Nansemond County, Virginia Genealogy Trails
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Will of John Lear

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In the Name of God Amen, The twenty first day of November in ye year of our Lord, one thousand, six hundred, ninty and five. I, John Lear, of ye county of Nansemond in Virga. being weak in body and in good and perfect memory, thanks be to God, Doe make this my last will & Testament in manner and forme--following, That is to Say, first I bequeath my Soul and Spirit untu ye hands of God, my heavenly father, by whome of his mercy and only grace I trust to be saved and received unto eternal rest through ye death of my Saviour & Redeemer Jesus Christ, in whose precious blood I sett ye hope of my salvation; and my body, in hope of a joyfull resurection I committ to ye earth to be buried decently as my deare relation shall think fitt. And touching ye disposition of my worldly goods, I dispose of ye same as followeth: First, I will that all such debts as I owe shall be truely paid.Imprimis, I give to ye widow Pitt, my Sister, besides what she owes me, five pounds. Item, I give ye poor widow Perdue of ye Isle of Wight county, five hundred pounds of tobaco a yeare, so long as she lives- Item, Ye bottles of all sorts, Silk, Silver & gold fringes, as all dresses fitted and made—now in ye house w'th------belonging to my widow and daughter, as also New wearing linen, I Give to be Equally devided betwixt my daughter---------Burwell and my daughter, Elisabeth Lear, widow of my deceased son, Thomas Lear. Item, I give and bequeath my Grandaughter, Elizabeth Lear, all that tract & devidend oF Land w’ch I leased to Coll. James Jewell and is now in possession of Capt. Robert Randall, for her life, and after her death to ye heirs of her body lawfully begotten, and for default of such heirs, I give ye said tract of land, being aboute two hundred & fifty acres, lying in Narrowsquick bay to John George, and ye heirs of his body; & in default of such heirs I give ye same to my grand Son, John Lear, to him and his heirs lawfully begotten for ever.Item, I give unto Charles Goremge, all my lands in Surry County w'th I was about selling to William Brown, as per pattent about three hundred & thirty acres, to him & his heirs for ever, and I also give ye said Charles Goremge, ye negro boy Charles at Kerotan, and ye negro girle Fanny there also, & Six Cows and A bull. Item, I give unto John George, ye negroes Jack & Fido & to use & plant, if he see good, only, point land whereon ye said negroes are till his own land, given by Coll. George, shall come into his hands, & I also give him what cattle is on ye said point belonging to me.Item, I give my buff suit with fringe jacket & Silk hose unto James Mountgomery, in full compensation of his trouble from first to last. All other my wearing clothes linen & woolen I desire may be devided between John George & Charles Goremge.Item, I give & bequeath unto my grand son, John Lear, all other my landes, tenements & hereditements---------nature, quality, together with what leased & for tearme of years, to him & his heirs of his body lawfully begotten.As to all other my accompts, estate, whether merchantable goods, household good, plats, money, bills, lands and accompts, or any other goods, wares, or merchandizes, of what nature soever, either here or in England, Carolina or elsewhere, my will and desire is, that it be equally shared after a true accompt taken in three parts. The first parte, I give to my grand son, John Lear, for ever, ye second third part thereof to my two grandaughters, Elizabeth & Martha, children of my only son, Thomas Lear, deceased, and in case of mortality ye survivors to enjoy ye deceased or deceases parte; & ye third and last parte I give betwixt my daughter Martha Burwell & her children she had by Col. Cole & to ye survivors of them.And ye land I bought of George Powell and adding ye plantation whereon John Mackwilliams did live, & containing aboute three hundred & fifty acres, with all houses, orchards, tenements, hereditaments to ye Same belonging, to her, her heirs for ever, anything to ye contrary notwithstanding.And Lastly, I doe appoint my son in law, Maj. Lenoard Burwell, & my good friend Capt. Thomas Godwin, my absolute, whole & Sole Executo'rs of this my last will & Testament, & every parte & Clause therein contained, making null & Void all other wills & Testam'ts whatsoever, & this only to be my last will & Testament and no other.In witness whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand & fixed my Seale ye day & year above written.                                                                                                  Jno. Lear (Coine Sigilli) Signed, Sealed & delivered in ye presence of: William W Coffeild John Lowe. Elizabeth Bridgers. Ann A Coffeild. Copia Vera.   Test. Andrew Ross, dept. Cl. Court . At a court held for Nansemond County , Feb'y ye .12th. 1695, proved by ye oathea of mr. William Coffieid, Mr. Jno. Lowe & Mrs. Ann Coffeild, and by ye afficmation. of Mad'm Elizabeth Bridgers with order to record & it recorded. Test.   Andrew Ross, dept. CL Court - Copied from Original Will, Filed in the Office of the Secretary of State. (Source: North Carolina Wills and Inventories, copied from Original and Recorded Wills and Inventories In the Office of the Secretary of State by J. Bryan Grimes, Secretary of State, Published 1912. Submitted by Linda Rodriguez)

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