From Clay Co Archives:will book D. Page 275 Will of Samuel S. Porter:The above written instrument was Subscribed by The Said S. S. Porter in our presence and acknowledged by him to each of us, and he at the same time published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last will and testament and we at the testator, request and in his presence have signed our names as witnesses.
In the name of God, Amen. I, Samuel S. Porter of the county of Clay in the State of Missouri, being of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of this final life do therefore make ordain publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, that is to say--first) after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged the residue of my Estate, Real and personal, I give bequeath and dispose of as follows, to wit---whereas.
I have give unto my Son Abner J. Porter, which I believe to be his full share before this date, therefore I give him ten dollars.
and whereas I have given unto my Daughter Hannah J. Green which I believe to be her full share before this date, therefore I give her ten dollars.
and whereas I have given unto my Daughter Lucy E. Corrille which I believe to be her full Share before this date, therefore I give her ten dollars,
and whereas I have given unto my daughter Maria F. Dykes which I believe to be her full share before this date, therefore I give her ten dollars,
and whereas I have given unto my Son Thomas B. Porter which I believe to be his full Share before this date, therefore I give him ten dollars,
and whereas I have given unto my Son James A. Porter which I believe to be his full share before this date, therefore I give him ten dollars
------I give unto my Sons William S. Porter & Benjamine F. Porter and Eliza F. Cosby my Grand Daughter all the balance of my Estate both Real and personal, to Share equal, the Said William S. Porter & Benjamin F. Porter & Eliza F. Cosby To have and hold Said Property and divide or dispose of Said Property as they may chose each one receiving an equal
-----I bind William S. Porter, Benjamin F. Porter & Eliza F. Cosby to pay the amount given unto my other heirs specified in this my will--------------------
Lastly) I make, Constitute and appoint my Said Sons William S. Porter and Benjamin F. Porter to be Executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills made by me--in witness wherof I have hereunto Subscribed my name and offered my Seal, the Eighteenth day of September in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Sixty Eight.
signature S. S. Porter seal
Witnesses }
Ryland Shackelford } signatures
Giles Morrow }
State of Missouri Invocation, Clay County
County of Clay Court June 21, 1870.
Be it remembered that on this 21st day of
June 1870 personally approved before the undersigned
Clerk of the County Court of Clay County, Ryland
Shackelford and Giles Morrow the subscribing witnesses
to the annexed will of Samuel S. Porter and being by
me first duly sworn dispose and say that the said
Samuel S. Porter the testator subscribing the same in
their presence and published the said will or instrument
of writing as his Last will that he the said testator
was at the time of publishing his said will of sane
mind and more than twenty one years of age and that
they the said deponents atteste the same will as
witnesses, thereto by signing their names to the same in the presence of
said Testator.
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John Grigsby's Will,1730, Book M, pages 17-18
Hen. Lopdell Jn. Grigsby (seal)
mark
Eliz. Q. Eaton
herAt a Court held for Stafford County the 11th day of November 1730 this Will was presented into Court by John Grigsby and Thomas Grigsby, executors therein named, who made oath thereto and the same being further proved by the oath of Elizabeth Eaton, one of the witnesses thereto, who also made oath that she saw Henry Lopdell, another witness, subscribed, sign the same it is admitted to record and on the motion of the said executors, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Test: Catesby Cook, Clerk
A Copy Teste: S. L. Alexander, Clerk
Recorded in Will Book M, pages 17 & 18.
*(Deed Book 1, p. 501) Stafford County reveals a contract made on March 11, 1727, between John Grigsby, blacksmith, of Stafford County, and Charles Hardy, by which the latter is to serve apprenticeship to Grigsby for a "full time of six years. "Old John" would at that time have been too feeble to enter into such an active agreement. His son John, must have been the author of the instrument.
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Signed, sealed and delivered in the presents of Charles Grigsby
Test: William Grigsby - Anne Grigsby (seale)
At a Court held for Stafford County November the 11th, 1740, the
last will and testament of Charles Grigsby Dec'd, being produced in court
by Sarah Grigsby, one of the executors therein named who made oath
thereto according to law and being proved by the oaths of William Grigsby
and Anne Grigsby, witnesses thereto, certificate is granted her for
obtaining a probate thereof in due form and the said will ordered to be
recorded.
Test: H. Tyler, Clerk
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BENJAMIN NEWTON DEED
Virginia Historical Genealogies, by John Bennett Boddie, pages 48-75
On November 25, 1690, John Newton gave his son Benjamin 400 acres
in Stafford adjoining his brother John Newton. Benjamin Newton and Mary,
his wife, October 29, 1699, deeded to William King 150 acres of the above
400 acres. (Book Z-6) His wife, Mary, who signed the deed was a
daughter of John Grigsby who made his will in Stafford County, March 17,
1728/29, same probated November 11, 1730. (Will Book M, age 17) John
Grigsby willed his daughter "Mary Ameese" four Negroes. She had married
John Ameese or Meese. November 11, 1730, by giving her four Negroes,
Jenny, Will, Jonay, and Bess. Three of the Negroes are mentioned in her
will dated April 20, 1747. She gave "Jenny" to grandson, William Travis;
"will" to grandson, William Rogers, and "Bess" to grandson, Grigsby Rogers.
(Will Book M, page 813.)
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'
SOLDIER JOHN GRIGSBY'S WILL
IN THE NAME OF GOD, Amen I John Grigsby of Rockbridge County being
at this time in a low state of health but having the due exercise of
reason and knowing the uncertainty oflife and that it may please God to
call me hence do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament.
Item I desire that all my just debts be duly paid.
Item I give unto my eldest son James Grigsby five shillings
current money of Virginia over and above what he has already received.
Item I give unto my son John Grigsby five shillings current money
of Virginia over and above what he has already received.
Item I give unto my son Charles Grigsby thirty pounds Virginia
Currency, likewise a feather bed with furniture and a couple of sheep.
Item I give unto my son William Grigsby thirty pounds Virginia
currency.
Item I give unto my daughter Sarah Welch exclusive of what she
has already received twenty-five pounds Virginia currency.
Item I give unto my daughter Jane Paxton five shillings current
money of the State of Virginia over and above what I have already given
her.
Item I give unto my daughter Rachel McNut five shillings current
money of the State of Virginia over and above what I have already given her.
Item I lend unto my loving wife Elizabeth Grigsby all my estate
real and personal to have and to hold the same during her natural life in
joint trust discharging debts and gifts or legacies as above in a
reasonable time, and that she my said wife in joint trust with chosen
Executors herein mentioned do act discretionary with my younger sons and
daughters in manner following:
That Martha, Elizabeth and Franky shall have at age or marriage
equal to their sisters Jane Paxton and Rachel McNut including all they
received at marriage and my sons Joseph, Elisha and Reuben to have the
plantation whereon I now live divided equally amongst them by any three
or more neighbors whom they shall appoint and at the decease of my wife
the remainder shall be divided equally among my sons and daughters, viz:
Joseph, Jane, Rachel, Martha, Elisha, Elizabeth, Franky and
Reuben having no respect in the division to such sum as shall be given
to any of them either at age or marriage and further it is my will that
if any of my last named sons and daughters should die intestate his, her,
or their share of the estate as above mentioned shall be equally divided
among the survivor or survivors.
Lastly, I appoint and nominate my beloved wife Elizabeth Grigsby
Executrix and Joseph Grigsby Executor of this my last will and testament
hereby making nul and void any will or wills heretofore made by me
acknowledging this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this
eleventh day of May, Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety two.
Signed, sealed and acknowledged His
in the presence of: John X Grigsby (seal)
John Paxton Robert Snodgrass mark
His
William X Arnold David Willock
Mark A Copy Teste: Harry B. Wright,Clerk
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Many American families, particularly Virginians trace their
descent from John Grigsby, whose ancestors were unquestionably of Welch
origin, and who settled in this Country at a very early day, and were a
potent factor in the social and intellectual development of the
Communities in which they lived. As a people, they have been noted for
their refined tastes, gracious manners, broadmindedness and liberality,
and entire absence of anything like narrow clannishness, in religion or
political matters, and for unswerving devotion to the interests of higher
education.
The members of this family with which the present records deal,
were two brothers, James and John, who emigrated to America about 1660,
and settled in Stafford County Virginia where John Grigsby was born in
1720.
In the 1740, John accompanied Lawrence Washington, in the forces
of Admiral Vernon, on the expedition against Cartagena, South America,
which was "one of the most important event of Gooch's Administration, as
taken in connection with the other colonies, it was another step in the
development of Union." See, "History of Augusta County", J. Lewis Peyton;
and "Collections of the Virginia Historical Society," Volume IX.
Afterward he commanded a company in the thirteenth Regiment of the
Virginia Line during the Revolutionary War. This information was
obtained from the old war records in the archives at Washington. Owing
to participation in this Colonial War and in the Revolutionary War, he
was afterward known as Soldier John.
Tombstone reads:
"Pause, reader, here, and look with solemn dread
upon the last dwelling of the dead,
Through numerous graves appear on every hand
This was the first of all the Silent Band"
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