1828 - Sublett to Charles - Chesterfield Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
11/10/1828
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
1
Text of Freedom Document
I Edith Sublett widow of Abram Sublett dec’d of Chesterfield County being of sound disposing mind and memory, do make declare and publish this as my last will and testament in manner and form following viz. First I give and bequeath my negro boy Dick to Sublett McGruder to him, his heirs and assigns forever. 2ndly I give and bequeath my negro girl Matilda & her future increase from this time to Frances McGruder Jr to her and her heirs and assigns forever. 3rdly I give and bequeath to Zachariah McGruder Jr my negro girl Nancy, upon condition that he convey and deliver to Cynthia McGruder if she be then living the first child which Nancy may have born alive, after which all the future increase of Nancy I give and bequeath to said Zachariah McGruder Jr to him and his heirs forever.
5thly I place my negro man Charles in the hands & care of my executor hereafter named to be used and treated with such humanity and lenity as he knows it is my wish Charles should receive, and that at any time after five years from and after my death the said Charles if he requests it, shall be manumitted & set free by my said executor upon such conditions as slaves shall then be entitled as acquire. Their freedom, and as I have a twofold object in new in this clause of my will, viz renumeration to my executor for the trouble I hereby impose on him, and to reward Charles for his faithful services to me, it is my wish that in the event that the laws of Virginia at the end of five years after my death will not permit slaves set free to remain in this state, and Charles shall be unwilling to leave the state, that then he is to remain in the hands of my said executor under such treatment as it is my wish aforesaid he should receive. And after the death of my said executor it is my wish that Charles may in the event he does not elect to be free shall have the right to select his master, which I hope he may be permitted to do by going int court and declaring such selection, and having the same entered of record, and after such election he shall be treated with due care, lenity and humanity. It may be well after the expiration of said five years after my death that Charles labor to a reasonable extent be applied as a reserve fund for him in the event of him becoming super innated or sustains any accident incapacitating him for labor, but as it is my wish that my said executor shall not be held accountable in a pecuniary point of [illegible] for the trust conferred on him in relation to Charles he will upon that subject exercise his own discretion.
6thly After the payment of all my just debts the balance and residue of my estate I place in the hands of my executor to be by him used, applied and appropriated for the benefit of Nancy Thurman and her children in such way as he may think best, so that the same shall not be controlled by or subject to be waster by Hezekiah Thurman, the husband of the said Nancy.
7thly and lastly. I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my friend Higgison Hancock my sole executor to this my last will and testament, and as I am not to any extent in debt, I desire he may qualify as such without being required to give any security. In testimony whereof I have duly made, signed, sealed and published this my last will and testament on the 14th day of August 1828.
Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Edith Sublett Edith Sublett (seal)
as and for her last will and testament in the presence
and hearing of us, who at his request, and in her presence
have subscribed our names as witnesses.
Teste
David Stanford
Henry Winfree
In Chesterfield County Court November 10th 1828 This last will and testament of Edith Sublett dec’d was proved by the oath of David Stanford, a witness thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Higgison Hancock, the executor therein named who entered into bond without security (none being required) conditioned as the law directs, and took the oath prescribed by law, a certificate is granted him for obtaining probate thereof in due form. 1830 May 9th to be cont. further & fully proved by Henry Winfree also a witness, and order of probate confirmed &c.
Teste, P. Poindexter C
5thly I place my negro man Charles in the hands & care of my executor hereafter named to be used and treated with such humanity and lenity as he knows it is my wish Charles should receive, and that at any time after five years from and after my death the said Charles if he requests it, shall be manumitted & set free by my said executor upon such conditions as slaves shall then be entitled as acquire. Their freedom, and as I have a twofold object in new in this clause of my will, viz renumeration to my executor for the trouble I hereby impose on him, and to reward Charles for his faithful services to me, it is my wish that in the event that the laws of Virginia at the end of five years after my death will not permit slaves set free to remain in this state, and Charles shall be unwilling to leave the state, that then he is to remain in the hands of my said executor under such treatment as it is my wish aforesaid he should receive. And after the death of my said executor it is my wish that Charles may in the event he does not elect to be free shall have the right to select his master, which I hope he may be permitted to do by going int court and declaring such selection, and having the same entered of record, and after such election he shall be treated with due care, lenity and humanity. It may be well after the expiration of said five years after my death that Charles labor to a reasonable extent be applied as a reserve fund for him in the event of him becoming super innated or sustains any accident incapacitating him for labor, but as it is my wish that my said executor shall not be held accountable in a pecuniary point of [illegible] for the trust conferred on him in relation to Charles he will upon that subject exercise his own discretion.
6thly After the payment of all my just debts the balance and residue of my estate I place in the hands of my executor to be by him used, applied and appropriated for the benefit of Nancy Thurman and her children in such way as he may think best, so that the same shall not be controlled by or subject to be waster by Hezekiah Thurman, the husband of the said Nancy.
7thly and lastly. I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my friend Higgison Hancock my sole executor to this my last will and testament, and as I am not to any extent in debt, I desire he may qualify as such without being required to give any security. In testimony whereof I have duly made, signed, sealed and published this my last will and testament on the 14th day of August 1828.
Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Edith Sublett Edith Sublett (seal)
as and for her last will and testament in the presence
and hearing of us, who at his request, and in her presence
have subscribed our names as witnesses.
Teste
David Stanford
Henry Winfree
In Chesterfield County Court November 10th 1828 This last will and testament of Edith Sublett dec’d was proved by the oath of David Stanford, a witness thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Higgison Hancock, the executor therein named who entered into bond without security (none being required) conditioned as the law directs, and took the oath prescribed by law, a certificate is granted him for obtaining probate thereof in due form. 1830 May 9th to be cont. further & fully proved by Henry Winfree also a witness, and order of probate confirmed &c.
Teste, P. Poindexter C
Record Location
WB 11:375
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Files
Collection
Citation
“1828 - Sublett to Charles - Chesterfield Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed February 16, 2025, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/2091.