|
William became a large land owner through inheriting extensiveproperty from both his father
and his father-in-law, Enoch Doughty. Only 4 of his and Margaret's children reached adulthood. |
|
William's will, dated 2/5/1720, said he lived in Hanover Parish inRichmond Co but it was recorded
in King George Co. It stated: "In the name of God Amen I, William Berry, of Richmond County in theParish of Hanover being indisposed in body but of perfect memoryblessed be Almighty God for the same, and calling to mind theuncertainty of this life, do make ordain and constitute this to be mylast will and testament, revoking and disannulling all former willsand this to be my true last Will in manner and form following: First and principally I commend my soul into the hands of AlmightyGod, hoping through the merits of Jesus Christ my saviour to have aJoyful resurrection and full pardon and remission of all my sins, andmy body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretionof my Executors hereafter named and as for what worldly good it hathpleased God to bestow upon and bless me with, I shall dispose andleave them as followeth. Item: I give and bequeath to my two sons Joseph and Enoch Berry allthe land I now stand possessed with in Essex County being nine hundredand fifty acres more or less to be equally divided between themallowing my eldest son Joseph to have the first choice and if my sonJoseph shall see cause before his brother come to age to dispose ormake sale of the whole or any part of the said land either in his ownor his brother's behalf, that then he shall do as he sees fit andconvenient, and if my son Enoch or Joseph shall die without heir thenshall the said land return to the other brother, and if they shallboth die without heirs, then it shall fall to my two daughters,Margaret and Elizabeth. Item: I give to my two sons Joseph and Enoch Berry my Mill with thatparcel of land adjacent to the Millswamp, binding upon Andrew Harrisonand James Key, to each an equal part to be at the dispose of my eldestson Joseph to see or make use of until his brother comes to age. Item: I give and bequeath to my son Enoch Berry the plantation I nowlive on with all the land joining it hereto now in my possession beingthe third part of a certain patent granted to Enoch Doughty bycomputation five hundred acres to him and his heirs lawfully begottenof his body and for want of such heirs to fall to my son Joseph Berryand to his heirs lawfully begotten of his body. Item: I give to my daughters Margarett Rogers and Elizabeth Strother acertain tract of land known and distinguished by the name of theforest land binding upon Henry Berry, Mr. Fitzhugh & William Pannell,divided between them by a path and marked trees, my daughter Margaretto have her part where she now liveth to her and her heirs lawfullybegotten of her own body and the other part to my daughter Elizabethto her and her heirs lawfully begotten of her own body. Item: I give to my son Enoch Berry two beds and furniture, two cowsand calves and one thousand pounds of Tobacco to be paid to him whenhe shall come to age. Item: I give to my daughter Margaret Rogers one bed and furniture,one cow and calf and seal skin trunk. Item: I give to my daughter Elizabeth Strother one bed and furniture,a chest of drawers and a cow and calf. Item: I give to my son Joseph berry one bed and furniture, and all mycarpenters and coopers tools and broad-cloth linen and trimming for asuit of clothes, viz: coat, vest and Breaches. Item: And it is my desire that all my other moveable estate be equallydivided between my four children. Item: And Lastly I do constitute ordain and appoint my son JosephBerry to be whole and sole executor of this my last will andTestament. In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this fifthday of February, 1720. William (Seal) Berry Teste: William Munford, Thomas Apperson, Anthony Seals, Senr. 6/2/1721 King George County Court: "The last Will and Testament ofWilliam Berry, dec'd, was presented into court by Joseph Berry hisExecutor who made oath thereto and being proved by the oaths ofWilliam Munford and Thomas Apperson, witnesses thereto, is admitted torecords. |