1773 - Rantz to Godfreth Woolmore - Shenandoah Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
06/23/1773
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
1
Text of Freedom Document
In the name of God Amen. I Susanna Rantz late of Virginia, now of Baltimore County Maryland, being ancient and infirm of body but sound and well, disposing mind and memory and knowing the uncertainty of this life and having a desire to settle and dispose of all my temporal estate which God in his providence hath been pleased to favor me with, and that in order to prevent disputes and contentions concerning the same after my decease, do in the following order settle and dispose thereof viz.
I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mary Reager one shilling sterling money of Great Britain, and each of her children John Reager and daughter Susanna twenty shillings Virginia currency.
Item I also give and bequeath each of the children of Mary Woolmore and Susanna Keller the sum of one shilling sterling money aforesaid.
Item My will also is that Godfreth Woolmore shall be set free from and immediately after my decease and also I give unto him one cow.
Item And all the remainder of my estate both real and personal whatsoever and whereover I give and bequeath unto my daughter Catharine Swan.
Lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my well beloved son in law Frederick Andrew Swan my whole and sole Executor, hereby revoking all former wills and do now pronounce and declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this second day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy two.
Sealed and delivered in the presence of us: Susanna Rantz (seal)
David Tate
Andrew Tate
Joseph Ashmead
A true copy of Susanna Rantz her last will exhibited and proved & now remaining of record in the prerogative office. In testimony whereof I the subscriber deputy commissioner of the County of Baltimore and commissioned by the honorable Walter Dulaney Esq. Commissary General of the Province of Maryland have hereto set my hand and affixed my seal this 5th day of April 1772.
Tho. Jones (seal)
Balt. County
On the 5th day of April 1773 came David Tate and Andrew Tate, two of the subscribing evidences to the within last will and testament of Susanna Rantz late of Baltimore County deceased and severally made oath on the holy evangels of Almighty God that they saw the said Testatrix sign and seal and heard her publish, pronounce and declare the same to be her last will and testament, and that at the time of her so doing she was to the best of their several apprehensions of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding and that they together with Joseph Ashmead the other subscribing evidence signed their names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testatrix and at her request and in the presence of each other – sworn to before and certified by me the subscriber Deputy Commissary of Baltimore County the day and year above mentioned.
Tho. Jones
At a court continued and held for Dunmore County June the 23rd 1773
A copy of the last will and testament of Susanna Rantz dec’d from under the hand and seal of Thomas Jones Deputy Commissary of the County of Baltimore in the Province of Maryland was exhibited into court by Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager and ordered to be recorded, and on motion of the said Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager who made oath according to law, certificate is granted them for obtaining letters of administration of the said decedents estate with her will aforesaid annexed, giving security on which they together with Alexander Machen their security entered into and acknowledged their bond for their due and faithful administration of the said estate and performance of the will aforesaid.
Teste, Thomas Marshall C.D.C.
Know all men by these presents that we Frederick Andrew Swan, Michael Reager & Alexander Machen are held and firmly bound with Joseph Pugh, Francis Slaughter, John Tipton & Abraham Keller, gentlemen Justices of the County Court of Dunmore now sitting in the sum of two hundred pounds current money of Virginia to the which payment will and truly to be made to the said Justices and their successors we bind our selves and every of us, our and every of our heirs, Executors, Administrators jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals this 23 day of June 1773.
The condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager administrators with the last will and testament of Susanna Rantz deceased annexed do make or cause to be made a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of them the said Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for them and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the County Court of Dunmore at such times as they shall be thereto required by the said court, and the same goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased at the time of her death which at any time after shall come to the hands or possession of the said admors or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for them as well and truly administer according to law, and further do make a just and true account of their actings and doings therein when thereto required by the said court and also do will and truly pay and deliver all the legacies contained and specified in the said testament as far as the said goods, chattels and credits will thereunto extend according to the value thereof and as the law charge them, then the above obligation to be void otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.
Signed & sealed Michael Reager (seal)
In presence of Frederick Andrew Swan (seal)
Alex’r Machen (seal)
At a court continued and held for Dunmore County June 23rd 1773
Frederick Andrew Swan, Michael Reager and Alexander Machen acknowledged this their bond in court, which was ordered to be recorded.
Teste, Thomas Marshall C.D.C.
I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mary Reager one shilling sterling money of Great Britain, and each of her children John Reager and daughter Susanna twenty shillings Virginia currency.
Item I also give and bequeath each of the children of Mary Woolmore and Susanna Keller the sum of one shilling sterling money aforesaid.
Item My will also is that Godfreth Woolmore shall be set free from and immediately after my decease and also I give unto him one cow.
Item And all the remainder of my estate both real and personal whatsoever and whereover I give and bequeath unto my daughter Catharine Swan.
Lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my well beloved son in law Frederick Andrew Swan my whole and sole Executor, hereby revoking all former wills and do now pronounce and declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this second day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy two.
Sealed and delivered in the presence of us: Susanna Rantz (seal)
David Tate
Andrew Tate
Joseph Ashmead
A true copy of Susanna Rantz her last will exhibited and proved & now remaining of record in the prerogative office. In testimony whereof I the subscriber deputy commissioner of the County of Baltimore and commissioned by the honorable Walter Dulaney Esq. Commissary General of the Province of Maryland have hereto set my hand and affixed my seal this 5th day of April 1772.
Tho. Jones (seal)
Balt. County
On the 5th day of April 1773 came David Tate and Andrew Tate, two of the subscribing evidences to the within last will and testament of Susanna Rantz late of Baltimore County deceased and severally made oath on the holy evangels of Almighty God that they saw the said Testatrix sign and seal and heard her publish, pronounce and declare the same to be her last will and testament, and that at the time of her so doing she was to the best of their several apprehensions of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding and that they together with Joseph Ashmead the other subscribing evidence signed their names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testatrix and at her request and in the presence of each other – sworn to before and certified by me the subscriber Deputy Commissary of Baltimore County the day and year above mentioned.
Tho. Jones
At a court continued and held for Dunmore County June the 23rd 1773
A copy of the last will and testament of Susanna Rantz dec’d from under the hand and seal of Thomas Jones Deputy Commissary of the County of Baltimore in the Province of Maryland was exhibited into court by Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager and ordered to be recorded, and on motion of the said Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager who made oath according to law, certificate is granted them for obtaining letters of administration of the said decedents estate with her will aforesaid annexed, giving security on which they together with Alexander Machen their security entered into and acknowledged their bond for their due and faithful administration of the said estate and performance of the will aforesaid.
Teste, Thomas Marshall C.D.C.
Know all men by these presents that we Frederick Andrew Swan, Michael Reager & Alexander Machen are held and firmly bound with Joseph Pugh, Francis Slaughter, John Tipton & Abraham Keller, gentlemen Justices of the County Court of Dunmore now sitting in the sum of two hundred pounds current money of Virginia to the which payment will and truly to be made to the said Justices and their successors we bind our selves and every of us, our and every of our heirs, Executors, Administrators jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals this 23 day of June 1773.
The condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager administrators with the last will and testament of Susanna Rantz deceased annexed do make or cause to be made a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of them the said Frederick Andrew Swan and Michael Reager or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for them and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the County Court of Dunmore at such times as they shall be thereto required by the said court, and the same goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased at the time of her death which at any time after shall come to the hands or possession of the said admors or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for them as well and truly administer according to law, and further do make a just and true account of their actings and doings therein when thereto required by the said court and also do will and truly pay and deliver all the legacies contained and specified in the said testament as far as the said goods, chattels and credits will thereunto extend according to the value thereof and as the law charge them, then the above obligation to be void otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.
Signed & sealed Michael Reager (seal)
In presence of Frederick Andrew Swan (seal)
Alex’r Machen (seal)
At a court continued and held for Dunmore County June 23rd 1773
Frederick Andrew Swan, Michael Reager and Alexander Machen acknowledged this their bond in court, which was ordered to be recorded.
Teste, Thomas Marshall C.D.C.
Record Location
WB A:43
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Notes
unclear why this document appears in Shenandoah County court documents
Files
Collection
Citation
“1773 - Rantz to Godfreth Woolmore - Shenandoah Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed July 11, 2025, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/2255.