1821 - Chinn to Cate, et al - Lancaster Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
03/19/1821
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
5
Text of Freedom Document
In the name of God Amen I Robert Chinn of the County of Lancaster being of sound mind and disposing memory do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament.
Item I give and bequeath & hereby devise unto my niece Matilda Ann Elizabeth Jeffries the wife of Mr. John F.B. Jeffries my tract of land whereon I now live to her and her heirs forever. I also give unto the said Matilda A.E. Jeffries my negro woman Lucy and her three children Judah, Peter, & Anna, and all my horses, cattle & hogs together with all the plantation utensils of every description, as also my clock & chairs. And I also give unto my said niece all the grain & provender of every kind which may be unsold at the time of my death.
2nd It is my will and desire that my woman Cate for her extraordinary merit & for her faithful conduct together with her children Henry, Addison, Frederick & Maria be free and emancipated, and I do hereby will them free. It is my will and desire that said Cate shall live in my quarter, on the said land together with her children, and be furnished annually by the said Matilda A.E. Jeffries and her heirs with eight barrels of corn & one hundred weight of pork, and be permitted to raise yearly two hogs in a pen to be fed from her own means. She the said Cate & children (if they choose) to remain in the said quarter during her life, but so soon as Henry and Addison shall be bound apprentices (as hereinafter mentioned) the said Cate shall only have six barrels of corn & fifty pounds of pork yearly. I also give unto the said Cate my knives, forks, plates, dishes, spoons, cups, saucers, pitchers, mugs, bowls and the things of that kind, also three tables & my handy café and all my kitchen & dairy furniture of every description. Should the said Cate get a husband, the said annuities & the residence before charged upon my niece aforesaid shall cease & be no longer payable as permitted.
It is further my will and desire that my said niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries shall have Henry and Addison before mentioned taught to read, write & cypher as far as the rule of three in arithmetics, and immediately thereafter to have them sent to Baltimore and have Henry bound to a shoemaker until of full age, and Addison bound to a tailor if it can be effected upon reasonable terms, - if not then to a shoemaker covenanting in the usual manner with their master or masters to have the said Henry & Addison perfected in their trade or mystery.
It is also my will and desire that my said niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries or her heirs pay to the said Henry if he arrives to the age of twenty one years the sum of six hundred dollars and to Addison if he attains the same age five hundred dollars and to be paid exclusive of interest (for no interest is intended to be given) when each shall severally arrive to full age. I also give to Henry one bed & one now iron bound trunk now in the house. I give to Addison one bed & one iron bound trunk now in the house.
Item I give to Richard M. Sydnor of Frederick County my negro boy named Allen my aforesaid niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries is to take care of my unfortunate son John, and she and her heirs are hereby charged to have my said son John during his life furnished with good strong clothing suited to the seasons, supported with good wholesome diet & furnished with decent lodging and taken care of. I give unto my said son John the bed his mother brought with her & said bed to be furnished for his lodging.
My debts contracted since 1817 and not paid at my death are to be paid by my said niece. All my estate of every kind not before devised I do hereby give unto my said niece.
John F.B. Jeffries and William B. Mitchell, my esteemed friends, I do appoint Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and annulling all will or wills heretofore by me made. As witness my hand this 8th day of May 1820.
Signed in the presence of Robt Chinn (seal)
Aug Neale
Thomas Sydnor Jun.
Lemuel Yerby
I Robert Chinn being in my perfect senses and of sound mind do make this my codicil to the foregoing to be taken as part of my last will and testament. First it is my will and desire that my niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries shall have the future increase of the female slaves before bequeathed to her. It is also my will & desire that in case my woman Cate (whom I have left free) should have a child or children before my death or afterwards that they also shall be free and emancipated. As witness my hand this day & year above written.
Signed in the presence of Robt Chinn
Aug. Neale
Thomas Sydnor Jun.
Lemuel Yerby
At a court held for the County of Lancaster the 19th day of March 1821. This last will and testament & codicil of Robert Chinn dec’d was proved in open court by the oaths of Augustine Neale & Thomas Sydnor Jun. two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Teste,
Benjamin M. Walker CC
Item I give and bequeath & hereby devise unto my niece Matilda Ann Elizabeth Jeffries the wife of Mr. John F.B. Jeffries my tract of land whereon I now live to her and her heirs forever. I also give unto the said Matilda A.E. Jeffries my negro woman Lucy and her three children Judah, Peter, & Anna, and all my horses, cattle & hogs together with all the plantation utensils of every description, as also my clock & chairs. And I also give unto my said niece all the grain & provender of every kind which may be unsold at the time of my death.
2nd It is my will and desire that my woman Cate for her extraordinary merit & for her faithful conduct together with her children Henry, Addison, Frederick & Maria be free and emancipated, and I do hereby will them free. It is my will and desire that said Cate shall live in my quarter, on the said land together with her children, and be furnished annually by the said Matilda A.E. Jeffries and her heirs with eight barrels of corn & one hundred weight of pork, and be permitted to raise yearly two hogs in a pen to be fed from her own means. She the said Cate & children (if they choose) to remain in the said quarter during her life, but so soon as Henry and Addison shall be bound apprentices (as hereinafter mentioned) the said Cate shall only have six barrels of corn & fifty pounds of pork yearly. I also give unto the said Cate my knives, forks, plates, dishes, spoons, cups, saucers, pitchers, mugs, bowls and the things of that kind, also three tables & my handy café and all my kitchen & dairy furniture of every description. Should the said Cate get a husband, the said annuities & the residence before charged upon my niece aforesaid shall cease & be no longer payable as permitted.
It is further my will and desire that my said niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries shall have Henry and Addison before mentioned taught to read, write & cypher as far as the rule of three in arithmetics, and immediately thereafter to have them sent to Baltimore and have Henry bound to a shoemaker until of full age, and Addison bound to a tailor if it can be effected upon reasonable terms, - if not then to a shoemaker covenanting in the usual manner with their master or masters to have the said Henry & Addison perfected in their trade or mystery.
It is also my will and desire that my said niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries or her heirs pay to the said Henry if he arrives to the age of twenty one years the sum of six hundred dollars and to Addison if he attains the same age five hundred dollars and to be paid exclusive of interest (for no interest is intended to be given) when each shall severally arrive to full age. I also give to Henry one bed & one now iron bound trunk now in the house. I give to Addison one bed & one iron bound trunk now in the house.
Item I give to Richard M. Sydnor of Frederick County my negro boy named Allen my aforesaid niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries is to take care of my unfortunate son John, and she and her heirs are hereby charged to have my said son John during his life furnished with good strong clothing suited to the seasons, supported with good wholesome diet & furnished with decent lodging and taken care of. I give unto my said son John the bed his mother brought with her & said bed to be furnished for his lodging.
My debts contracted since 1817 and not paid at my death are to be paid by my said niece. All my estate of every kind not before devised I do hereby give unto my said niece.
John F.B. Jeffries and William B. Mitchell, my esteemed friends, I do appoint Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and annulling all will or wills heretofore by me made. As witness my hand this 8th day of May 1820.
Signed in the presence of Robt Chinn (seal)
Aug Neale
Thomas Sydnor Jun.
Lemuel Yerby
I Robert Chinn being in my perfect senses and of sound mind do make this my codicil to the foregoing to be taken as part of my last will and testament. First it is my will and desire that my niece Matilda A.E. Jeffries shall have the future increase of the female slaves before bequeathed to her. It is also my will & desire that in case my woman Cate (whom I have left free) should have a child or children before my death or afterwards that they also shall be free and emancipated. As witness my hand this day & year above written.
Signed in the presence of Robt Chinn
Aug. Neale
Thomas Sydnor Jun.
Lemuel Yerby
At a court held for the County of Lancaster the 19th day of March 1821. This last will and testament & codicil of Robert Chinn dec’d was proved in open court by the oaths of Augustine Neale & Thomas Sydnor Jun. two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Teste,
Benjamin M. Walker CC
Record Location
WB 28:215
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Files
Collection
Citation
“1821 - Chinn to Cate, et al - Lancaster Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed July 11, 2025, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/2596.