1872 - Dabney to Thomas, et al - Dinwiddie Co, VA

1872 - Dabney to Thomas, et al - Dinwiddie Co, VA

02/19/1872

16

In the name of God Amen. I William Dabney of the County of Dinwiddie State of Virginia, being of perfect mind & memory do make this my last will & testament as follows viz.
1st I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Julia Ann & Dabney & her heirs forever the following slaves to wit Dempsey, Mary & her son Johann Rainey & five of her children viz Hariette, Richard, David, Matilda, & Caroline & the future increase of the said female, also one bed of furniture [illegible] & harness buggy bay mare & the sum of eight hundred & twenty five dollars to be paid by my Executor hereinafter named out of my estate.
1nd I emancipate & forever set free the following slaves to wit, Thomas, Austin, Gilliam, Albert, Nancy, Abby, Eliza, Winny & her six children, severally, Sandra, Catharine, Amy, Charlotte, Richard & Lilah & the future increase of the said female slaves. I also emancipate & forever set free two other slaves James & Archer & I authorize my Executor hereafter named to pay to the said slaves & Archer the sum of one hundred dollars cash, out of my estate which I give to them forever.
3rd I give & bequeath to my daughter Martha William T Dabney & her heirs forever the remainder of my estate of every description & their both optimal.
4th I constitute & appoint my friend & relative James H [Beripeau?] whole & sole executor of this my last will & testament & guardian of my infant daughter the above named Martha William T Dabney. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 23rd day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & fifty one.
Witness William Dabney (seal)

At a County Court held for the County of Dinwiddie on Monday 19th February 1872. This last will and testament of William Dabney dec’d was produced in court & offered for proof and there being no subscribing witnesses thereto, James H Beripeau, John P. Dabney was sworn and severally defined that they were well acquainted with the hand writing of the said Dabney & verily believed the said will and signature thereto to be wholly written by the testators own hand & hereupon the said will is admitted to record as the true last will and testament of the said Wm Dabney dec’d & appearing to the court that James H Beripeau the Executor therein named is dead, on the motion of Julia Dabney the order of qualification entered at the October term 1871 is set aside as being unadvisedly made & on the motion of said Julia A Dabney she is allowed to qualify as the administrator with the will annexed of the said William Dabney who made oath thereto and together with Martha H Dabney her security entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of two thousand dollars conditioned according to law, certificate for obtaining a probate of the said will is granted her in due form.
Teste, A Christian Clk

WB 8:65

Last Will & Testament

This will was written in 1851 but probated some years after the Civil War, unclear if this was a clerical error, or the deceased in fact passed away over 20 years after writing the will. Also unclear if the named enslaved individuals remained alive beyond their former master's death, or were freed prior to 1865, or if the other aspects of the will were carried out such as the payments to certain former slaves.