Edward Brantley
1688
In the
name of God Amen the 30th Day of March in the year of our
Lord Good 1688 I Edward Brantley Senior of the upper parrish of the
Isle of Wight county being of sound and perfect memory praise be to
God for the same and knowing the uncertainty of this life on Earth
and being desirious to see thing in order do make this my last Will
and Testament in maner and form following… that is to say first and
principally I commend my soul to almighty God, my creator assuredly
believing that I shall own full pardon & free remission of all my
sins and be saved by the precious death and merritt of my blessed
Savior and Redeamor Jesus Christ and my body to the earth and
Christian maner, as to be Executrix here after named shall be
thought meek and convenient and as touching such Worldly estate as
the Lord in mercy hath lent make my Will and meaning is that the
same shall be employed and bestowed, as here after by this my Will
is expressed in… first to revoke, denounce, frustrate and make void
all Wills by me formerly made and seal… and appoint this my Last
will and testament
I doth
give devise and bequeath unto my son Edward and his son James one
hundred sixty and five acres of land where the said Edward now
liveth… to him and the heirs of the same bodies lawfully begotten
that is to say the whole one hundred and sixty five acres of land
unto my son Edward until his son James doth attain the age of one
and twenty years and then it is my will that the said James Brantley
shall have one hundred acres of that land to him and the heirs of
his body lawfully begotten: but if it shall happen that he shall dye
without heir or heirs then it is my will that the next surviving
child of my son Edward shall have it Forever.
I doth
give devise and bequeath unto my son Phillip two hundred acres of
land to be both enjoyed by him until his don Edward shall attain
unto the age of one and twenty years: one hundred acres I do give
unto my son Phillip and his heirs forever the other hundred acres I
do give unto the said Edward Brantley and the heirs of his body
lawfully begotten: but if it shall so happen that he shall dye
without heir or heirs then is my will that the next surviving child
of my son Phillip shall have the dame forever.
I do give
and bequeath unto my son John Brantly and his son John two hundred
acres of land… the said two hundred acres to be enjoyed by the said
John Brantly until his son John Brantly doth attain unto the age of
one and twenty years and then it is my Will that his said son John
Brantly shall have one of the hundred acres of land to be and remain
to him and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever: but if
it shall so happen that the said John Brantly doth leave no increase
behind him then it is my will that the next surviving child of my
son Johns shall enjoy the same forever the other hundred acres of
land I do give unto my said son John and the heirs of his body
lawfully begotten
I do give
devise and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Brantly one hundred acres
of land beginning at the corner tree at the Akin Swampe running
southwest to the branch below Phillip Brantly’s dwelling house and
then north along a place called the medow to be an emanation to her
and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten
I do give
and bequeath unto my said daughter a feather bed as it stands
curtains, valence, ruggs, blankets, pillows, pillow boulster and
sheets.
I do give
and bequeath unto John the son of my son John one feather bed with
all apparatuses… and one black mare, two pewter dishes, two pewter
plates and two porringers I do give and bequeath unto Edward
Brantley the son of my son Phillip one bay mare with kin moriake
only it is my will and I do give the first mare foul that that mare
shall bring unto James Brantly the son of Edward Brantley I do give
and bequeath a yoke of steers unto my three sons to be used jointly
amongst them during the time the said heirs shall live and equally
to be shared when they shall be killed.
I give
unto my three sons: Edward, Phillip and John my Indian slave Peter
to serve them two years a piece successively one after the other and
the six years is expired I do give the said Indian slave Peter unto
my daughter Mary during her natural life and after her deceased to
her children is she shall leave any behind but is she dye without
increase then to return to my sons or their children to be equally
devided amongst them: I do give unto my sons eldest sons: a two year
ould heifer a piece. I do give and bequeath the remainder of my
personall estate after my debts and funeral expenses payd unto my
daughter Mary Brantly whom I do make the sole executrix of this my
last will and testament in witness where of I do here unto put my
hand and seal.
Edward
Brantley
Signed
Sealed published and declared to be the Last Will and Testament of
Edward Brantly
In the
sight and presence of
John
Whitstone
Ann A.
White
& William
Evans
Will
Evans
Test John
Pitt
to be the
will of Edward Brantly
Proved in
open court for the Isle of Wight County January 9, 1688 by the oath
of John Whitstone
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