1856 - Kelly to slaves - Lancaster Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
04/13/1856
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
unknown
Text of Freedom Document
I William Kelley of the County of Lancaster and State of Virginia being in debilitated health but of sound mind and disposing memory. I do hereby make, ordain, publish and declare this writing as my last will and testament.
First I give to my brother James Kelley my whole estate both real and personal and request that no inventory or appraisement nor administration shall be taken unless my brother James Kelley should see much proper so to do and should he deem it necessary to administer it, is my wish that no security of any kind should be required of him. My brother James Kelley is to keep my whole estate together for his own use and benefit and not to be accountable for any part that may be used by him or worn out, decayed &c. And at his death I give the same to his child or children to be equally divided among them, and in the event of his death leaving no child or children I desire and bequeath the whole of my estate in manner and form following.
Secondly I emancipate all my slaves after the death of my brother James Kelley and give to them the use of one thousand five hundred dollars for their own use and benefit. And it is my wish and desire that my Executor hereafter named shall purchase for them a plantation in some state in the United States that admits free people of color to reside in as my brother James Kelley may wish and direct in his will and testament.
Thirdly I give to my relation Cate Hazzad one hundred and fifty dollars in cash.
Fourth I give to my relation Jane E.P. Alphred who was Jane E.P. Mitchell daughter of Elizabeth Mitchell one hundred dollars in bonds.
Fifthly I give to my relation Emmah M. Mitchell one hundred dollars in bonds.
Sixthly I give to my relation Daniel P. Mitchell son of Elizabeth Mitchell one hundred dollars in bonds to be paid over to him by my Executor when he shall have arrived to the age of twenty one.
Seventhly I give to my nephew James W. Kelley five hundred dollars in bonds.
Eighthly I give to my niece Judith A. Towles who was Judith A. Kelley one dollar.
Ninthly I give to friend Zamoth George one hundred dollars in bonds.
Tenthly I give to friend Richard Dodson one hundred dollars in bonds.
Eleventhly I desire that my executor pay out of my estate two hundred dollars to the proper persons to receive it for the benefit and advancement of the Protestant Episcopal Seminary near Alexandria in the State of Virginia.
Thirteenthly I desire that my Executor pay out of my estate two hundred dollars by the trustees or to the proper persons to receive it for the benefit of the Episcopal High School near Alexandria Virginia.
Fourteenthly I desire that my Executor pay out of my estate one hundred and fifty dollars to the Protestant Episcopal agent collecting for domestic mission.
Fifteenthly I desire that my Executor pay out of my estate one hundred and fifty dollars to the Protestant Episcopal agent collecting for foreign missions.
Sixteenthly I request that my Executor pay out of my estate five hundred dollars in bonds to the vestry of Christ Church Parish Lancaster County Virginia to be used discretionally by them to the advancement of the Church in said County of Lancaster VA.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto fixed my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of November one thousand eight hundred and forty seven.
I deem it unnecessary for witnesses as my handwriting is well known.
Wm. Kelley (seal)
At a Circuit Court held for the County of Lancaster at the courthouse thereon on Tuesday the 13th day of April 1856, and in the 80th year of the Commonwealth.
In the matter of William Kelley’s will
A writing purporting to be the last will & testament of William Kelley dec’d dated 21st May 1846 and another dated 25th day of November 1847 were this day produced in court by Addison Hall & Thomas W. Meredith exors of James Kelley dec’d. And there being no subscribing witnesses thereto, the said wills were proved by the oaths of William T. Jesse & Warner Eubank to be both wholly written in the handwriting of the said William Kelley, and therefore came as well the said Addison Hale and Thomas W. Meredith by their counsel as Pontus Towles and Judith A. his wife, James W. Kelley, Thomas Rice admor of Katy Hazzad, Robert Alfred and Jane E. his wife, John G. Canell and Emily M. his wife, Zamouth George, Daniel P. Mitchell, Richard Dodson and the several associations and societies mentioned in said writings having personally been summoned to show cause why the said writings should not be admitted to record as the last will and testament of William Kelley dec’d by their counsel, and the said Addison Hall & Thomas W. Meredith moved the court to admit both the wills of the 4th day of May 1836 and that of the 25th of November 1847 to record which motion the said other parties by their counsel resisted and to reflect the said will of the 4th day of May 1841 and to record that of the 25th of November 1847 as the only will of the said William Kelley. At which being heard the court being of opinion the objections to recording the first will are such as might most properly be considered by other tribunals than a court of probate, charged with the construction of wills doth order that the said will of the 4th of May 1846 be recorded and that the said will of the 25th day of November 1847 be likewise recorded. And on the motion of the said Addison Hale and Thomas W. Meredith who made oath thereto with Thomas S. Dunaway & James W. Gresham their security who justified on oath as to their sufficiency, entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of fifty thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste,
Cyrus Doggett CC
First I give to my brother James Kelley my whole estate both real and personal and request that no inventory or appraisement nor administration shall be taken unless my brother James Kelley should see much proper so to do and should he deem it necessary to administer it, is my wish that no security of any kind should be required of him. My brother James Kelley is to keep my whole estate together for his own use and benefit and not to be accountable for any part that may be used by him or worn out, decayed &c. And at his death I give the same to his child or children to be equally divided among them, and in the event of his death leaving no child or children I desire and bequeath the whole of my estate in manner and form following.
Secondly I emancipate all my slaves after the death of my brother James Kelley and give to them the use of one thousand five hundred dollars for their own use and benefit. And it is my wish and desire that my Executor hereafter named shall purchase for them a plantation in some state in the United States that admits free people of color to reside in as my brother James Kelley may wish and direct in his will and testament.
Thirdly I give to my relation Cate Hazzad one hundred and fifty dollars in cash.
Fourth I give to my relation Jane E.P. Alphred who was Jane E.P. Mitchell daughter of Elizabeth Mitchell one hundred dollars in bonds.
Fifthly I give to my relation Emmah M. Mitchell one hundred dollars in bonds.
Sixthly I give to my relation Daniel P. Mitchell son of Elizabeth Mitchell one hundred dollars in bonds to be paid over to him by my Executor when he shall have arrived to the age of twenty one.
Seventhly I give to my nephew James W. Kelley five hundred dollars in bonds.
Eighthly I give to my niece Judith A. Towles who was Judith A. Kelley one dollar.
Ninthly I give to friend Zamoth George one hundred dollars in bonds.
Tenthly I give to friend Richard Dodson one hundred dollars in bonds.
Eleventhly I desire that my executor pay out of my estate two hundred dollars to the proper persons to receive it for the benefit and advancement of the Protestant Episcopal Seminary near Alexandria in the State of Virginia.
Thirteenthly I desire that my Executor pay out of my estate two hundred dollars by the trustees or to the proper persons to receive it for the benefit of the Episcopal High School near Alexandria Virginia.
Fourteenthly I desire that my Executor pay out of my estate one hundred and fifty dollars to the Protestant Episcopal agent collecting for domestic mission.
Fifteenthly I desire that my Executor pay out of my estate one hundred and fifty dollars to the Protestant Episcopal agent collecting for foreign missions.
Sixteenthly I request that my Executor pay out of my estate five hundred dollars in bonds to the vestry of Christ Church Parish Lancaster County Virginia to be used discretionally by them to the advancement of the Church in said County of Lancaster VA.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto fixed my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of November one thousand eight hundred and forty seven.
I deem it unnecessary for witnesses as my handwriting is well known.
Wm. Kelley (seal)
At a Circuit Court held for the County of Lancaster at the courthouse thereon on Tuesday the 13th day of April 1856, and in the 80th year of the Commonwealth.
In the matter of William Kelley’s will
A writing purporting to be the last will & testament of William Kelley dec’d dated 21st May 1846 and another dated 25th day of November 1847 were this day produced in court by Addison Hall & Thomas W. Meredith exors of James Kelley dec’d. And there being no subscribing witnesses thereto, the said wills were proved by the oaths of William T. Jesse & Warner Eubank to be both wholly written in the handwriting of the said William Kelley, and therefore came as well the said Addison Hale and Thomas W. Meredith by their counsel as Pontus Towles and Judith A. his wife, James W. Kelley, Thomas Rice admor of Katy Hazzad, Robert Alfred and Jane E. his wife, John G. Canell and Emily M. his wife, Zamouth George, Daniel P. Mitchell, Richard Dodson and the several associations and societies mentioned in said writings having personally been summoned to show cause why the said writings should not be admitted to record as the last will and testament of William Kelley dec’d by their counsel, and the said Addison Hall & Thomas W. Meredith moved the court to admit both the wills of the 4th day of May 1836 and that of the 25th of November 1847 to record which motion the said other parties by their counsel resisted and to reflect the said will of the 4th day of May 1841 and to record that of the 25th of November 1847 as the only will of the said William Kelley. At which being heard the court being of opinion the objections to recording the first will are such as might most properly be considered by other tribunals than a court of probate, charged with the construction of wills doth order that the said will of the 4th of May 1846 be recorded and that the said will of the 25th day of November 1847 be likewise recorded. And on the motion of the said Addison Hale and Thomas W. Meredith who made oath thereto with Thomas S. Dunaway & James W. Gresham their security who justified on oath as to their sufficiency, entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of fifty thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste,
Cyrus Doggett CC
Record Location
WB 29:162
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Notes
further research needed to ascertain the number of individuals freed, based on later will of mentioned brother, James Kelley, it appears that freed people may have located to a free state or Liberia
Files
Collection
Citation
“1856 - Kelly to slaves - Lancaster Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed July 11, 2025, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/2603.