Adams Family Papers
Will of John Adams
Dated January 14, 1781
The following is a transcription of the last will and testament of John Adams of Piedmont Station
(now Delaplane), Fauquier County, Virginia, as recorded in Will Book 1, Pages 416-417 on file
at the Fauquier County Courthouse in Warrenton, Virginia.
In the Name of God amen, I John Adams of Fauquier County being very
Weak of body, but of Sound and perfect Memory, do make and ordain this my
last will and Testament in manner and form following, Viz~~~~~~
Imprimiz; I give and bequeath to my son John all my lands lying in Maryland
to be enjoyed by him & his heirs forever, Item, I give and bequeath to my son George
five hundred acres of land whereon he now lives to be enjoyed by him & his heirs forever
Item I give and bequeath and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth three hundred
Acres of land to be laid off in the most convenient manner including the plantaTion whereon
she now lives---Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann
three hundred acres of land to be laid off in the most convenient manner including
the plantation whereon she now lives, Item, I give and bequeath to my daugh
ter Susanna three hundred acres of land to be laid in the most convenient manner Including
the plantation whereon James Hume now lives=== Item I give
and bequeath to my son Josias all that land I purchased of Capt. Turner; and
part of the land adjoining the same to be laid off in the following manner from a
corner tree of the said land I purchased of Capt. Turner the line to continue with
the line of Capt. John Ashby until it comes to the low grounds or meadow land
of Hollys Branch thence to continue with the said low grounds or meadow land
though not to include any part of the Same, till it comes to Kellys spring,
thence with a strait line to the old line of the land I bought of Captain Turner
So as to include all the meadow land or low grounds adjoining the said old line,
Item, I give and bequeath all the remainder of my lands to be equally divided
By astimation amongst my sons Littleton, Thomas & James and their heirs
Page 417.
forever, Littleton to have the plantation whereon he now lives, and James to have
the plantation whereon I now live--- Item, after all my just debts
are satisfied and paid, then I give and bequeath all the remainder of my estate
of what kind and nature so ever it be or whatever it may be found unto my well beloved
wife Sarah Stacy for and during her natural life or to be disposed of at any time
amongst my Children at her discretion and to have no appointment, And I
hereby constitute and appoint this to be my last will and Testament,
hereby revoking and disannulling all wills heretofore by me made; ratifying
and confirming this and none other to be my last will and Testament; In
testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this fourteenth
day of January in the year of Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred & eighty one.
John Adams (seal)
Signed, Sealed & delivered
In the presence
Hezh Turner
John Hickman
John T. Chunn
Will. Bailes
At a Court held for Fauquier County the 28th day of May 1781
This Will was proved by the oaths of Hezekiah Turner, John Hickman,
and John Thomas Chunn Witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And
the motion of Sarah Stacy Adams who made oath and executed and
acknowledged bond as the law directs Certificate is granted her for
obtaining letters of administration with the said will annexed.
Teste
J. Brooke CC
Transcriber's note: All punctuation and spelling were noted exactly as recorded in the original
will book. The will was transcribed line by line leading to the irregularity of the above text.
Note: at one point in the will the words and bequeath are repeated twice, this was as is was in
the original. Also, John Adams named his sonJosias …his name was Josiah, which can be seen in
the will of his mother Sarah Stacy Adams.
The Following is a transcription of the inventory of the estate of John Adams of Piedmont
Station (now Delaplane), Fauquier County, Virginia as recorded in Will Book 1, page 454 at the
Fauquier County Courthouse in Warrenton, Virginia.
ADAMS’S INVENTORY
An Inventory of Mr. John Adams estate deceased.
Negroes London, Simon, Sarah, Moll, Caesar, Rachel, Jeffry, Winsor, Roswell, Jack, Winny.
Horses nine, cattle twenty five, sheep twenty, hogs twenty five.
Five beds & furniture, forty six books, two tables, two desks, two chests, ten chairs, four pewter dishes,
six basons & eighteen plates, a case of knives and forks, six china tea cups & saucers,
one china coffee pott, six silver teaspoons, two stone juggs, two wine glasses, two looking glasses,
two large spinning wheels, one small do., three pair cards, one man’s saddle, one woman’s do.,
one pair stilliards, one box iron, one tea kettle, two razors, two smooth guns, four iron potts, two dutch
ovens, one pair sheep sheers, one broad ax, two narrow do., one parcel coopers tools, one handsaw,
two drawing knives, one foot adze, one auger, one iron square, one pair compases, one old waggon & gear,
two grubing hoes, three hilling do., three old shovel plows, one iron pestle, one pair handmill stones,
one copper still.
Sarah Adams Executrix
At court held for Fauquier county the 25th day of November 1782,
This Inventory was returned and ordered to be recorded
Teste J Brooke
Note: Do is another way of saying “Ditto” or “the same thing.
Will of Sarah Stacy Gibbons Adams
Dated May 27, 1805
THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE WILL OF SARAH ADAMS OF PIEDMONT STATION (NOW DELAPLANE),
FAUQUIER COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AS RECORDED IN WILL BOOK 4, PAGES 253-256 CURRENTLY ON FILE AT THE
FAUQUIER COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN WARRENTON, VIRGINIA.
Page 253.
SARAH ADAMS' WILL
In the name of God Amen I Sarah Adams of the County of Fauquier being of sound mind and memory
thanks to the author of all good for the same, and being also in good health but calling to mind that
it is appointed that death must one day call us from this world, do make this my last will
and Testament.
Page 254.
In the first place my will and desire is that all my just debts shall be paid and funeral expences
in a decent manner out of my estate at the discretion of my executors hereafter to be named. Item, I
give to my son John Adams fifteen pounds Current money of Virginia to be raised out of my
property after my death by my Executors. Item all the rest and residue of my estate as well that
which was devised to me under the will of my late Husband John Adams as that which I may be entitled
to in my own right, it is my will and desire, shall be equally divided by tween my following children
that is to say, George Adams, Littleton Adams, Josiah Adams, James Adams, Thomas Adams and my
Daughters Elizabeth Smith and Nancy Ash Agreeable to valuation. As also my Manor plantation containing
two hundred and forty acres, is to be sold by my Executors to the best advantage and the money arising
there from to be equally divided among the above named Children (VIZ) George, Littleton, Josiah, James,
Thomas, Elizabeth Smith and Nancy Ash. It is also my will and desire that my son Littleton shall have
one good Feather Bed and Furniture before the division takes place, which I bequeath to him and to his
heirs forever; And it is also my will and desire that if any of my last mentioned Children
Page 255.
Should die before me that such proportion of my estate is hereby intended for them shall go and pass
to the Children of such of them as may die and not be divided among my surviving Children, my reason
for not giving and equal proportion of my Estate to my son John Adams is because the slaves divided to
me by my late husband to be divided among my Children at my discretion, are not when divided more that
equal to what he got as heir at law to my daughter Susanna Marshall who departed this life since the
death of my husband. And Lastly I nominate and appoint my two sons George Adams and Littleton Adams
my Sole Executors to this my last will and Testament, hereby revoking and making void all and every
will or Wills by me here tofore made.
In Witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal to this my last Will and Testament. This 27th
day of May in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and five.
Signed & Delivered} SARAH ADAMS
In Presence of
Jane Smith
Francis Adams
William Ash
A Codicil to this my will it is my desire that when a division of my estate shall take place
Page 256.
among my children last within mentioned that London shall come into the division, but that the
estate of Thomas Smith deceased shall not be liable to pay any hire for him. during the term he
remained in his service. Given under my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of
May 1805 Teste
SARAH ADAMS
William Ash
Francis Adams
Jane Smithmark
At a Court held for Fauquier County the 22 day of September 1806
This will was proved by the Oaths of Jane Smith, Francis Adams, and William Ash witnesses
thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of Littleton Adams who made Oath and
together with Samuel Ashby and Nathaniel Grigsby his Securities entered into And acknowledged
bond in the penalty of Ten thousand Dollars, Conditioned as the law directs; Certificate is
granted him obtaining a Probate thereof in due form Teste
H R Campbell CC
|
