Albermarle Co., VA Will of Robert Harris, 1696-1765: Son of Capt. William Harris and Temperance Overton ****************************************************************** In the name of God amen. I Robert Harris of the county of Albamarle, being in perfect mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following. First and principly I recomend my soul to God who gave it to me, not doubting but through the merits of my blessed Savior to have full pardon and remission of all my sins, and my body I recommend to the earth from whence it came, to be buried in such manner as my Executors hereafter named shall think fit and as touching such Temporal Estate as it hath pleased God to bestow on me I give and despose of in manner and form following I give and bequeth to my son Christopher Harris forty acres of wood land ground lying and being in the county of Albamarle on a large spur of the Blue Ridge mountains near to a place commonly called and known by the name of the Bear Cornfield, to him, his heirs and assigns forever. Item-I give and bequeth to my son William Harris, after the decease of my loving Wife, Mourning Harris, all the land which I hold in the county of Albamarle to him and his heirs forever. Item-I leave to my loving Wife, Mourning Harris, the sole use and benefit of all the lands and Plantations during her natural life which is above given to my son William Harris after her decease. Item-I leave to the said loving Wife the sole use and benefit during her natural life, six slaves that is to say, Harry, Peter, Dick and Aaron, men. Patt, and Nanny, women. Item-My will and desire is after the decease of my Wife tht if my Negro man Harry should be then living, in that case, I give and bequeth the said Harry to my son Robert Harris Jun. to him and his heirs. Item-My will and desire is after the decease of my Wife, if my Negro man Peter should then be living in that case, I give and bequeth the said Peter to my son Tyree Harris to him and his heirs. Item-My will and desire is after the decease of my Wife, that if my other four Negros, Dick and Aaron, men and Patt and Nanny, women, should be then living, I give and bequeth them and their increases to my son William Harris to him and his heirs. Item-My will and desire is that if my son William Harris should die before he attains to lawfull age or without lawfull issue that in that case if the said William Harris should be further educated the charges thereof shall be paid out of the Estate given him after the whole being sold by my Executors hereinafter named and the remainder of the money arising from such sale be equally devided amongst all my children or their legal representatives. Item-My will and desire is that my son William Harris is to be under tuition, direction and government of my son in law John Rodes until he shall attain to lawfull age. Item-I give and bequeth to my loving Wife all my lawfull debts and funeral expences is paid all the residue of my Estate be it of what nature or quality soever to her and her heirs forever. I do constitute and nominate and appoint my sons in law John Rodes and William Shelton to be my Executors of this my last will and testament. As witnesses of my hand and seal the Eighteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred and sixty five. Robert Harris ***** Robert Harris was a Major in the Virginia Militia. He became the first surveyor of Louisa County in 1742. He had represented Hanover County in the House of Burgesses and was a magistrate of Louisa County. He lived in Browns Cove, about twenty miles northwest of Charlottesville, VA in Albemarle County, VA where he probably died and was buried. He was the father of eleven children. His son- in-law, John Rodes, was married to his daughter Sarah. His son-in-law, William Shelton, was married to his daughter Lucy. Both sons-in-law were executors of his will. Robert's daughter, Mourning Glenn Harris, married John Jouett. They had a son named Jack Jouett, Robert's grandson, who rode forty miles at night from Cuckoo Tavern in Louisa County, to Charlottesville and Monticello to warn Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and others that British Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton and his army were enroute to capture them. They escaped. ******************************************** ****************************************************************** ****************************************************************** File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judith McGowan USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non- commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. Unauthorized use for commercial ventures expressly prohibited. All information submitted to this project remains - to the extent the law allows - the property of the submitter who, by submitting it, agrees that it may be freely copied but NEVER sold or used in a commercial venture without the knowledge & permission of its rightful owner. The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Judith P. McGowan - wichywmn@erols.com http://www.southernroots.com USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation.