Thomas Meriwether will
Thomas Meriwether [TMSI #117]


Thomas Meriwether, son of Nicholas Meriwether I, died between 7 January, the date of his will and 10 February, date will was probated in 1708. The will is recorded in Book O.Deeds 1707 to 1711, page 185.


In the name of God amen, I, Thomas Meriwether of the Parish of South Farnham in the County of Essex within the Colony of Virginia being sick and weak of body, but of sound and perfect memory (praised be God) do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner and form following.

First. I recommend my soul to ye disposing of Almighty God my Creator and my body to be decently interred in hopes of a full remission of all my sins and a glorious resurrection and union in ye last day in and by the merits of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The temporal estate which God of his great goodness hath been pleased to bestow upon me I dispose of as followeth.

I give unto my loving brother Nicholas Meriwether of New Kent county one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England.

I give unto my loving brother Francis Meriwether of the County of Essex aforesd one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England.

I give unto my loving sister Jane Browne the wife of Mr. William Browne of Surry County a piece of plate of the value of ten pounds sterling money.

I give my dear and loving wife Susannah my best new bed and furniture and the sett of chairs belonging to it, the whole sute of Japan, the sute of damaske table linen, the largest new table, her ridding horse named Sorrell and her new and old side saddle, and all the rest of my personall estate and negroes after my just debts, funerall charges and the legacies before mentioned are paid and discharged, I give to be divided in manner following between my sd wife Susannah and my young daughter that now sucks my said wife, who as yet is unbaptized, that is to say one third part of the said personal estate and negroes, I give to my sd wife Susannah to her and her heirs forever, and the other two thirds of personall estate and negroes I give unto my aforesaid young daughter and her heirs forever, but in case my said daughter should dye before she attains to the age of one and twenty years or marriage, then I give her part of my sd personal estate and negroes to my aforesd two brothers Nicholas Meriwether and Francis Meriwether and my aforesaid sister Jane Browne and their heirs forever, equally to be divided between then, only fifty pounds sterling out of the said estate personall I give unto my aforesd wife Susannah.

I give unto my nephew William Meriwether son of my aforesd brother Nicholas Meriwether and to his heirs forever all my land on the south side of James lying and being in the County of Surry.

I give unto my said wife Susannah (in lieu of her thirds or dower to all the land I hold) the plantation, houses, land and appurtenances thereunto belonging whereon I now live during her naturall life and after her decease to my aforesd daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten forever and for want and default of such heirs I give the said plantation, houses, land and appurtenances thereunto belonging unto my three nephews William, David and Nicholas Meriwether the sons of my aforesaid brother Nicholas Meriwether and their heirs forever to be equally divided between them.

I give unto Ralph Shelton and his heirs forever the sixty five acres of land granted to me by Patent joining to the lands of Ricd. Jones, John Schools and the land formerly belonging to Capt.Edward Thomas.

I give likewise unto my aforementioned daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten forever all the rest of my land that I have in Virginia or elsewhere and for want and in default of such heirs I give my Beitland tract of land which I purchased of Richard Covington (excepting out thereof a small parcel of land that lyes on the other side of the swamp adjacent to my other tract of land that I purchased of William Cole) unto the first male child that my aforesd brother Francis Meriwether shall have and his heirs forever, but if it happen that my aforesd brother Francis should not have any such male child, that then I give the said tract of land unto my aforesd three nephews William, David, and Nicholas Meriwether the sons of my aforesd brother Nicholas Meriwether and their heirs forever to be equally divided between them, and for want and in default of such heirs of my aforesd daughter lawfully to be begotten of her body as aforesd,that then I give all the rest of my land hereby given unto my aforesd daughter unto my aforesd three nephews William, David, and Nicholas the sons of my aforesd brother Nicholas Meriwether and to their heirs forever equally to be divided between them.

I also give unto my aforesd wife Susannah the one third part of my Water mill lying in Middlesex County for and during her natural life and the other two third parts to my aforesd daughter and after my sd wife's decease, then I give all the sd mill and the land thereunto belonging unto my aforesd unbaptized daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten forever and for want and in default of such heirs that then I give the said mill and land thereunto belonging unto my aforesd three nephews William, David, and Nicholas the sons of my aforesd brother Nicholas Meriwether and their heirs forever to be equally divided between them. My will and meaning is that what I have hereby given to my aforesd loving wife Susannah is to be in full lieu of her thirds of all my estate, both real and personall due to her by law.

for ye payment of what I owe and am indebted to Messrs. Micajah, Perry and compa., merchants in My will and desire is that my Exers. hereafter named dispose and make sale of my brigantine upon the stocks together with the sayles and riging and other appurtenances belonging to her, provided they can meet with a sutable market for them, and likewise that my said Exers. dispose of my negro man named Saundy and that my sd Exers. use their utmost endeavor to get in my Tobacco debts and together with my cropps now by me to ship for EnglandLondon.

My will and desire is that my aforesd daughter's part of her negroes and stock be kept upon her lands at her hazard and to her profitt and her part of my estate that is perishable I will that my Exrs. Dispose thereof to my sd daughter's best advantage and out of the produce thereof to purchase negroes for my sd daughter and to keep them upon her lands for the use and profitt as aforesaid, and my sd daughter is to be maintained and educated out of the profitts of her estate and the remaining part of the profitt as to be laid out in negroes from time to time by my Exrs. and put upon her lands to her use and profitt as aforesd.

It is my will and desire that my estate may not be brought to an appraisement, and lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my aforesd loving brothers Nicholas and Francis Meriwether executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revolting and annulling all other wills by me heretofore made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the seventh day of January Anno Dom. 1708.

Memorandm. -Ye words (my aforesd sister Jane Browne) between the 21 st and 22d lines of ye first side, and the words (upon the stocks) between ye 3d and 4t lines, ye words (lying East )between ye 14th and I5th lines and ye words(aforesd) between ye 16th and 17th lines of ye last side were interlined before signing and sealing. Also ye raizings in the 48th fine of first side of ye 49th line of the last side were made before signing and sealing, as also ye raizing in the 49th line and ye words (two thirds) between ye 48 and 49 lines of ye first side.

Signed, sealed, and acknowledged to be my last will and testament in the presence of Ricd. Curtis. Mary Meriwether. Ralph Shelton. Wm. Kilingby. The mark of Ann + Whitehorn.
Provided by ye oaths of Ricd. Curtis, William Killingby and Ann Whitehorn, three of ye witnesses hereto in Essex County Court ye 19th day of Febry. 1708 and was ordered to be recorded, and is recorded.
Teste. Richard Buckner, CI.Cur.
A Copy, Teste, Harrison Southwarth, Clerk, County Court of Essex, Virginia.


Back to Meriwether Rcords