1799 - Browne to Simon, et al - Surry Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
12/24/1799
Manumitter
Number of Persons
8
Text of Freedom Document
I William Browne of the Parish of Southwark and County of Surry, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following.
Imprimis. I emancipate and set free my servant Simon and old Gilly, the latter I desire may remain on the plantation during her life, and be support out of my estate.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally during her life the following negroes to wit: Woodley, Silvia and her children namely Jenny, Rose, Moses and Sally Ann, Maria (the wife of Simon) and her child Mary Ann, and at the death of my said daughter I emancipate and set free the said Woodley, Silvia, Jenny, Sally Ann, Maria and her child Mary Ann and all the future progeny of the said females, and I then give and bequeath the above mentioned boy Moses to William FR Ruffin son of Frederick B Ruffin, and his heirs, and the aforesaid girl Rose and such issue as she may then have to Jane Ruffin daughter of the said Frederick B. Ruffin and her heirs.
Item In consideration of the particular attention which has been paid me, during my sickness, by Doctor Stephen Hopkins I give him two hundred pounds over and above what he may be entitled to receive for his services.
Item I give and bequeath to my friend William Ruffin and his heirs five hundred pounds. I give to my friend Nicholas Faulcon and his heirs five hundred pounds and to my friend Edward Faulcon and his heirs, I give two hundred and fifty pounds.
Item I give to William Cocke (son of Colonel Richard Cocke of the Isle of Wight) and his heirs five hundred pounds to be paid when he attains the age of twenty one years.
Item It is my will and desire that the plantation whereon I now dwell should be kept as nearly as may be in its present condition, and that all the negroes (except Simon and Gilly, who are to be free immediately upon my death), stock of all kinds, the furniture and every other species of property which may be on the plantation at the time of my death (except such as may, in the opinion of my executors, be materially injured by keeping and can yield no profit, or such as they may think useless either for the conveniency of the house or plantation, which I authorize them to sell) should remain thereon; and that my friend Nicholas Faulcon should reside on the plantation and have the management thereof and of all the property thereon, using the same and the profits as well for his family as for the support of the negroes on the plantation until the death, marriage or coming of age of my daughter, and if before either of those events takes place, the said Faulcon should die, I wish and desire that his wife should continue on the said plantation using and enjoying the same and the property thereon in the same manner that the said Faulcon might have done until the happening of one of the events aforesaid. When my daughter attains the age of twenty one years or marries, I give and desire to her the said plantation, the slaves and their increase, and the other property of every kind then being thereon; but in case she should die without issue living at her death, I give and desire the said plantation, the negroes and their progeny of the females and such other property as may then be remaining on the plantation to William Browne, son of Henry Browne, late of Norfolk deceased and his heirs. If, however, the said William Browne shall not be of lawful age at the time of my daughter’s death, I desire that the said Faulcon and if he be dead his wife, may keep possession of the said property until he shall come to lawful age. But as the profits of the plantation may be insufficient to support those negroes thereon and the said Faulcon family, I hereby empower the said Faulcon annually to draw from any of my other plantations as much pork as he may deem sufficient, not exceeding the quantity I have usually laid in myself for the use of my family, and also a couple of beeves. It is my wish that my negro man Woodley should be kept by the said Nichoals Faulcon as a hostler or hired out for that purpose as the said Faulcon may think proper. If the said Faulcon shall not choose to reside at Four-mile Tree, I desire that my executors may get some discreet and decent person to live in the house, and in that case also it is my wish that my negro man Simon should continue on the plantation to assist in taking care of the house and furniture, and that my Executors annually make him a compensation therefore as equate to his services.
Item I desire that my executors should sell my tract of land in Sussex called Spring Swamp, that in Brunswick called Pea Hill and my right to the one on which Thomas Gray now lives in Southampton upon the decision of the suit brought by said Thomas and his wife for her dower therein, or upon the death of the said Mrs. Gray as they may think best, and the monies arising from the sales thereof with such other monies as they may receive from the collection of my debts and the profits of my estate, after paying all debts due from me and the legacies herein bequeathed, either to lay out in the purchase of other more suitable lands or put out at interest on good security as they may just most conducive to the benefit and advantage of my estate.
Item All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate real or personal not before disposed of, I give and devise to my daughter Sally, but if she should die before she arrives to the age of twenty one years or marries, in that case, desire that the same should be sold and the monies arising from the sales thereof I give and bequeath equally to be divided amongst the children of Benjamin Edwards Browne of Surry, William Taylor Browne and Nancy Brown (children of William Brown late of ?? deceased) the children except William of Henry Browne late of Norfolk deceased, and the children of Major Thomas Eaton of the state of North Carolina or the survivor of them. It is my desire, however, that the said estate be kept together under the direction of my executors until the death, marriage or coming of age of my daughter, my said executors having power to dispose of such of the personal estate (except the slaves and my two mares Musadora and Bonnibel which I wish to be kept for brood mares) as they may think proper.
Item I desire that my executors may procure two marble slabs, one for my grave and the other for that of my last wife.
Item It is my wish and desire that my estate may not be appraised and finally I do constitute and appoint my friends William Ruffin and Nicholas Faulcon guardians to my daughter Sally and the said William Ruffin and Nicholas Faulcon and Edward Faulcon executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and annulling all former and other wills by me made. In evidence whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of November in the year of Christ one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine.
Signed, sealed, published and Wm Browne (seal)
declared, and for the testament and
last will of Wm Browne in the
presence of….
Jacob Faulcon, Ja’s A Bardby
Samuel Butler, B.E. Browne
Having omitted to do it in the foregoing part of my will, I now desire that my daughter continue to live in the family of my friend Nicholas Faulcon and be well educated, and for that purpose I empower the said Faulcon to employ a good governess for her to live in his family until her guardian shall think it to her benefit to be put at a boarding school. It is also my wish that the said Faulcon’s sister Jane should continue to live with him, and that he should bring to Four-Mile Tree such of his house servants as he may think proper, and it is further my desire that if the profits of Four Mile Tree should be inadequate to the keeping the same in proper repair and clothing and supporting the negroes in the usual manner that the said Nicholas Faulcon should draw from my other estate so much money as will be sufficient for that purpose. It is farther my will and desire that Mrs. S Ruffin (wife of Frederick B. Ruffin) receive out of my estate thirty three pounds, six shilling, and eight pence per year during her life, her son William F. Robert a like sum per year until he attains the age of fifteen years and her daughter Jane Bland a like sum per year until she arrives to the age of fifteen years. These legacies I give for the purpose of supporting Mrs. Ruffin and educating and maintaining her children and I desire and direct that they be paid to them at such times, and in such proportions as William Ruffin shall think proper and in ease of the death of the said Wm. Ruffin then the same to be in like manner paid to them by my other executors – but it is my wish that no part thereof be ever paid into the hand of Frederick B. Rufin, the husband of the said Mrs. S. Ruffin. In evidence whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year aforesaid.
The above codicil signed, sealed, Wm Browne (seal)
published and declared as and
for the part of the foregoing will of the
above named William Browne
in the presence of
Jacob Faulcon, Ja’s A. Bradby,
Samuel Butler, B.E. Browne
At a court held for Surry County December the 24th 1799
The within written last will and testament of the therein named William Browne deceased was presented in court by William Ruffin, Nicholas Faulcon and Edward Faulcon the executors named in the said will, and the same being proved by the oaths of Samuel Butler and Benjamin E. Browne, two of the witnesses thereto was by the court ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the said executors who made oath and gave bond with Benjamin E. Browne, Caufield Seward, James Simpson, and William F. Browne, their securities in the penal sum of one hundred thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste, Jacob Faulcon C.S.C.
Imprimis. I emancipate and set free my servant Simon and old Gilly, the latter I desire may remain on the plantation during her life, and be support out of my estate.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally during her life the following negroes to wit: Woodley, Silvia and her children namely Jenny, Rose, Moses and Sally Ann, Maria (the wife of Simon) and her child Mary Ann, and at the death of my said daughter I emancipate and set free the said Woodley, Silvia, Jenny, Sally Ann, Maria and her child Mary Ann and all the future progeny of the said females, and I then give and bequeath the above mentioned boy Moses to William FR Ruffin son of Frederick B Ruffin, and his heirs, and the aforesaid girl Rose and such issue as she may then have to Jane Ruffin daughter of the said Frederick B. Ruffin and her heirs.
Item In consideration of the particular attention which has been paid me, during my sickness, by Doctor Stephen Hopkins I give him two hundred pounds over and above what he may be entitled to receive for his services.
Item I give and bequeath to my friend William Ruffin and his heirs five hundred pounds. I give to my friend Nicholas Faulcon and his heirs five hundred pounds and to my friend Edward Faulcon and his heirs, I give two hundred and fifty pounds.
Item I give to William Cocke (son of Colonel Richard Cocke of the Isle of Wight) and his heirs five hundred pounds to be paid when he attains the age of twenty one years.
Item It is my will and desire that the plantation whereon I now dwell should be kept as nearly as may be in its present condition, and that all the negroes (except Simon and Gilly, who are to be free immediately upon my death), stock of all kinds, the furniture and every other species of property which may be on the plantation at the time of my death (except such as may, in the opinion of my executors, be materially injured by keeping and can yield no profit, or such as they may think useless either for the conveniency of the house or plantation, which I authorize them to sell) should remain thereon; and that my friend Nicholas Faulcon should reside on the plantation and have the management thereof and of all the property thereon, using the same and the profits as well for his family as for the support of the negroes on the plantation until the death, marriage or coming of age of my daughter, and if before either of those events takes place, the said Faulcon should die, I wish and desire that his wife should continue on the said plantation using and enjoying the same and the property thereon in the same manner that the said Faulcon might have done until the happening of one of the events aforesaid. When my daughter attains the age of twenty one years or marries, I give and desire to her the said plantation, the slaves and their increase, and the other property of every kind then being thereon; but in case she should die without issue living at her death, I give and desire the said plantation, the negroes and their progeny of the females and such other property as may then be remaining on the plantation to William Browne, son of Henry Browne, late of Norfolk deceased and his heirs. If, however, the said William Browne shall not be of lawful age at the time of my daughter’s death, I desire that the said Faulcon and if he be dead his wife, may keep possession of the said property until he shall come to lawful age. But as the profits of the plantation may be insufficient to support those negroes thereon and the said Faulcon family, I hereby empower the said Faulcon annually to draw from any of my other plantations as much pork as he may deem sufficient, not exceeding the quantity I have usually laid in myself for the use of my family, and also a couple of beeves. It is my wish that my negro man Woodley should be kept by the said Nichoals Faulcon as a hostler or hired out for that purpose as the said Faulcon may think proper. If the said Faulcon shall not choose to reside at Four-mile Tree, I desire that my executors may get some discreet and decent person to live in the house, and in that case also it is my wish that my negro man Simon should continue on the plantation to assist in taking care of the house and furniture, and that my Executors annually make him a compensation therefore as equate to his services.
Item I desire that my executors should sell my tract of land in Sussex called Spring Swamp, that in Brunswick called Pea Hill and my right to the one on which Thomas Gray now lives in Southampton upon the decision of the suit brought by said Thomas and his wife for her dower therein, or upon the death of the said Mrs. Gray as they may think best, and the monies arising from the sales thereof with such other monies as they may receive from the collection of my debts and the profits of my estate, after paying all debts due from me and the legacies herein bequeathed, either to lay out in the purchase of other more suitable lands or put out at interest on good security as they may just most conducive to the benefit and advantage of my estate.
Item All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate real or personal not before disposed of, I give and devise to my daughter Sally, but if she should die before she arrives to the age of twenty one years or marries, in that case, desire that the same should be sold and the monies arising from the sales thereof I give and bequeath equally to be divided amongst the children of Benjamin Edwards Browne of Surry, William Taylor Browne and Nancy Brown (children of William Brown late of ?? deceased) the children except William of Henry Browne late of Norfolk deceased, and the children of Major Thomas Eaton of the state of North Carolina or the survivor of them. It is my desire, however, that the said estate be kept together under the direction of my executors until the death, marriage or coming of age of my daughter, my said executors having power to dispose of such of the personal estate (except the slaves and my two mares Musadora and Bonnibel which I wish to be kept for brood mares) as they may think proper.
Item I desire that my executors may procure two marble slabs, one for my grave and the other for that of my last wife.
Item It is my wish and desire that my estate may not be appraised and finally I do constitute and appoint my friends William Ruffin and Nicholas Faulcon guardians to my daughter Sally and the said William Ruffin and Nicholas Faulcon and Edward Faulcon executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and annulling all former and other wills by me made. In evidence whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of November in the year of Christ one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine.
Signed, sealed, published and Wm Browne (seal)
declared, and for the testament and
last will of Wm Browne in the
presence of….
Jacob Faulcon, Ja’s A Bardby
Samuel Butler, B.E. Browne
Having omitted to do it in the foregoing part of my will, I now desire that my daughter continue to live in the family of my friend Nicholas Faulcon and be well educated, and for that purpose I empower the said Faulcon to employ a good governess for her to live in his family until her guardian shall think it to her benefit to be put at a boarding school. It is also my wish that the said Faulcon’s sister Jane should continue to live with him, and that he should bring to Four-Mile Tree such of his house servants as he may think proper, and it is further my desire that if the profits of Four Mile Tree should be inadequate to the keeping the same in proper repair and clothing and supporting the negroes in the usual manner that the said Nicholas Faulcon should draw from my other estate so much money as will be sufficient for that purpose. It is farther my will and desire that Mrs. S Ruffin (wife of Frederick B. Ruffin) receive out of my estate thirty three pounds, six shilling, and eight pence per year during her life, her son William F. Robert a like sum per year until he attains the age of fifteen years and her daughter Jane Bland a like sum per year until she arrives to the age of fifteen years. These legacies I give for the purpose of supporting Mrs. Ruffin and educating and maintaining her children and I desire and direct that they be paid to them at such times, and in such proportions as William Ruffin shall think proper and in ease of the death of the said Wm. Ruffin then the same to be in like manner paid to them by my other executors – but it is my wish that no part thereof be ever paid into the hand of Frederick B. Rufin, the husband of the said Mrs. S. Ruffin. In evidence whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year aforesaid.
The above codicil signed, sealed, Wm Browne (seal)
published and declared as and
for the part of the foregoing will of the
above named William Browne
in the presence of
Jacob Faulcon, Ja’s A. Bradby,
Samuel Butler, B.E. Browne
At a court held for Surry County December the 24th 1799
The within written last will and testament of the therein named William Browne deceased was presented in court by William Ruffin, Nicholas Faulcon and Edward Faulcon the executors named in the said will, and the same being proved by the oaths of Samuel Butler and Benjamin E. Browne, two of the witnesses thereto was by the court ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the said executors who made oath and gave bond with Benjamin E. Browne, Caufield Seward, James Simpson, and William F. Browne, their securities in the penal sum of one hundred thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste, Jacob Faulcon C.S.C.
Record Location
WB 1:361
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Files
Collection
Citation
“1799 - Browne to Simon, et al - Surry Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed June 16, 2026, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/2456.