1823 - Corbin to Anna - Lancaster Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
05/19/1823
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
3
Text of Freedom Document
In the name of god amen. I Gawin Corbin of the County of Lancaster being in as good health as I have been for these three or four years, and of sound mind, do make and constitute this my last will and testament, bearing date this eighth day of September one thousand eight hundred and twenty two, revoking all other will, should any be found having made several at different times. Imprimis. Item I give and bequeath to George L. Corbin one cent, although it is not sufficient to buy him an halter, for his great attention to me during my long and painful indisposition and for his great affectionate letter that he wrote to me with the aid and advice of his friend Benjamin Walker the present Clerk of the County. It is my most earnest request that my Trustees and Executors will not suffer him to enter the house nor touch a single article his conduct to me has been so vile and abominable having at a time when I was confined to my room at the instance of the woman he had with him (his wife as he called her) at a late hour of the evening about ten o’clock without any known cause immediately out of the room from her and came into mine (he appeared to have drank too much) and behaved extremely rude being much indisposed as I had been the whole day I requested he would go downstairs until the morning when we would talk the matter over cooly, he instantly replied by God I will not. I attempted to turn him out of the room, he then began to abuse me, making use of the most blackguard language and every abusive epithet he could recollect or invent he applied to me calling me a d’med old rouge, d’med old rascal, d’med old hypocrite, d’med old villain YCHH was I to relate the whole of his conduct it would take up too much time & revive disagreeable feelings. The vile woman he called his wife it does not admit of a doubt with me urged him to behave as he did. I one day overheard her in conversation with him say she wished the old sinner was dead the name she gave me when with her inmates, she really thought he (meaning myself) he had lived long enough. She had obtained an unfounded influence over him. It was one Sunday they went to visit Mrs. George in some thick bushes as George was discovered in conversation with my man Peter a great villain as soon as [illegible] L. Corbin saw the person passing he sunk down in the bushes nor did he rise again until the person who saw them was out of sight headed entirely by her and her father’s advice.
Item as to my daughters they have no claim whatever particularly Sally T. Bevan. She sold her negroes (and Patience was one of them) to purchase horses and furnish money to bare expenses when she went off to Kentucky with John S. Bevan while I was up the bay at Baltimore. She carried off a likely young negro man of mine about 21 years of age and sold him after her return. She had from me a likely girl 13 or 14 years old. It was said she destroyed her by maltreatment.
Item I do hereby liberate and set free Ana Lowe alias Anna Mercer and all her children and grandchildren, her two youngest Jane and Robert are my children and for their support I give interest to my friends Armistead Curie, William S. Doggett, James Kirk, William Sutter & Edwin Dangerfield for the use and benefit of said Anna Lowe alias Mercer and her children & the following land viz. beginning on Tabb with the said Creek hence with the said line to where it interrupts where the lines between Capt Selden and my self intersects with the cove thence up the said cove to the head including all the houses thence from the head of the cove as the road runs thence with the said road to the gate thence with the road to a place of pines for many an old field. Marking an angle so as to strike the line of Benjamin George where it intersects or corners with land that was formerly Capt. [?Shrables?] thence with the said Benjamin George’s line where it intersects or corners thence with the said line between Benjamin George and myself to Tabb Creek thence down the said creek to the mouth of Long Cove thence up Long Cove to the house where John Mason lived on to the turning row leading from the line of Benj’m George and myself to the line of Capt. Seldon and myself and where the turning row intersects the said, with the said line after the death of Anna Lowe alias Mercer I do hereby continue the said trust to my trustees before mentioned viz. Armistead Curris, Edwin Dangerfield, William S. Daggett, James Kirk H.H.H. for the use and benefit of Jane & Robert their heirs.
Item I give in trust to my friend Armistead Currie, Edwin Dangerfield, William S. Daggett and Archibald Anderson for the use and benefit of Anna Lowe, alias Mercer, and her children Jane & Robert the following articles viz. two silver goblets, the silver spoons viz table cart, tea & soup spoons. I also give in trust the blue and white China plates deep and shallow, one large marble mortar and one small. I also give in trust for the use and benefit of Jane & Robert one rein and cart and my gun for the use and benefit Robert.
Item I give also in trust for the use & benefit of Anna Lowe, alias Mercer, and her two children Jane & Robert to Armistead Currie, James Kirk, Archibald Anderson, William S. Daggett and William Sutter for she is entitled to every thing I can do for her for her great attention and care during a lot and painful sickness and confinement there is no knowing unless a person was present and an eye witness of the labor and fatigue under gone by her. There weeks together that I was confined to my bed and lifted in and out of it, and fed like a child. I most earnestly beg my trustees will see full justice done her. It is my will and desire and I do hereby continue after her death the trust shall remain in the hands of my trustees for the use and benefit of Jane and Robert, and that Diana and her children shall remain on the land given in trust for the use of Anna and her two children Jane and Robert.
Item my son John is in possession of a sufficiency, therefore I shall say nothing of him nor give him any thing.
Item My grandson William (my son Gawin’s son) is entitled to one half the negroes in possession of his amiable and worthy Uncle George as may be seen by examination of the records of Caroline County.
Item I give to my friend Cap. Kirk all the estate and residue of my land my debts being first paid out of it, should there be any having about three thousand dollars due to me from the estate of Ruben Turner late of Caroline which Capt. Kirk has the collection.
Item I give in trust to Armistead Currie, William S. Daggett, &c H.H. for the use and benefit of Anna Lowe, alias Maria, and her children Jane & Robert every article of furniture in the house that is not already disposed of or may hereafter be disposed of by this my last will and testament.
Item. I give to Armistead Hill Currie the money which may remain after my death which may remain unappropriated due from the estate of Ruben Turner late of Caroline County.
Item I give to my friend Capt. Kirk my gold watch as an acknowledgment for his friendly, interference at a time when I was most grievously afflicted and distressed.
Item I give to Mary B.J. Currie the family pictures and the large gilt looking glass in the dining room.
Item I give in trust to my friends Armistead Currie, Archibald Anderson and William S. Daggett for the use and benefit of Jane the mare Bet and her colt in trust for the use and benefit of Robert. I also give in trust to Armistead Currie, Archibald Anderson, Edwin Dangerfield, James Kirk, William S. Daggett and William Sutter for the use of Anna Lowe alias Mercer & Jane and Robert the cart & steers, cows, and babies and hogs.
Item I give in trust to Armistead Currie, Moses & Sophy who are to remain on the land. Both are too far advanced in age and too weakly in constitution to be useful to any body.
Item I do hereby constitute and appoint Armistead Currie, Edwin Dangerfield, James Kirk, William S. Daggett, William Sutter Executors and Trustees to this my last will and testament as witness my hand and seal this eighth day of September one thousand eight hundred and twenty two.
Signed, sealed & delivered Gawin Corbin (seal)
in the presence of
James Shrall
John B.L. Reeves
Benjamin George
At a Court held for the County of Lancaster on the 19th day of May 1823
This last will and testament of Gawin Corbin decd. Was presented in Court and ordered to lie for proof and at a Court held for Said County on the 16th day of June following the Said will was proven in open Court by the oaths of James Shrall, John B L. Reeves & Benja. George the witness thereto and ordered to be Recorded.
Test, Benjamin M. Walker cc
Item as to my daughters they have no claim whatever particularly Sally T. Bevan. She sold her negroes (and Patience was one of them) to purchase horses and furnish money to bare expenses when she went off to Kentucky with John S. Bevan while I was up the bay at Baltimore. She carried off a likely young negro man of mine about 21 years of age and sold him after her return. She had from me a likely girl 13 or 14 years old. It was said she destroyed her by maltreatment.
Item I do hereby liberate and set free Ana Lowe alias Anna Mercer and all her children and grandchildren, her two youngest Jane and Robert are my children and for their support I give interest to my friends Armistead Curie, William S. Doggett, James Kirk, William Sutter & Edwin Dangerfield for the use and benefit of said Anna Lowe alias Mercer and her children & the following land viz. beginning on Tabb with the said Creek hence with the said line to where it interrupts where the lines between Capt Selden and my self intersects with the cove thence up the said cove to the head including all the houses thence from the head of the cove as the road runs thence with the said road to the gate thence with the road to a place of pines for many an old field. Marking an angle so as to strike the line of Benjamin George where it intersects or corners with land that was formerly Capt. [?Shrables?] thence with the said Benjamin George’s line where it intersects or corners thence with the said line between Benjamin George and myself to Tabb Creek thence down the said creek to the mouth of Long Cove thence up Long Cove to the house where John Mason lived on to the turning row leading from the line of Benj’m George and myself to the line of Capt. Seldon and myself and where the turning row intersects the said, with the said line after the death of Anna Lowe alias Mercer I do hereby continue the said trust to my trustees before mentioned viz. Armistead Curris, Edwin Dangerfield, William S. Daggett, James Kirk H.H.H. for the use and benefit of Jane & Robert their heirs.
Item I give in trust to my friend Armistead Currie, Edwin Dangerfield, William S. Daggett and Archibald Anderson for the use and benefit of Anna Lowe, alias Mercer, and her children Jane & Robert the following articles viz. two silver goblets, the silver spoons viz table cart, tea & soup spoons. I also give in trust the blue and white China plates deep and shallow, one large marble mortar and one small. I also give in trust for the use and benefit of Jane & Robert one rein and cart and my gun for the use and benefit Robert.
Item I give also in trust for the use & benefit of Anna Lowe, alias Mercer, and her two children Jane & Robert to Armistead Currie, James Kirk, Archibald Anderson, William S. Daggett and William Sutter for she is entitled to every thing I can do for her for her great attention and care during a lot and painful sickness and confinement there is no knowing unless a person was present and an eye witness of the labor and fatigue under gone by her. There weeks together that I was confined to my bed and lifted in and out of it, and fed like a child. I most earnestly beg my trustees will see full justice done her. It is my will and desire and I do hereby continue after her death the trust shall remain in the hands of my trustees for the use and benefit of Jane and Robert, and that Diana and her children shall remain on the land given in trust for the use of Anna and her two children Jane and Robert.
Item my son John is in possession of a sufficiency, therefore I shall say nothing of him nor give him any thing.
Item My grandson William (my son Gawin’s son) is entitled to one half the negroes in possession of his amiable and worthy Uncle George as may be seen by examination of the records of Caroline County.
Item I give to my friend Cap. Kirk all the estate and residue of my land my debts being first paid out of it, should there be any having about three thousand dollars due to me from the estate of Ruben Turner late of Caroline which Capt. Kirk has the collection.
Item I give in trust to Armistead Currie, William S. Daggett, &c H.H. for the use and benefit of Anna Lowe, alias Maria, and her children Jane & Robert every article of furniture in the house that is not already disposed of or may hereafter be disposed of by this my last will and testament.
Item. I give to Armistead Hill Currie the money which may remain after my death which may remain unappropriated due from the estate of Ruben Turner late of Caroline County.
Item I give to my friend Capt. Kirk my gold watch as an acknowledgment for his friendly, interference at a time when I was most grievously afflicted and distressed.
Item I give to Mary B.J. Currie the family pictures and the large gilt looking glass in the dining room.
Item I give in trust to my friends Armistead Currie, Archibald Anderson and William S. Daggett for the use and benefit of Jane the mare Bet and her colt in trust for the use and benefit of Robert. I also give in trust to Armistead Currie, Archibald Anderson, Edwin Dangerfield, James Kirk, William S. Daggett and William Sutter for the use of Anna Lowe alias Mercer & Jane and Robert the cart & steers, cows, and babies and hogs.
Item I give in trust to Armistead Currie, Moses & Sophy who are to remain on the land. Both are too far advanced in age and too weakly in constitution to be useful to any body.
Item I do hereby constitute and appoint Armistead Currie, Edwin Dangerfield, James Kirk, William S. Daggett, William Sutter Executors and Trustees to this my last will and testament as witness my hand and seal this eighth day of September one thousand eight hundred and twenty two.
Signed, sealed & delivered Gawin Corbin (seal)
in the presence of
James Shrall
John B.L. Reeves
Benjamin George
At a Court held for the County of Lancaster on the 19th day of May 1823
This last will and testament of Gawin Corbin decd. Was presented in Court and ordered to lie for proof and at a Court held for Said County on the 16th day of June following the Said will was proven in open Court by the oaths of James Shrall, John B L. Reeves & Benja. George the witness thereto and ordered to be Recorded.
Test, Benjamin M. Walker cc
Record Location
WB 28:229
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Files
Collection
Citation
“1823 - Corbin to Anna - Lancaster Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed July 11, 2025, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/2597.