1815 - Arthur to George, Betty, Amy - Bedford Co, VA
Dublin Core
Title
1815 - Arthur to George, Betty, Amy - Bedford Co, VA
Source
Date
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
04/24/1815
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
3
Witnesses
J. Leftwich, James Floyd, John Clayton
Executor
John Arthur, Samuel Claytor Jr.
Text of Freedom Document
Will Book 4 Page 170
Arthur Barnabus will
In the Name of God Amen. I Barnabas Arthur of the County of Bedford, being weak in body but of sound & disposing memory, Calling to mind the uncertainty of Life & being desirous of disposing of such property as God hath blessed me with do make ordain and constitute this my Last Will and Testament hearby revoking and annulling all others. Imperinus. It is my will that all my debts be paid off as soon as possible after my decrease, Item I give and bequeath unto my wife Nancy one third part of my whole Estate for and during the term of my natural life of which then it is my will that the track of land I now live do constitute a part. Item, I give and bequeath unto my Grandsons James Macy & Barnabas Macy the sum of five pounds each to be considered their full share of my Estate – Item, in consequence of the long and faithful services of my Negro man George & my Negro women Betty, it is my desire that they be emancipated, whenever the Laws of this state will admit(?) of it & that they have the Tract of land I purchased of Benjamin Williamson, for and during the tern of their natural lives, to live upon and maintain their ideal(?) daughter Amy, & until they can be so emancipates it is my will that the shall live upon said Land and maintain their said daughter and have all the profets of their labour, under the direction of my son Lewis, and moreover that they be furnished with one year provisions out of my Estate wherever they leave it inconsequence of this article and the said negroes are not to be considered or appraised as a part of my Estate. Item, the residence of my Estate both real and personal, after deducting the above bequests together with the part left to my wife, after her decrease and that to my negros George and Betty, after their decrease, I give and bequeath in equal shares unto my children John Arthur, William Arthur, Lewis Arthur, Barnabas Arthur, Caleb Arthur, Elizabeth Bowles, Fanny Craft, Lucy Greer & the children of Rhody White deceased my Staunton tract of Land, being first sold for the purpose of the said division, deducing from each share what they have already received agreeable to the accounts, which I have this day drawn off & signed with my hand Item I request my friends (?) John Arthur & Samuel Claytor Junr to set my Executors of this my Last Will & Testament, In Testamony whereof I have her unto set my hand & affixed my seal this 2d day of March One thousand eight hundred and fifteen. –
Signed, Sealed & acknowledged in presence of J Leftwich, James Floyd, John Clayton}
Barnabas [x his mark] Arthur {seal}
Atc. of the property given by Barnabas Arthur to summary of his children over and above what others have received
John Arthur
1 negro man named Bob …100.0.0
Lewis Arthur
1 Tract of land ………….. 100:0:0
William Arthur
Land and cash. ………….. 80:0:0
Lucy Greer
Cash. . . . . ………………..20:0:0
Given under my hand this 2d Day of March one thousand eight hundred and fifteen.
Teste, J Leftwich, James Floyd, John Claytor Barnabas [X his mark] Arthur {seal}
At a court held for Bedford county at the courthouse the 24th day of April 1815. This Last Will and Testament of Barnabas Arthur Decd if (?) exhibited in Court and continued till the next Court for probate – And afterwards at a Court held for said county at the Courthouse the 26th day of July 1815. This Last Will & Testament of Barnabas Arthur Decd was proved by the Oaths J Leftwich James Floyd & John Claytor witness thereto subscribes and ordained to be recorded. And on the motion of
Arthur Barnabus will
In the Name of God Amen. I Barnabas Arthur of the County of Bedford, being weak in body but of sound & disposing memory, Calling to mind the uncertainty of Life & being desirous of disposing of such property as God hath blessed me with do make ordain and constitute this my Last Will and Testament hearby revoking and annulling all others. Imperinus. It is my will that all my debts be paid off as soon as possible after my decrease, Item I give and bequeath unto my wife Nancy one third part of my whole Estate for and during the term of my natural life of which then it is my will that the track of land I now live do constitute a part. Item, I give and bequeath unto my Grandsons James Macy & Barnabas Macy the sum of five pounds each to be considered their full share of my Estate – Item, in consequence of the long and faithful services of my Negro man George & my Negro women Betty, it is my desire that they be emancipated, whenever the Laws of this state will admit(?) of it & that they have the Tract of land I purchased of Benjamin Williamson, for and during the tern of their natural lives, to live upon and maintain their ideal(?) daughter Amy, & until they can be so emancipates it is my will that the shall live upon said Land and maintain their said daughter and have all the profets of their labour, under the direction of my son Lewis, and moreover that they be furnished with one year provisions out of my Estate wherever they leave it inconsequence of this article and the said negroes are not to be considered or appraised as a part of my Estate. Item, the residence of my Estate both real and personal, after deducting the above bequests together with the part left to my wife, after her decrease and that to my negros George and Betty, after their decrease, I give and bequeath in equal shares unto my children John Arthur, William Arthur, Lewis Arthur, Barnabas Arthur, Caleb Arthur, Elizabeth Bowles, Fanny Craft, Lucy Greer & the children of Rhody White deceased my Staunton tract of Land, being first sold for the purpose of the said division, deducing from each share what they have already received agreeable to the accounts, which I have this day drawn off & signed with my hand Item I request my friends (?) John Arthur & Samuel Claytor Junr to set my Executors of this my Last Will & Testament, In Testamony whereof I have her unto set my hand & affixed my seal this 2d day of March One thousand eight hundred and fifteen. –
Signed, Sealed & acknowledged in presence of J Leftwich, James Floyd, John Clayton}
Barnabas [x his mark] Arthur {seal}
Atc. of the property given by Barnabas Arthur to summary of his children over and above what others have received
John Arthur
1 negro man named Bob …100.0.0
Lewis Arthur
1 Tract of land ………….. 100:0:0
William Arthur
Land and cash. ………….. 80:0:0
Lucy Greer
Cash. . . . . ………………..20:0:0
Given under my hand this 2d Day of March one thousand eight hundred and fifteen.
Teste, J Leftwich, James Floyd, John Claytor Barnabas [X his mark] Arthur {seal}
At a court held for Bedford county at the courthouse the 24th day of April 1815. This Last Will and Testament of Barnabas Arthur Decd if (?) exhibited in Court and continued till the next Court for probate – And afterwards at a Court held for said county at the Courthouse the 26th day of July 1815. This Last Will & Testament of Barnabas Arthur Decd was proved by the Oaths J Leftwich James Floyd & John Claytor witness thereto subscribes and ordained to be recorded. And on the motion of
Record Location
B4, P170 (wills)
Document Type
LW&T
Files
Collection
Citation
“1815 - Arthur to George, Betty, Amy - Bedford Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed August 16, 2026, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/794.