| Notes |
- Benjamin Harrison was governor of Virginia from 1781 to 1784.
Will of Benjamin Harrison
Heads of a Will written by me, Benjamin of Berkley, all in my own hand, being in perfect sense, health and memory, and intended to be carried into due form by my friend Peter Lyons, esq. but if any accident should happen to deprive me of life before this is done it is my desire that it be taken for my last Will and Testament written and signed this third day of January One Thousand seven hundred and eighty.
I give to my dear and affectionate Wife Elizabeth Harrison to her and her heirs forever, all my furniture except my plate, which she is to have the use of during her life.
I also give her my Coach and harness, and six of the horses belonging to it to be chosen by her to her and her heirs forever.
I also give to my dear Wife the use of all my tract of land whereon I now live called Berkley, with all the Slaves thereon, or belonging thereto, as well Tradesmen as others with all the stocks of horses, mules, cattle, sheep and hogs during her life. except such as I shall hereafter specially give away, out of which she is to pay my just debts and to support and maintain my Son William and my daughter Sarah; the better to enable her to do which I give her my part of the Ship now on the Stocks, and all the money that may be due from the other partners, which I hope she will apply immediately in the discharge of such debts as I shall leave unpaid,, and to assist in any manner she shall think fit my Son Carter in building or buying a house at Cabin Point, and I recommend it to her to sell two of the three shares I have reserved for myself in the said Ship and to keep the other to import necessaries for herself and family.
There is a debt due to the estate of William Lightfoot deceased, from my father's estate, which I desire may be paid, not that I think I am indebted to the estate, for I solemnly declare that I think I have paid abundantly more than ever came to my hands, yet I direct the debt to be paid to prevent clamour and disputes.
At the death of my wife I give my tract of land called Berkley, except such part of it as I shall give my son William, to my son Benjamin to him and his heirs forever, but it is my will and desire that if my son Benjamin die without a male heir, that then my said tract of land as aforesaid go in remainder or reversion to my son Carter Bassett Harrison to him and his heirs forever.
I give my son Carter B. Harrison my tract of land at Cabin Point, my mill and miller Oscar, and the land I have on both sides of Savages run, my lots in or near the Town of Richmond and those drawn in Col. Byrds lottery in partnership with Col. Nathaniel Harrison to him and his heirs forever.
I give to my son William Henry Harrison at the death of his mother, or on his coming of age, the upper part of my Berkley tract of land to him and his heirs forever; that is to say, beginning on my West line near the stump of a pine tree fronting the house that James Hardyman lives in, from which a mast was cut off the large Ship, running from thence a straiit due East course till it strikes my East line, but if my said son William should die before he comes of age or has a son, or should after he comes of age die and leave no son, in either of these cases it is my will and desire that the said tract or parcel of land go and descend in remainder or reversion to my Carter B. Harrison to him and his heirs forever.
I give unto my son Benjamin and his heirs forever all the negroes he has of mine in his possession at Hard Labor, except George the son of Frankey. I also confirm to him his right to Emanuel, and give him ship carpenter Tom and his wife Judy, and her children, and Tabb the wife of Emanuel.
I give to my son Carter B. Harrison old Will and his wife Betty, and all her children, Sally daughter of Sarah and her town sons Coye and George Snow; old Coye and his wife Betty, York the son of old Will, Fidler, Baker, Dick and Anthony to him and his heirs forever. I also give him forty ewes and a ram, and direct that thirty head of cattle and three good work horses be bought for him, and I give him my Phaeton and harness and my two colts rising two years old, and at the death of his mother I give him all my Plate, and at the death of his Aunt Stith, I give him the negro I lent her and all her increase, except two of them, which I shall hereafter give away, to him and his heirs forever.
I give to my son and his heirs forever at the death of his mother or his coming of age all the negroes with their increase which I now have at my plantation called Oldhides; and Carpenter Tom the husband of Moll. and Critty's son Charles; I also give my said son at the time aforesaid all the stock of cattle, horses and hogs at the said plantation and forty ewes and a ram from Berl;ey.
I give to my daughter Elizabeth Rickman and her heirs forever Moll, Stoker and her daughter Polly and her granddaughter Betty and their increase, and Moses alias Swallon, George the son of Frank now at Hard Labor and stable Bob now a plowman.
I give to my daughter Anna Coupland and her heirs forever her maids Molly and Sally and their children and future increase, Critty's children Phobe and Tom and Agg's daughter Arry. I also desire that my Chariot may be fitted up in the best manner and four new harness bought and delivered to her.
I give my daughter Lucy Randolph and her heirs forever her maid Patty and her increase.
I give my granddaughter Betty Randolph a girl nearly of her own age to be chose by my wife.
I give to my grandson William Randolph, Critty's son Dick, and to the child not yet named a negro boy about his age to be choses by my wife to them and their heirs forever.
I give to my daughter Sarah Harrison and her heirs forever, Sarah the daughter of Jennny, Molly the daughter of Tabb and Suckey the daughter of Diddy with their increase, and it is my will and desire that my son Benjamin at the death of his mother, he being so much better provided for than my other children, pay to my said daughter Sarah Two hundred and twenty Half Johannes in gold, but if my said daughter should not then be of age or married that he retain the said sum in his hands, till one of those events take place, paying an annual interest of five per centum in the same coin towards the support of my said daughter.
At the death of my dear wife I give all my stocks of horses, mules, cattle, sheep and hogs on my plantation of Berkley not before given away, to my son Benjamin and his heirs forever, and if at the time aforesaid my sons Benjamin and Carter should be living, I give all the negroes possessed by my said wife and not before disposed of to be equally divided between them, but if either of them should die before that time leaving no son, I give them to the survivor to him or them or his or their heirs forever. But if these negroes should all fall by survivorship to either of my said sons, my will is that he pay to each of my four daughters their heirs or assigns the sum of Two hundred pounds in gold or silver, and moreover, that he deliver to my son William two boys and two girls healthy and sound of between twelve and fourteen years of age.
I give to my Niece Ann Bassett to her and her heirs forever at the death of her Aunt Stith her choice of the negro children which the woman now has that I lent her; and I give to my nephew Carter Bassett the next choice of the said children - and whereas I omitted to give my dear wife the tools of my carpenters and the plantation tools, wagons and carts, I hereby declare it as my will that she should possess the whole of them with the millstones and every article belonging to my mills, my share in the Salt pans in Gloster and the great pot I have there for the purpose of making salt.
Benjamin Harrison (Seal)
January the eighth, 1780.
On consideration of the above bequeaths to my four daughters, I am lead to think I have not done them that justice that is due to such affectionate children, it is therefore my will that at the death of my wife the negroes she was in possession at the time of her death be laid off into four equal parts as possible without parting men and their wives, that three of the said four parts be equally divided between my said sons Benjamin and Carter and that the other fourth part be equally divided betwixt my four daughters over and above what I have before given them. This bequeath is not to alter except as to the fourth part of the slaves given to my daughters, the bequeath in my will of the slaves to my sons or the survivor of them.
Benjamin Harrison
At a monthly Court held for Charles City County at the Courthouse on Thursday the seventeenth of June, 1791.
The aforewritten will and testament of Benjamin Harrison deceased, was presented into court for proof, and there being no subscribing witness to the said will, William Christian and Otway Byrd being sworn deposed that they believed the same to have been wholly written by the deceased, whereupon it is ordered to be recorded. And on motion of Benjamin Harrison Jr. and Carter B. Harrison his sons who made oath as the law directs, and together with Benjamin Harrison (of Brandon) and Otway Byrd their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of twelve thousand pounds, conditioned according to law. Certificate is granted them for obtaining letters of administration on the estate of Benjamin Harrison, deceased with his will and anexed in due form.
Teste: Otway Byrd, C.C.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1726 - 1791 (65 years)