James Stevens *
Birth: 1734
Death: 26 Jan 1818, Nelson Co., Virginia, USA
Father: James Stevens *
Mother: Elizabeth Thomas *
- Married Behethland Taliaferro *
- Child 1: Mildred Stevens * 1769 - m. George M. Loving *
- Child 2: James Stevens - m. Elizabeth Turner
- Child 3: John Griffin Stevens - m. Sarah (Sally) Turner
- Child 4: Behethland Stevens - m. Thomas Penn
- Child 5: Elizabeth Stevens - m. James J. Thompson
- Child 6: Anne Stevens - m. Samuel Spencer
- Child 7: Sarah Stevens - m. Thomas Jopling
- Child 8: Mary (Molly) Stevens - m. Thomas Jopling
Notes: Will: Will: James Stevens, Sr., 1813
Source: Nelson Co., VA, Will Book A, Pg 294 ff.
Contributor: Mary E. Stewart
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Will: In the name of God Amen, I James Stevens of Amherst County, being in a weak and low sta te of health, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last wil l and testament in manner following. That is to say, first, I give, devise and bequeath unt o my son James Stevens and his heirs, all that tract of land that was surveyed for him, where on he now lives, containing two hundred and seventy acres; also all that tract, called and kn own by the name of
the mill tract adjoining the land belonging to the estate of William Loving Deceased, the lan d which I have surveyed for and herein after devised to George Loving and Samuel Spencer, an d the aforesaid Tract which I have already given to my son James.
Will: Item I give and bequeath to my said son James Stevens one negro Boy named Charles, on e feather bed and furniture, and one Bay horse, all of which are now in my said son James's p ossession, and also one young negro woman named Jude;
Will: Item I give devise and bequeath unto my son John Griffin Stevens, and his heirs, all th e upper part of my Tract of land whereon I now live, except such part thereof as I herein aft er devise to my three daughters Molly Jopling, Behetheland Penn and Elizabeth Thompson savin g and reserving to my beloved wife Behetheland Stevens, for and during her natural life or wi dowhood, three hundred acres thereof, to be laid off adjoining my son James's land and up Ruc kers Run, so as to include the Dwelling house whereon I now live.
Will: Item I give and bequeath to my said son John Griffin one negro Boy named Joe, and one n egro Girl named June and also one feather bed and furniture.
Will: Item I give devise and bequeath unto my daughter Anne Spencer and her heirs the tract o f land I had surveyed for her containing two hundred acres, adjoining the lands of Hezekiah H argrove my son James and that which I herein after devise to my Daughter Mildred Loving.
Will: Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Anne Spencer one Negro Boy named Jerry, one fea ther bed and furniture and one Bay mare which are now in the possession of my said Daughter A nne Spencer; and also one Negro Girl named Sarah.
Will: Item I give desire and bequeath unto my daughter Mildred Loving and her heirs that trac t of land which I had surveyed for her containing two hundred acres, adjoining the lands of H ezekiah Hartgrove, William Loving, Robert Harrison, the Estate of William Furbush dec'd and t he mill tract of land herein before devised to my son James.
Will: Item I give and bequeath to my said Daughter Mildred Loving one negro woman named Sylvi a and her children, one feather bed and furniture and one cow and calf, which are now in th e possession of my said daughter Mildred; and also one Negro boy named Charles.
Will: Item I give desire and bequeath unto my Daughter Molly Jopling and her heirs, a certai n parcel of land, containing one hundred and fifty acres more or less, being that part of m y upper tract of land before mentioned and whereon she now lives, to be laid off, as I shal l hereafter direct.
Will: Item I give and bequeath unto my said Daughter Molly Jopling one negro Girl named Rache l and one feather bed and furniture, which are now in her possession; and also one Negro ma n Cesar.
Will: Item I give desire and bequeath unto my daughter Behetheland Penn and her heirs a certa in parcel of land containing one hundred and fifty acres more or less, being also a part of m y upper tract of land beforementioned, to be laid off as I shall hereafter direct.
Will: Item I give and bequeath unto my said Daughter Behetheland Penn one Negro Girl named Sa rah, and one feather bed and furniture, which are now in her possession, and also one Negro B oy named Frank.
Will: Item I give desire and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Thompson and her heirs, a ce rtain parcel of land containing one hundred and fifty Acres, more or less being the remainin g part of my upper Tract of land before mentioned and reserved to my three last mentioned Dau ghters to be laid off as I shall hereafter direct.
Will: Item I give and bequeath to my said daughter Elizabeth Thompson one Negro Girl named Li zzy and one feather bed and furniture, which are now in her possession, and also one negro ma n named Tom.
Will: Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Jopling one Negro woman named Cate an d her children, one feather Bed and furniture and four head of cattle, which are now in her p ossession, and also one Negro Boy named Matt.
Will: Item I give and bequeath unto my Grandson James Stevens Jopling forty pounds in speci e to be raised out of my Estate; I give and bequeath to my Grandson James Stevens the son o f my son James, One Negro Boy named Will.
Will: Item I give and devise to my beloved wife Behetheland Stevens during her natural life o r widowhood, three hundred acres of land, herein before reserved to her out of my son John Gr iffin Stevens's proportion.
Will: Item I give and bequeath to my said beloved wife Behetheland Stevens during her natura l life or widowhood, the following slaves, to wit, Will, Robin, Ralph, Fortimore, Winney, Jam ey boy Will and Moses, and also all the rest and residue of my personal estate, not herein be fore disposed of, and immediately after the decease, or intermarriage of my said wife my wil l and desire is, that the said several Slaves, and their increase, together with the rest an d residue of my personal Estate
bequeathed to my beloved wife above named, shall be equally divided among my children beforem entioned.
Will: Farther my will and desire is, in case my son John Griffin Stevens shall die without le aving any issue lawfully begotten, at his decease, that then the tract of land and Slaves her ein before given and devised to him, shall go and belong to my son James Stevens and his heir s. And also it is my will and desire that in case my daughter Molly Jopling shall die withou t leaving any issue at her decease that then the Tract of land and slaves herein before give n and devised to her, shall be disposed of as follows, that is to say, the said Tract of lan d shall go and belong to my son James Stevens and his heirs, and the said Slaves and their in crease to be equally divided among my surviving children.
Will: And lastly my will and desire is that my estate not given and put into the actual posse ssion of the before mentioned legatees and devisees before my decease, shall be kept togethe r and be under the management of my Executor hereinafter named until all my Just debts and th e pecuniary legacy before mentioned shall be discharged, and my express wish and desire is th at my executor shall allow my said wife out of the proceeds and profits of the estate hereb y directed to be kept
together a decent subsistence, until the said debt and legacy shall be discharged. I do hereb y constitute and appoint my son James Stevens sole executor of this my last will and Testamen t.
Will: In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of October on e thousand seven hundred and ninety six.
Will: Witnesses:
Will Cabell Junr
Landon Cabell
James Murphy James Stevens, Seal
Hezekiah Hargrove
John Thompson Junr
John Staples
Will: I, James Stevens do make the following Codicil to my will which is to all intents and p urposes to be received and taken as part thereof, Viz., It is my will and desire that in addi tion to the property left my beloved wife Behetheland Stevens, she shall have one hundred acr es more of the tract of land devised to my son John G. Stevens to adjoin the land left my sai d wife by my will, also the following Negro Slaves, to wit, little Jude, Sue, Davy and Jim, a lso all my stock of every kind and household and kitchen furniture which said land and othe r property her with the property devised to her by my will, I wish my said wife to hold and e njoy for and during her natural life.
Will: After the death of my said wife Behetheland Stevens I give and bequeath the said Negr o Sue to my Grandson James Stevens son of John G. Stevens and the said negro Davy to my Grand son Samuel Stevens son of James Stevens Junr and the said Negroes little Jude and Jim to my G rand daughters Sally and Behetheland Penn children of my Daughter ehetheland
Penn Decd to them and their respective heirs forever; The Negro Tom devised to my daughter El izabeth Thompson, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife during her natural life and after he r death to be disposed of as the other property left my said wife.
Will: I give and bequeath to my friend Spotswood Garland my negro Woman Sarah which I had dev ised to my Daughter Anne Spencer and my Negro Boy Simon, together with such property as woul d have fallen to my Daughter Elizabeth
Thompson by my will after the death of my wife, to be holden by him and his heirs forever upo n Trust. However and for the special purpose herein after mentioned, Viz., that the said Spot swood Garland and his heirs shall allow my said daughter Elizabeth Thompson and her childre n to have the use and benefit of said property during the lifetime of my said Daughter Elizab eth and after her death it is my desire that the said property with its increase shall be hel d and enjoyed by the children of my said daughter Elizabeth in equal proportions to them an d their heirs forever.
Will: I give and bequeath to my Daughter Anne Spencer in lieu of the negro woman Sarah former ly devised to her my negro woman Hannah, to her and her heirs forever.
Will: Whereas my son James Stevens Junr hath purchased the land which were devided in my wil l to my daughter Behetheland Penn and hath paid for the same, I do therefore give and bequeat h the said land containing one
hundred and fifty acres to my said son James Stevens Jr and to his heirs forever.
Will: In witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this twenty fourth da y of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ten.
Will: Witness James Stevens, Seal
S. Garland
Wm. Vaughan
John Brooks
Will: I James Stevens do make this further codicil to my will which is to be taken as part th ereof Viz.:
Will: The land devised to my son John G. Stevens I wish to be held and enjoyed by him and hi s wife during their lifetime and after their death my will and desire is that the lands so de vised to him shall descent to his children lawfully begotten in equal proportions to them an d their respective heirs forever.
Will: It is my will and desire that the land bequeathed to my Daughter Molly Jopling (shoul d she die before her husband Thomas Jopling) should be held and enjoyed by him during his lif e.
Will: I give and bequeath to my daughter Mildred Loving my Negro Hannah's Child Pender born s ince I made the other Codicil to my will, in lieu of the negro Charles I left her in my wil l (who has since died) to her and her heirs forever.
Will: My will and desire is that the negro woman Jude left to my son James Stevens Jnr and th e two children she now has Elvira and Henry shall be held by my said son James during his lif e and after his death, they and their increase to be equally divided between his two daughter s Mildred and Elizabeth to be held by them and their heirs forever.
Will: In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed my seal this 7th day of Nove mber 1813.
Will: Witness James Stevens, Seal
Benjamin Bradshaw
James S. Penn
S. Garland
Will: At a Court held for Nelson County the 22nd day of Novr 1813
This Instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of James Stevens S en- Deceased was produced into Court and proved by the oaths of Landon Cabell and James Murph y, and the first Codicil thereto annexed was proved by the oaths of Spotswood Garland and Joh n Brooks and the second Codicil thereto annexed was proved by the oaths of Benjamin Bradsha w and Spotswood Garland Witnesses thereto, all of which are ordered to be Recorded
Will: Teste: Spotswood Garland Clk
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