JAMES SNODGRASS Sr. WILL

12 Jun 1828 -- Will Bk. 6, pg. 34: Will of (Major) James Snodgrass I James Snodgrass Sr. of Washington County and State of Virginia being weak in body but of sound mind and disposing memory (for which I thank God) and calling to mind the uncertainty of the life of man and being desirous to dispose of such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, I do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my last Will & Testament in the manner & form following; that is to say after all my lawful debts and funeral charges are paid I give and bequeath as follows to wit, First To my wife Ann during her life I give the one full third part of my estate both real and personal that I possess in Washington County in the state of Virginia, including the one third of all money on hands, all debts yet to collect due by note or acct or otherwise also one third of all debts due me in Washington or Carter County in the state of Tennessee my will is that she shall have the one half of the nett proceeds of the plantation I now live on which will include the profits arising from the labour of my two negro men named Mark and Jacob which I direct shall be employed on said farm, as heretofore during her life) yet if it should be the case that my negro Jacob should prove stubborn or disobedient my Executors with the consent of my wife may make sale of him to the best advantage and the money arising from the sale to be disposed as hereafter directed as far as it relates to her third of my personal estate, my will is that my wife shall have the liberty to dispose of at her decease as she may think best and over and above her third part of my personal estate I give and bequeath to her my negro girl named Ann and finally to dispose of at her decease as she may think proper also the sole use of my negro Hannah during her natural life. 2d I give to my son James in Tennessee in addition to what he has already received, all my interest or share in a wool carding machine now in possession of William Jones in Washington County Tennessee who is proprietor of one half of the same. 3d I give to my son William in Tennessee the one half of a tract of land in Carter County Tennessee containing 97 1/2 acres which I had heretofore entered in the name of David & William Snodgrass joining lines with William & Doran Vothers in addition to what he has already received. 4th I give to my daughter Elizabeth Walker of Tennessee my negro girl named Eleanor in addition to what she has already received to her & her heirs forever. 5th I give to my son Thomas my one half share of five tracts of land on the Laurel fork of Holstein in Carter County Tennessee to wit William Gentry tract, two tracts known by the name of the Burnt Cabbins tracts, one called the forge tract and one the tanyard tract likewise all my right or share in the forge & tanyard (reserving the one half of the real profits of the tanyard for my familys use to the end of the present year) I also give him all my shares and interest in all ore banks of whatever description, my negro girl named Phebe also two milch cows & calves out of my stock of cattle on the Laurel fork, my two sorrel filleys & sorrel mare, all the stock of hogs and household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils &c that he has in possession on s'd Laurel fork, my new road waggon now at the smith shop, when finished fit for use &c. 6th I give to my two sons Samuel M. and Joseph I give the tract of land I possess in Washington County Va. also my share in two tracts of land on the Laurel fork not devised called the Benj. Gentry tract and the Poindexter tract, also my two negro men Jacob and Mark (or if Jacob is sold, the money arising from the sale), my negro woman named Hannah at my wifes decease and her child Peggy and all the issue or increase (if any) that she may yet have, all my livestock of whatever kind including Horses, cattle, sheep & hogs, not otherwise disposed of, two thirds of all the debts yet to collect, except a debt due me from the estate of Sam'l Meek dec'd, all manufactured iron, farming utensils of every description and finally my will is that my estate not herein particularly specified and disposed of of whatever kind shall descend to my two sons Samuel M. and Joseph jointly each holding an equal share leaving it to them to make a division as may suit them hereafter. 7th My Will is that the money due me from the estate of Sam'l Meek before mentioned after my wifes third part is deducted shall be equally divided among my seven daughters and three sons David, William and James of Tennessee. 8th And last I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my two sons Samuel M. Snodgrass and Joseph Snodgrass Executors to this my Last Will and Testament hereby disannulling and revoking and making void all other former wills and Testaments by me heretofore made, and as my estate is no way involved, my humble request is that the court will not exact more security (at most) more than the real value of the estate. Signed sealed published and declared James Snodgrass as and for the Last Will and Testament of James Snodgrass sen'r this 12th day of June 1828 in presence of Wm. Snodgrass sen'r D. R. Holt James D. Snodgrass [he is s/o Wm. Snodgrass - d. 1830, & Sarah]