1854 - Sherman to slaves - Fauquier Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
05/22/1854
Manumitter
Manumitted
Text of Freedom Document
I Thomas Shearman of the County of Fauquier and State of Virginia being of sound mind and disposing memory praised be to god and considering the uncertainty of this life do make ordain and publish pronounce and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows.
To wit,
1st It is my will and desire after my decease that all my servants shall be hired out for two years and at the end of said two years to be sent to Liberia, and in addition to their wages they may get for said two year’s services, I give unto them the sum of five hundred dollars to enable them to get to their new homes – and if it should happen that the male servants that have served should not be willing to move from their wives, it is my will that my man Jacob shall serve K.G. Hicks Sr until he may become willing to be moved as before stated, and on like manner my man Wales must serve George W. Shearman son of my deceased brother George Shearman late of the County of Green State of Virginia and my man Tarlton must serve Tho. M Shearman and my man George must serve Wm Timberlake of the County of Warren Va and my man Abner must serve Alexander Edmonds with the understanding that neither of the above named servants is to be separated from their wives.
2nd I give and bequeath to K.G. Hicks Jr son of K.G. Hicks Sr. one thousand dollars to be paid to him out of his father’s bond executed to me for the sum of $1276.72 with interest from the 1st day of March 1851 and said bond is dated the 5 day of March 1851.
3rd I give and bequeath unto Samuel S. Hicks son of K.G. Hicks Sr. one thousand dollars current money of the state of Va.
4th I give unto Evelina T. Hicks daughter of K.G. Hicks Sr my twenty shares in the Manassas Gap Railroad Company when she arrives at the lawful age.
5th I give unto Kimble G. Hicks Jr my four shares in the Berry’s and Winchester Turnpike Road – also my gold watch and gold spetickles [sic].
6th I give unto Amanda Hicks wife of K.G. Hicks Sr my deceased wife Celia Shearman’s riding filly named Jenny with a particular request that Jenny shall be well taken care of.
7th I give unto Alice Wilson widow of the late Russell Wilson the bond of the said Russell executed to me for the sum of $563.92 with the interest on said bond. Bond bearing date the 16th day of November in the year 1835 as her full share of my estate, said bond I have sent to her to the state of Ohio by Leroy Lemert of said state.
I give unto the lawful heirs of the late Richard M.S. Timberlake the bonds of the said R.M. S. Timberlake executed to me, that is to say bond no 1 for the sum of $100, bond no.2 for $300, bond no.3 for $500, bond no.4 for $500, and bond no.5 for $204. It is my will that said bonds shall be equally divided between the said heirs except Wm. Timberlake who is provided for in another part of this my last will and testament.
9th I give and bequeath unto Tho M Shearman son of my dec’d brother George Shearman late of the County of Green Va. my two farms lying in the County of Fauquier known by the names of the Settle and Yearby farms also a lot of land lying between the said two farms known or called the green lot of land also a lot of meadow land I purchased of Miss Colston, also the great and saw mill on the said Yearby farm to him and heirs forever as his share of my estate.
10th I give and bequeath to George W. Shearman son of my dec’d brother George Shearman Sr. late of the County of Green Virginia my farm lying in the County of Fauquier known for the name of the Gap Run Farm to him and his heirs forever as his share of my estate.
11th I give and bequeath unto William Timberlake of Brace Town Frederick County Va son of my deceased sister Ester Timberlake my two farms lying in the county of Fauquier known by the names of the Morgan and the Edmonds farm, also a lot of land adjoining the said two farms I purchased of the late Capt Sam’l Grigsby who my store house and lots in the two of Paris Fauquier County now occupied at present by Abner N Settle and W.W. Rogers to him and his heirs forever, provided he pays annually to my dec’d wife Celia Shearman’s niece named Celia Edmonds the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars during her natural life as his share of my estate.
12th I give and bequeath to Wm Timberlake son of the late Richard M.S. Timberlake my farm lying in the county of Warren and Clarke also the lots of wood land I purchased of James Richards, also a lot of land I purchased of Thomas G. Marshall now at present occupied by J Brown under a lease from me to his wife during her natural life to him and his heirs forever as his share of my estate provided he pays annually the sum of one hundred dollars to John Timberlake during his natural life provided the said John Timberlake may need said sum for his support.
13th It is my will that my Executors hereafter named after my deceased shall sell at public auction all of my personal estate on the usual credit and collect the same when due as well as all of the moneys that may be due my estate on interest and after first paying of the legacys first named in this my last will and testament the balance that may be due my estate it is my will that it shall be equally divided between my dec’d sister Ester Timberlake’s children and my dec’d sister Alice Christian’s children and my dec’d brother George Shearman’s children. It is my will that the dividend that may be due Alice Jennings married daughter of my brother George Shearman dec’d shall be put in the hands of her brother George W. Shearman with a request that he shall pay it over to her as she may need it.
And Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my friend Kimble G. Hicks and Thomas M. Shearman my Executors to this my last will and testament with a request that the County Court of Fauquier County will ask no security of them for their administration on my estate. In testimony whereof I have set and affixed my hand & seal & all condition with my own hand this 25th day of October in the year of our Lord 1852.
Tho’s Shearman (seal)
Signed, sealed and acknowledged
in the presence of
Abner S. Payne
A.H. Settle
Codicil to my last will
Whereas I have made the arrangements on the first page in this my last will for all my servants after my decease to be sent to Liberia and whereas I informed that none of said servants is willing to leave the Country and if it should happen after my decease that said slaves will not agree to leave the county,
I give and bequeath to Kimble G. Hicks Jun my woman [?Winnie?] and all of her children and her grand children also my woman Kitty and all of her children to him and his heirs forever.
Given under my hand and seal this 30th day of April 1854
Tho’s Shearman (seal)
Thomas E Cross
Alban S. Payne
Fauquier County Court May 22nd 1854
This paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Thomas Shearman deceased together with a codicil thereto annexed was produced to the court and the said will was proved by the oaths of Alban S Payne and A.H. Settle subscribing witnesses thereto and the said codicil was proved by the oaths of Thomas E. Cross and Alban S. Payne subscribing witnesses thereto and thereupon the said paper writing with the codicil aforesaid is ordered to be recorded as the true last will and testament of the said Thomas Shearman deceased. Kimble G. Hicks Sr. and Thomas M. Shearman the Executors therein named qualified, gave bond according to law without security the testator having left viable estate more than sufficient to pay his debts and directed by his will that no security should be required of them.
Teste, Wm. H Jennings C.C.
To wit,
1st It is my will and desire after my decease that all my servants shall be hired out for two years and at the end of said two years to be sent to Liberia, and in addition to their wages they may get for said two year’s services, I give unto them the sum of five hundred dollars to enable them to get to their new homes – and if it should happen that the male servants that have served should not be willing to move from their wives, it is my will that my man Jacob shall serve K.G. Hicks Sr until he may become willing to be moved as before stated, and on like manner my man Wales must serve George W. Shearman son of my deceased brother George Shearman late of the County of Green State of Virginia and my man Tarlton must serve Tho. M Shearman and my man George must serve Wm Timberlake of the County of Warren Va and my man Abner must serve Alexander Edmonds with the understanding that neither of the above named servants is to be separated from their wives.
2nd I give and bequeath to K.G. Hicks Jr son of K.G. Hicks Sr. one thousand dollars to be paid to him out of his father’s bond executed to me for the sum of $1276.72 with interest from the 1st day of March 1851 and said bond is dated the 5 day of March 1851.
3rd I give and bequeath unto Samuel S. Hicks son of K.G. Hicks Sr. one thousand dollars current money of the state of Va.
4th I give unto Evelina T. Hicks daughter of K.G. Hicks Sr my twenty shares in the Manassas Gap Railroad Company when she arrives at the lawful age.
5th I give unto Kimble G. Hicks Jr my four shares in the Berry’s and Winchester Turnpike Road – also my gold watch and gold spetickles [sic].
6th I give unto Amanda Hicks wife of K.G. Hicks Sr my deceased wife Celia Shearman’s riding filly named Jenny with a particular request that Jenny shall be well taken care of.
7th I give unto Alice Wilson widow of the late Russell Wilson the bond of the said Russell executed to me for the sum of $563.92 with the interest on said bond. Bond bearing date the 16th day of November in the year 1835 as her full share of my estate, said bond I have sent to her to the state of Ohio by Leroy Lemert of said state.
I give unto the lawful heirs of the late Richard M.S. Timberlake the bonds of the said R.M. S. Timberlake executed to me, that is to say bond no 1 for the sum of $100, bond no.2 for $300, bond no.3 for $500, bond no.4 for $500, and bond no.5 for $204. It is my will that said bonds shall be equally divided between the said heirs except Wm. Timberlake who is provided for in another part of this my last will and testament.
9th I give and bequeath unto Tho M Shearman son of my dec’d brother George Shearman late of the County of Green Va. my two farms lying in the County of Fauquier known by the names of the Settle and Yearby farms also a lot of land lying between the said two farms known or called the green lot of land also a lot of meadow land I purchased of Miss Colston, also the great and saw mill on the said Yearby farm to him and heirs forever as his share of my estate.
10th I give and bequeath to George W. Shearman son of my dec’d brother George Shearman Sr. late of the County of Green Virginia my farm lying in the County of Fauquier known for the name of the Gap Run Farm to him and his heirs forever as his share of my estate.
11th I give and bequeath unto William Timberlake of Brace Town Frederick County Va son of my deceased sister Ester Timberlake my two farms lying in the county of Fauquier known by the names of the Morgan and the Edmonds farm, also a lot of land adjoining the said two farms I purchased of the late Capt Sam’l Grigsby who my store house and lots in the two of Paris Fauquier County now occupied at present by Abner N Settle and W.W. Rogers to him and his heirs forever, provided he pays annually to my dec’d wife Celia Shearman’s niece named Celia Edmonds the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars during her natural life as his share of my estate.
12th I give and bequeath to Wm Timberlake son of the late Richard M.S. Timberlake my farm lying in the county of Warren and Clarke also the lots of wood land I purchased of James Richards, also a lot of land I purchased of Thomas G. Marshall now at present occupied by J Brown under a lease from me to his wife during her natural life to him and his heirs forever as his share of my estate provided he pays annually the sum of one hundred dollars to John Timberlake during his natural life provided the said John Timberlake may need said sum for his support.
13th It is my will that my Executors hereafter named after my deceased shall sell at public auction all of my personal estate on the usual credit and collect the same when due as well as all of the moneys that may be due my estate on interest and after first paying of the legacys first named in this my last will and testament the balance that may be due my estate it is my will that it shall be equally divided between my dec’d sister Ester Timberlake’s children and my dec’d sister Alice Christian’s children and my dec’d brother George Shearman’s children. It is my will that the dividend that may be due Alice Jennings married daughter of my brother George Shearman dec’d shall be put in the hands of her brother George W. Shearman with a request that he shall pay it over to her as she may need it.
And Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my friend Kimble G. Hicks and Thomas M. Shearman my Executors to this my last will and testament with a request that the County Court of Fauquier County will ask no security of them for their administration on my estate. In testimony whereof I have set and affixed my hand & seal & all condition with my own hand this 25th day of October in the year of our Lord 1852.
Tho’s Shearman (seal)
Signed, sealed and acknowledged
in the presence of
Abner S. Payne
A.H. Settle
Codicil to my last will
Whereas I have made the arrangements on the first page in this my last will for all my servants after my decease to be sent to Liberia and whereas I informed that none of said servants is willing to leave the Country and if it should happen after my decease that said slaves will not agree to leave the county,
I give and bequeath to Kimble G. Hicks Jun my woman [?Winnie?] and all of her children and her grand children also my woman Kitty and all of her children to him and his heirs forever.
Given under my hand and seal this 30th day of April 1854
Tho’s Shearman (seal)
Thomas E Cross
Alban S. Payne
Fauquier County Court May 22nd 1854
This paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Thomas Shearman deceased together with a codicil thereto annexed was produced to the court and the said will was proved by the oaths of Alban S Payne and A.H. Settle subscribing witnesses thereto and the said codicil was proved by the oaths of Thomas E. Cross and Alban S. Payne subscribing witnesses thereto and thereupon the said paper writing with the codicil aforesaid is ordered to be recorded as the true last will and testament of the said Thomas Shearman deceased. Kimble G. Hicks Sr. and Thomas M. Shearman the Executors therein named qualified, gave bond according to law without security the testator having left viable estate more than sufficient to pay his debts and directed by his will that no security should be required of them.
Teste, Wm. H Jennings C.C.
Record Location
WB 25:217
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Files
Collection
Citation
“1854 - Sherman to slaves - Fauquier Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed June 17, 2026, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/1649.