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Jacob Van Meter Will
Last Will and Testament, Jacob VanMeter
Will Book 5, Page 43
Hardy County Clerk’s Office
Moorefield, WV
I Jacob Vanmeter of the County of Hardy and the State of Virginia, being of
sound and disposing mind & memory do hereby make my last will and testament in
manner and form following that is to say
First. I give and devise to my beloved wife Tabitha the half of my dwelling
house kitchen and garden for & during the term of her natural life and after her
death to my son Abraham as hereinafter devised. I also give and bequeath to my
wife Tabitha one negro woman named Violet two negro men named Spencer and David
and one negro girl under twelve years of age to be chosen by herself from all my
slaves for and during her life and after her death to my other heirs.
I also give and bequeath to my wife Tabitha forty
shares of Bank stock in the Bank of the Valley to receive Stake the Interest and
profits of said Bank stock, for and during her life and after her death to my
other heirs. I also give and devise to my wife Tabitha a parcel of land known by
the name of the Mill meadow also another parcel including the bottom below the
new saw mill for and during her life and after her death to my two sons Abraham
and Garrett as herein after devised.
I also give to my wife Tabitha all my house hold and kitchen furniture for the
use of the family to be disposed of after her death among my children as she may
think proper. I also give to my wife Tabitha two horses and four milk cows to be
chosen by her out of my whole stock of horses and cows which horses & cows
together with their increase till one year old shall be kept by my two sons
Abraham and Garrett free from expense. I give and devise to my two sons Abraham
& Garrett all my lands in the State of Virginia to be divided as follows Viz. By
a line beginning on the Bank of the south Branch of Potomack and running with
the line that divides my lands from those of my brother Isaac Vanmeter until it
reaches the mouth of my new ditch above the gap, thence leaving the said line
and running with said ditch to its _____ thence to a walnut tree on which the
gate now hangs thence crossing the run and running with the fence as it now
stands to Daniel Tottens Stable thence in a straight line to the mouth of the
ditch above the Thompson field gate thence with the said ditch to Andrew Bussels
line. My son Abraham to have my home place and all my lands lying south of said
line and my son Garrett to have my lands bought of Higgins and all my lands
lying north of said line each to have and hold the said lands respectively to
themselves and their heirs forever. |45 I also give and devise to my two sons
Abraham and Garrett and their heirs forever a tract of land lying near Alexander
Smiths in Allegheny County Maryland. I also give and devise to my two sons
Abraham and Garrett and their heirs forever my new saw mill and its
appurtenances; also all my right, title & interest in and to the old grist mill
and saw mill belonging to my Brother Isaac Vanmeter and myself jointly.
It is my desire that my two sons Abraham and Garrett should live together and
carry on their business in partnership until they are both married or so long as
it may be convenient & agreeable and when they separate Abraham shall assist
Garrett in building a convenient dwelling house Barn and other out houses
necessary for a family by bearing one half of the expense.
It is my will that my daughters remain in the family as they now do until they
are married and my two sons Abraham and Garrett are charged with supporting the
family and providing them with all the necessaries of life. They are also to
keep free from expenses the property heretofore bequeathed to my wife Tabitha
also one riding horse for each of my daughters as long as they live in the
family and I give my sons Abraham and Garrett for the use of the family one half
of every description that may be growing on the land at the time of my death
also their choice of fifty head of Hogs and six [?] __________ [?] I give to my
two sons Abraham and Garrett six _____________ [?] and six shovel ploughs two
harrows two wagons and eight pairs of gears. I give and bequeath all my slaves
to my two sons Abraham & Garrett and all my Daughters (my son Isaac having
received his share) to be divided as follows viz: my executors shall divide them
in person into even parcels as nearly equal in value as convenient and the
parcel of each legatee shall be determined by the drawing of Lotts.
|46 My will is that all my horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and farming utensils of
every description, excepting those particularly disposed of, be sold and after
the payment of all my just debts the proceeds to be equally divided among all my
sons and daughters—and all balance of my personal estate of whatever
description. I bequeath to my son Isaac & all my daughters to be equally divided
amongst them deducting from Isaac share the amount of my advancements to him as
they stand charged on my books excepting the slaves. My two sons Abraham and
Garrett shall pay one thousand dollars annually for ten years as follows—that is
to say twelve months after my death they shall pay to my son Isaac one thousand
dollars. The second payment of one thousand dollars to my daughter Hannah. The
third to my daughter Ann. The fourth to my daughter Rebecca. The fifth to my
daughter Susan, the sixth to my daughter Sally after which each annual payment
shall be distributed in equal shares between my son Isaac and my Daughters
Hannah, Ann, Rebecca, Susan and Sally. It is my will that all the bequests
herein before made to my Daughter Hannah (except the slaves) be retained in the
hands of my executors to be laid out in the purchase of lands as soon as it may
be convenient which lands I give and devise to my said daughter Hannah during
her natural live and after death to her issue lawfully begotten, but if she have
no issue then to my other children surviving and their heirs forever. Lastly, I
hereby constitute and appoint my three sons Isaac Abraham and Garrett Executors
of my last will and testament thus made. And I do hereby revoke all other or
former wills or testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 6th day of June in the year of our
Lord 1826.
/s/ Jacob Vanmeter
Signed sealed published and declared
by Jacob Vanmeter as and for his last will
and testament in presence of us who at his request
and in his presence have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
/s/ Joseph VanMeter /s/ Daniel Wickle Junr
|47 At a Court held for Hardy County on the 13th day October 1829
This last will and testament of Jacob Vanmeter dec’d was presented in Court by
Abraham Vanmeter & Garrett Vanmeter two of the Executors therein named proved by
the oaths of Joseph Vanmeter and Daniel Wickle Junr the two witnesses thereto
and ordered to be recorded—and on the motion of the said executors certificate
is granted them for obtaining a probat thereof in due form they having together
with goods security entered into & acknowledged a bond in the penalty of
$100,000 conditioned as the Law directsand taken the oath required by Law of
such Executors.
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