs male issue of his body & for want of such to
my son George & the heirs male issue of his Body & for
want of such to my right heirs forever.
Whereas in the former part of this
my Will
I have given to
my son John Ten
thousand acres
of Land upon the branches of Occaquan binding
upon the Germans conveyed to me by deed from
Captain Geo Turbervile which said tract
of Land I have
Whereas I am now in possession of the Negroes & personal
estate of Thomas Glascock
which was
forfeited to me as
the proprietors Agent upon the conviction of the said
Thomas Glascock for murder these negroes and per-
-sonal estate I give to my son John & his heirs desiring
him to be kind to the Children of the said Glascock
such of them as he shall think deserves it in some
proportion to the value of the estate as whereas there
is an outlawry prosecuting at the General Court in
order to attaint the said Glasc [oc]
k that
his lands may
be escheated which are also now in my possession my
Will is that if my son John comes to enjoy the said
Glascocks Lands under a good title that then he fur-
-ther consider the said Glascocks Children in such
proportion as he shall think fitt or otherwise
them according to his discretion.
That whereas in the second item in the eighth sheet
in this my Will I have directed that Merchants hundred
plantation with the slaves and Stocks to be held & enjoyed
by my daughter Elizabeth
for and during the
term of
her natural life my intent & meaning is
of Cattle & hoggs & other personal Goods belonging to the
said plantation be only lent to my said daughter Eli-
zabeth during her life and no property Vested in
her, and she my said daughter to enjoy the profits of
of the said stocks still keeping up the number that they shall
be at the time of my decease And my Will and meaning is the
same in respect of the other settlements I have made to my
daughter [s]
Page & Harrison.
It is my will that forty pounds worth of Coarse good be
sent for and to be distributed amongst the poor necessitous
people of the parish I live [in]
at the
discretion of my executors.
It is my Will and I do give to Mr. John Bell
our minister
Ten pounds sterling for mourning.
It is my Will and I do give to my several friends my Trustees
in this my [Will]
Ten pounds sterling a
piece as an acknowledge-
-ment for the trouble they will be at.
I do hereby revoke all other and former Wills & testaments
heretofore by
me made & do publish utter & declare this to be my last will
& testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this
twenty
second day of August one thousand seven hundred & twenty six.
NB the words in the Twelfth sheet, of this my Will (or the ma-
-jor part of them or the survivors of them) & the Words (to be
paid by my son John) and in the seventeenth sheet the
Words (so long as my sons his Brothers shall think fitt to
continue him
there) interlined before
signed.
Robert Carter
(LS)
Signed sealed & published in
presence of us
John Turbervile
1726
Solomon
Aashead [sic
]
I the aforesaid RobertCarter
nbsp; being of sound mindand
memory. -- --
[First Codicil, 1726 October 1]
Twenty Eighth sheet of my Will.
I do this day make this my further addition & alteration inmy
aforegoing Will dated the twenty second day of August last to make
my son Robert equal to his other Brothers in number of slaves I
do give unto my said son Robert and the heirs male issue of his body
lawfully begotten under the same limitation as the rest of the
negroes are given the following slaves (to Wit) all those slaves Men
Women and Children that I bought and purchased of Mr John Pratt
which were brought home to my house also the negroe called HarryBacon
and the negroe Boy called Sam both which run away from my Nomini
plantation likewise four good Negroes out of these I have given to my son
Charles two young men & two young women also as many more slaves
out of these I have given to my son John half Males & half
Females not to be
under the age of twelve years as will make up the number I have
given to
him my said son Robert one hundred working slaves above the age of
twelve years.
My will and meaning is that my Negroe Harry one of Georges sons
shall be deemed to belong to my son Charles he now he now
living at
my falls plantation.
Whereas I have ordered a
Quarter
to be seated upon the Land I lately
bought of Mr Cary with Ten or twelve slaves from my Westmoreland
plantations which Quarter will belong to my son John by this my Will
It
is notwithstanding my Will & intent that these slaves as many of
them as
shall be seated on the said new plantation at the time of my
Death shall be held and taken to belong to my said son Roberts
number of slaves
In Witness that this is a part of my will & to be construed
as
such I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eleventh day
of October one thousand seven hundred and twenty six.; --
Robert Carter
(L.S.)
Signed
sealed & published in presence
of Richard Lee
John Harvey
L Austin
Twenty ninth sheet of my will.
Solomon Ashead
[Second Codicil, 1728 September 12 ]
In the name of God Amen I Robert Carter
aforesaid since the making of my abovesaid Will consisting of twenty
nine sheets of paper having undergone several Changes and altera-
-tions in my circumstances in relation to my temporal Estate
and for as much as by a late Act of Assembly made since the
making of my said Will to explain & amend the act declar-
-ing the negro mulatto & Indian slaves within this Dominion
great alterations are made in the said act making negroes
a real estate under the consideration of which former Act
of Assembly I made my said Will being & continuing to this
day thro' the mercy of God of sound mind & memory do
make the following additions alterations
& declarations in & concerning my said Will as
aforesaid. --
Whereas I have entailed upon my three eldest sons John
Robert & Charles all my slaves belonging to my several
plantations in Virginia with several remainders over
which under the former Law I had power to do
giving all my said slaves in such Words unto my said
three sons as will give the property in all my said
slaves according to the interpretations & meaning
of the said late Law
which was never my
purpose
or intent to do. I do hereby utterly revoke
all those
gifts to my said three sons John Robert & Charles here-
-by declaring it is my full intent & meaning that no
property shall be vested in any of my said three
sons to any of my said slaves and I do hereby de-
-clare that it is my intent & meaning that my said
three sons shall have only the use and profits of
my said slaves & their increase for during and Continu-
-ing their respective natural lives the said slaves and their
increase however to be annexed to my respective Lands and planta-
-tions for the improvements of my said several plantations &
Lands according to the directions of my said Will.
It is my will that my several slaves that are to be annexed
according to the intent of my will to the lands and plantations
where I live which I hold as tenant in tail under the will
of my Father
& also all the slaves which
which
are to be
annexed to all the rest of the lands & plantations which I
have given to my said son John in Tail the property in
all my said slave & their increase lent to my said son
John as aforesaid I give unto my Grandson
John
my said
son John's son however to be annexed both to
all the said
slaves and their increase unto the Lands & plantations
that are intailed upon my said son John & to continue
annexed & to go with the Lands according to the intent
& meaning of my said Will. --
It is my will that my several slaves that are to be annexed
according to the intent of my said Will to the Lands & planta-
tions which I have given to my son Robert
in
Tail the property
in all my said slaves & their increase lent to my said son
Robert as aforesaid I give unto my Grandson
Robert
my
said son Robert's son however to be annexed both all the
said slave & their increase unto the Lands & plantations
that are in tailed upon my said son Robert and to Contin-
ue annexed &
to go with the Lands
accord [ng]
g to the intent &
meaning of my said Will....
p>It is my will that my several slaves that are to be annexed
according to the intent of my said Will to the Lands &
plantations
which I have given to my son Charles in Tail the property in
all my said slaves and their increase lent to my said son Charles as
aforesaid I do give unto my said son Charles, in trust to be by him
conveyed and made over unto the heirs male of my said son
Charles and to be continued annexed to the said said
lands
entailed upon my said son Charles as aforesaid.
That Whereas I have bought sundry tracts of Land for my three mar-
-ried daughters And have bought sundry slaves for the improving
and working the said Lands which they are annexed unto
And Whereas at the making of my said Will I had only
-gage of Rippon Hall in York County & the lands thereto
belonging
upon the forfeiture whereof by the Judgement of the General
Court in Chancery the redemption of the said estate hath
been since foreclosed and I am now seized
in the said estate
as of an inheritance in fee simple & have also seated the
said Estate with
fourteen slaves It
is my will that the profits
of the said estate and slaves do go and belong to my two
sons Landon & George until my said son George arrives
to the age of twenty one years that then the said
& their increase to belong to my said son George
he paying to my son Landon the sum of one
hundred & fifty pounds sterling And I do hereby
give and devise unto my son George the said estate of Rippon Hall
with the lands & appurtenances thereunto belonging to him &
the
heirs of his body lawfully begotten & for want of such to my
son Landon & the heirs of his body lawfully begotten & for
want of such to my son John & the heirs of his body lawfully
begotten & for want of such to my son Robert & the heirs of
his body lawfully begotten & for want of such to my son Charles
& the heirs heirs
of his body lawfully begotten &
for want of
such to my right heirs forever.
And Whereas I have given my estate in Williamsburg to
my two sons Landon & George It is now my Will & I do here-
-by devise unto my said son George all my said estate in
Williamsburg to him & the heirs of
his body lawfully begotten &
for want of such to my son Landon & the heirs of his body
lawfully begotten and for want of such to my son John
& the heirs of his body lawfully begotten & for want of such
to my son Robert & the heirs of his
body lawfully begotten
& for want of such to my son Charles & the heirs of his
body lawfully begotten & for want of such to my right
heirs forever. --
And whereas in my said Will I have given to my two sons Landon
& George my bank annuity of Fifteen hundred pounds which
hath since been paid into the hands of Micajah
Perry
Esquire
It is my Will that this Fifteen hundred pounds be paid to my
said son Landon when he shall come to
years in three equal yearly payments in the following
manner Viz.
the first payment to be made
the first
shipping after my said [son]
Landon
arrives at his age of
twenty one the second payment the shipping after that & the
third payment to be made the shipping after that & that
he also have one moiety of my bank stocks in the hands
of the said Perry & Mr. William Dawkins
the
other moiety
of my said Bank stocks to belong to my son George
according to the directions and in the manner of my said Will
And that there be further paid by my Extors unto my said
son Landon when he shall arrive at the age of twenty one
years the sum of eight hundred & seventy
five pounds
Sterling in three equal yearly payments according to
the manner afore said --
And it is my Will that my Executors do pay unto my
son George when he shall arrive at the age of twenty
one years the sum of three hundred pounds
sterling
to be paid in three years successively in three equal
payments after he comes of age And that they my
said sons Landon & George have no further claim of
my debts due to me in Virginia notwithstanding
any thing contained before in my said Will. --
I give unto my son Landon my new Negroe boy Called Tom that I
bought out of the John &
Betty
last year & also my two
new Negroe Girls Named [gap in text]
which
I bought
of Colo. Braxton last year.
I give to my son George my negroe Girl named Cloe
which I bought of Colonel Tayloe this
year.
I give to my daughter Mary
my new negroe
Girl named
Venus that I bought of Colonel Tayloe.
I give to my Daughter Lucy
my new negroe
Girl named
[gap in text]
which I bought last year of
Colonel Braxton
I give to my son Charles my Mulatto Girl named Mary
Tom Gumbo's Wife's Daughter.
It is my Will that five of the men & two of the Women &
three Boys
which I bought of Colonel Tayloe, &
are now placed at my son Charles
plantations in Northumberland County be removed to my
son Roberts plantation in Westmoreland County & be annexed to
some
of the said plantations the profits of the said slave I give to my
son Robert during his life & the property to my Grandson Robert
to Continue annexed to the said plantations them & their
increase
It is my Will that when my Grandaughter
Elizabeth
my son Roberts
Daughter shall arrive at the age of twenty one years or marriage
that then there be paid her by my extors equally between them
out of my estate given them the sum of Five
hundred pounds sterling
and whereas I have given by my
will
to my two Gransons George
&
John Nicholas
the
under the Condition of their coming to age It is my Will that
there shall be paid to each of them by my Executors out of my
estate instead of the sum of one hundred
pounds apiece
the sum of three hundred pounds sterling a
piece when
they shall arrive at their respective ages of twenty one years.
It is my Will that when my Grandsons sic
]
Page & Robert
Page
shall arrive at their respective Ages of twenty one
years that
then there shall be paid to them by my extors in equal por-
-tions the sum of three hundred pounds
sterling a piece
It is my Will that this addition to my said Will Contained in
five sheets of paper comprising in the
whole thirty four
sheets shall be taken as a part of my said Will & shall be
interpreted as a declaration of my intent & meaning and
shall be taken as a revocation to such
parts and as an
addition to others & as explanatory of the whole so that my
real & true intent may be answered. In Witness whereof
I have hereunto set my hand & afixed my seal this
twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord God one
thousand seven hundred & twenty eight
Signed sealed & published in presence of.
Robert Carter (L.S.)
R. Lee
John Harvey
Barnabus Burch
Thirty fourth sheet of my Will
Richard Talent
John Conner
Arthur Neale
[Third Codicil, 1730 June 9]
In the name of God Amen I Robert Carter Esqr. of
Lancaster County being of sound mind [and]
memory but in a Crazy
disordered Condition respecting my health do make this addition
alteration & revocation to several
parts of my Will which is
contained in four & thirty sheets of paper, being made at
three several times the first bearing date the two and twentieth
day of August seventeen hundred & twenty six the second
bearing date the eleventh day of October seventeen hundred
& twenty six the third bearing date the twelfth day of Oc-
-tober seventeen hundred and twenty eight all intended to be one
entire Will as far as can be made consistent and when altera-
-tions are made the latter Clauses alway [s]
to be understood to control
& revoke the former this Will under these circumstances I do now
revive & republish so far as it will stand & consist with
the
alterations additions & revocation s
that I am now about to make.
Notwithstanding the devises in my said Will I do now give
unto my son Landon all my lands & plantations in
Northumberland County excepting the lands at the up-
-per end of the said County called Fieldings
which I
have given to my son Robert to him my son Landon
& the heirs male issue of his body & for want of such
unto my son Charles & the heirs male issue of his
& for want of such the Tail to be continued
according to the directions of my Will & I also do
lend unto my said son Landon all the slaves that shall
belong to the said plantations now given him for and during
the Term of his natural life the property of the slaves to remain
and be in trust to my said son Landon to and for the use of
the heirs male issue of his body and I do give unto my said
son Landon all the stocks of Cattle hoggs & sheep that are
upon the said plantations. --
Whereas I have been for some time upon a bargain for the
whole estate of Mr John L. Boyd Lands slaves stocks &c
in Richmond County for which I have been in the
Court of Chancery in
Great Britain
by the hands of Alder-
man Perry
of London the sum of three
thousand eight
hundred pounds sterling five hundred pounds of which
money is already paid as a depositum into the said
Court of Chancery & the remaining three thousand three
hundred pounds now lies in the hands of the said
Alderman Perry ready to consumate the said bargain,
if the said bargain be concluded then my Will is, and I do
devise & bequeath all the said lands plantations housing
& appurtenances unto my said son Landon and to the
heirs male issue of his Body lawfully begotten forever and
I do also lend unto my said son Landon for and during
the term of his natural life all the slaves contained in the
said purchase excepting only the slaves of the said estate that
are now seated upon my plantations above the falls of Rappaha-
-nock the property of the said slaves to be in trust with my said
son Landon & to be vested in him for the use of his issue male
after his decease I do also give unto my said son Landon Carter
all the stocks of Cattle hoggs houshold stuf
said estate whether upon the said plantations or upon any other
lands and if my said son Landon should die
without issue male
then I do give and devise the said Lands slaves plantations
stocks &c contained within the said purchase unto my son
George & the heirs male issue of his Body & for want of the
Tail
to
to be continued according to the direction of my Will but if
notwithstanding the proceedings that have been had towards
this bargain & purchase of L. Boyds estate as aforesaid, it
should
happen to be defeated & not perfected then my Will is and I do
give unto my said son Landon, if he shall be alive to receive
the same at the several times of paymt hereby directed to be
made to him the sum of three thousand pounds
out of the said
purchase money Lying in the hands of the said Perry as aforesaid
(to wit) one thousand pounds to be paid when he comes to the
ago of one & twenty years one thousand pound
[s]
two years after
and one thousand pounds two years after that provided if
he dies before these times of payment shall come leaving
Child or Children behind him such Child or Children to
have a right to this money.
I give unto my said
son Landon the
plantation that is now seated
with some of the said slaves of this purchase called
thicket
plantation & a thousand acres of Land adjoining
to
the said plantation part of the Land I bought of Mr. Robert
Cary to be laid off Contiguous to the said
plantation so
that it shall not hurt the Bridge Quarter
this thousand
acres of Land give unto my said son Landon & the heirs male
issue of his Body lawfully begotten forever & for want of such
the Tail to continue to my son Robert & the heirs male issue
of his Body this devise of this thousand Acres of Land is intend-
-ed to take effect upon Condition that this purchase be
made of Loyds estate but if my said son Landon Comes
to enjoy this Legacy of three thousand pounds then this
devise of this thousand acres of Land is not to subsist but
to be void and the Land to go with the rest of Carys Land
according to the directions of my Will excepting the peice of
Land called the round hills
in King George
County which
I do devise and give unto my said son Landon & to the heirs male
issue
of his Body & for want of such unto my son Robert & his
heirs male.
Whereas I have given unto my son Landon and my son George
my bank stock in the hands of Alderman Perry & Mr. Dawkins
& also other debts due to me in Virginia & likewise the
mortgage
of Rippon Hall I do revoke and alter my Will in these respects
& do direct as followeth first I do give and devise unto my
son George all my lands and estate of Rippon Hall and the
Lands adjoining thereto which were mortgaged to me by
Colonel Jenings
and
also the mill that I have bought since
likewise the Lands I bought of Joseph Wade & my houses
& estate in Williamsburg & also the Lands I lately bought
of Major Benja. Robinson & his Wife at Arnolds
Ferry lying
lying [sic
]
in
King & Queen County, all these Lands plantations hous-
-es & real estate I give and devise unto my said son George and
to the heirs Male issue of his Body forever, as also the slaves
that belong to & are now seated upon Rippon plantation & in
case
of failure of issue male of my son George then I do give these
houses Lands & slaves unto my son Landon, & the heirs male
issue of his Body & for want of such to my son Robert & his
heirs male. --
It is my Will that my bank stock in the hands of Mr. Perry &
Mr.
Dawkins be kept at Interest as it is until my son George
comes to the age of one & twenty years that the Interest of the
said money be carried to the credit of my Executors for the
answering my Legacies & incumbrances & maintenance of
my younger Children particularly my son George three
thousand pounds of my said Bank [stock]
it
is my Will be paid
& delivered unto my son George when he comes of age the
remaining twelve hundred & fifty pounds of Bank stock
if the said bargain takes effect for L Boyds estate as
aforesaid so that the said Landon doth not enjoy any of the said
three
thousand pounds pounds, [sic
]
but comes to the estate upon the bar-
-gain as aforesaid then it is my will that one moiety
of the said twelve hundred & fifty pounds
-page (44)
-
Bank stock do go unto my son Landon the other moiety to belong to
my three eldest sons for discharging my Legacies &
incumbrances.
I do give and devise unto my son Charles the lands I bought
of John Mercer
& his Wife adjoining to
the Lands of my Falls
Quarter
to him my son Charles & the heirs male issue of
his Body lawfully begotten & for want of such to accord=
-ing to the intail of the rest of the Lands given unto my
said son Charles.
I do give and devise unto my son George three thousand
acres of Land part of my Great Tract upon the Branches
of Potomac Creek in Stafford County to be laid off at the
upper end of the said Tract to include and take in the
plantation called Carters Park
the negroes
however who are
upon the said Park Quarter plantation to belong to my son
Charles accord [in]
g to the direction of my
Will these three thousand
acres of Land I devise to my said son George & the heirs male
issue of his Body lawfully begotten & for want of such unto
my son Landon & the heirs male issue of his Body lawfully
begotten & for want of such to go according to the intail
o f my Will.
I do give unto my son George the negroes I lately bought out of
Mr. Pages
estate being in number twenty six to
be seated
& planted & kept upon the said three thousand acres of
Land for the use & profit of my said son George.
Whereas I have given unto my son John my tract of Land
called the lodge
upon Cedar run, it is my
Will that he
my son John have & enjoy the slaves & stocks that are
upon the said Land. --
It is my will that my son George be kept at school at the College
of William & Mary two years longer and
that then he be sent to the
university of Cambridge for an education the Charge of his edu-
-cation to be bourne by my executors and out
of the interest of my said
It is my Will and I do appoint my son Landon to be
one of the executors of this my Will.
Whereas I have given to my son Charles my negroe man
Tom Gumby his Wife and Children I revoke that part of
my Will & I do give them to my son Robert excepting the
Girl Mary which I leave to my son Charles.
It is my Will that some young negroes of those I have given
to my son George be bred up Trades men Carpenters & Coopers
for the use of his plantations.
It is my Will that when my Grandson Robin
Carter Nicholas
arrives to the age of ten years there be paid to his Father
by my executors the sum of three hundred pounds sterling to
be by him put out to interest for the use & benefit and
toward the maintenance of my said Grandson.
Whereas in the dispose of those slaves that are to belong to my
son Robert
I have done my endeavour to annex them so to his Lands to prevent
his
sale and dispose of them from his posterity, however
notwithstanding, in
Regard his present Wife
brought to her husband
my said son Robert
a considerable fortune, I think it but justice to declare that it is
my
Will that she my said son Roberts Wife, if she survive her said hus-
band, shall have her right of Dower out of the said slave during
her natural life.
Whereas Mann Page Esquire my sons
Robert & Charles with myself
are in a company for the Working & Carrying on a Copper Mine
upon a Cer-
tain tract of Land going & known by the name of
have already seated the said Land being at great Charges in taking
up
large Quantities of Lands contiguous and are under several contracts
to one another for the working and carrying on the said Cop-
per mine it is my Will and desire that the subsisting
contract shall all be
performed & I do Will and devise all my part in the said estate
as Lands slaves servants &c unto my son John & to
issue of his body lawfully begotten for want of such unto my
son Landon and to the heirs male issue of his Body lawfully
begotten & for want of such unto my son George & to the
heirs Male issue of his Body lawfully begotten, & for want of
such to be a joint estate unto my sons Robert & Charles
& their heirs forever.
It is my Will that if my daughters Mary
& Lucy
shall be alive five
years after my decease that then there be paid to each of them
the sum of two hundred pounds sterling more
than the Legacies
I have given them by this my
Will,
and that [if]
either of my said
daughters should die before that time leaving
Child or
Childred [sic
]
behind them that then such sum be paid to such
Child or Children when the said term of time is expired by
my Exetors out of the estate I have given to them.
It is my Will that notwithstanding any thing contained in my
aforesaid Will my debts in Virginia shall belong to and be deed-
-ed a part of my estate for the satisfying my legacies &
incumbrances.
It is my Will that the aforesaid Writing contained in four sheets
of Paper be constructed deemed & taken to be a part of my said
Will
& to be a revocation of so much of it as it contradicts In
Witness
whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this ninth day
of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred
& thirty.
It is my earnest desire to my sons & to every one of them
respectively
that they always & upon all occasions behave themselves as
loving
brethren to one another & that upon any controversies or
diferences
that may arise between them they always
submit the deter-
mination thereof to their Friends & relations & that they do
not haul one another to the Law.
Signed sealed & published
in presence of us
Robert Carter (L.S.)
RichardChapman
Richard Talent
Fourth sheet of this additiontomyWill
John Conner
RobertCarter
John Toulton
[Fourth Codicil, 1730 July 23]
In the Name of God amen I Robert Carter of Lancaster
County being in a declining state of Body but of sound mind
& memory Whereas I have made my last will & Testa-
ment at sundry periods of time to wit on the twenty
second day of August seventeen hundred & twenty
six on the eleventh day of October seventeen hundred
& twenty six on the twelfth day of September seventeen
hundred & twenty eight & on the ninth day of June
seventeen hundred & thirty since which time by
losses, the great fall of Tobacco & various other misfortunes
my circumstances are very much reduced at this day
And Whereas in my said Will I have given & ordered
large legacies to my Children & Grand Children which
my estate is no ways able to support to
prevent the
ruin & undoing of my sons I do revoke & reduce the said
Legacies in the following manner,
My Daughter Harrison's
Legacy of Five
hundred pounds
I reduce to two hundd.. & fifty pounds.
Her daughter Betty's Legacy of Five hundred pounds
I reduce to two hundred pounds.
Her daughter Ann's Legacy of Five hundred pounds
I reduce to two hundred pounds.
My daughter Page's
Legacy of three hundred
pounds
I reduce to two [hundred?]
& fifty
pounds.
Her son Mann Page's Legacy conditionally as my Will directs of
three
My Legacy of three hundred pounds to Carter Page payable
as my Will directs I reduce [to]
one
Hundred & fifty pounds.
The Legacy to John Page payable as aforesaid of the three
hundred pounds I reduce to one hundred pounds.
My Legacy of three hundred pounds to my daughter Ni-
-cholas I reduce to two hundred & fifty pounds.
Memorandum the fifty pounds given to my daugh-
-ter Nicholas for ear rings I have already paid her in plate.
Her son John's Legacy after the manner I have expressed
in my Will, first mentioned [as]
a hundred
pounds & then
three hundred pounds I reduce to one hundred pounds. --
My said daughter's son George's Legacy in the manner as
is exprest although it's twice mentioned
is to be but a
hundred pounds.
My Grandson Lewis Burwell's Legacy instead of three
hundred pounds is to be but one hundred pounds under
the condition mentioned.
Carter Burwells Legacy under the Condition mentioned
of three hundred pounds I reduce to one hundred
pounds.
Robert Burwell's Legacy of three hundred pounds under
the condition mentioned I reduce t one hundred &
fifty pounds.
Elizabeth Burwell's Legacy of three hundred pounds
under the condition mentioned I reduced to one hundred
pounds The Legacy of fifteen hundred pounds to my son
Landon & the Legacy of eight hundred & seventy five pounds
to
him both these legacies I reduce to five hundred pounds to be
paid at two successive yearly payments after he comes of age.
The half of my Bank stock, first given to him my son
Land I have already revoke ed.
The Legacy of three hundred pounds, given to my son George
at his age I make payable at three yearly payments.
The Legacy of Five hundred pounds to my son Roberts
Daughter Elizabeth under the Condition mentioned I
reduce to three hundred pounds.
The three hundred pounds Legacy to my Grandson Mathew
Page I reduce to one hundred pounds.
The Legacy of three hundred pounds to my Grandson Robert
Page I reduce to one hundred pounds under the Condition
mentioned.
The legacy of three thousand pounds bank stock to my
son George I reduce to fifteen hundred pounds.
The legacy of half the remaining part of my Bank stock
to my son Landon I entirely revoke having
made other
provision for him.
The Legacy of three hundred pounds to my Grandson
Robert Carter Nicholas under the Condition mentioned
I reduce to two hundred pounds.
The Legacies of two hundred pounds apiece to my Daughters
Mary
& Lucy
payable
five years after my decease I re-
duce to a
hundred pounds to each
And instead of my daughter Lucy receiving the portion
I have given her in three yearly equal payments my
Will is it be paid to her in six yearly equal payments.
And also my Will is that my Executors have five years to
pay my daughter Mary's portion in by equal payments
from her age or marriage.
And Whereas I have given in several parts of my
Will the use & profits of my slaves only to my sons
and have endeavoured to vest the property in their
sons & heirs to prevent their Fathers selling or
disposing of them all the Clauses of this nature
And Whereas I have ordered my son George an University educa-
-tion I have seen such bad effects of it, that I leave the care
of him to the disposal of his Brothers particularly my son
John and after a years stay more at the College, if he
thinks fit to breed him up in the secretary's
office.
My Will is that if my Grandson Benja. Harrison live to the age
of ten years there be paid to him by my Executors the sum of two
hundred pounds to be laid out in young Negroes between the
ages of ten & fifteen years one half of them to be females.
My Will is that if my Grandson Robert Carter live to the
age of ten years there be paid to him by my Executors the
of two hundred pounds to be laid out in young negroes be-
-tween the ages of ten & fifteen years one half of them to be
females.
It is my Will that this Writing contained in two sheets of
paper be deemed & taken to be a part of my Will & to be a
revocation of my Legacies as far as it goes as also an
alteration of my Will as far as it is cointradictory to it.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this
three & twentieth day of July in the years of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred & thirty
signed sealed & published in
the presence of us .............................Robert Carter (L.S.)
Richard Chapman
Richard Talent
John Conner
John Toulton
Memorandum that the General Court of this
dominion begun and held at his Majesty's Royal Capitol
in the City of Williamsburg the sixteenth day of October
in the year of our Lord MDCCXXXii this Will con-
-tained in forty sheets of Paper was presented in Court
& proved by diverse of the witnesses thereto that is to say
the former part thereof contained in twenty eight sheets
of Papers was proved by the Oaths of Richard Lee
and
Thomas Edwards Other part thereof Contained in the
next sheet by the oath of the said Lee other part of
the same contained in the five next sheets by the Oaths
of the said Lee and John Conner and the rest of the
Will contained in the six last sheets by the Oaths
of Richard Chapman and the said Conner & John
Carter
Esquire Charles Carter
& Landon Carter Gen [tlemen]
Ex
-tors therein named made oath thereto according to law
and there upon the same was by the Court ordered to be
recorded And certificate for obtaining a probate there-
-of in form was granted to the said Executors --
Test Matt: Kempe C &:Cwd. --
Copy
Teste
WilsonAllen
C.G.C.