Jordan Wills and Probate Records
Surry Co., VA

Extracts and Notes from
Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia, 1671-1750

[Page 102]

Anna Jordan
Bequests to: John Rawlings, Eliza. Rawlings, John Shorsby, Thos. Shorsby & Richard Rose [no word between here but ? should be either a comma or the word "and" - word following "wives" is omitted by a blot] their wives, my son Edward Evans, my husband Thomas Shorsby's brothers' children.
Exors: Jeremiah Ellis, S[e] & Robert Cortrock
Wit: Edward Scarbroo, Mary Rawlings
Dated: 2 Oct 1697 [sic]
Probated: 22 July 1697 [sic - SSS note: problem w/ these dates]
Book 5, Page 147

Arthur Jordan
Bequests to: son George Jordan, son River Jordan, "son and daughter, Washington," [SSS note -- apparently one of his daughters md a Mr. Washington], granddaughter Elizabeth Jordan, grandson Arthur Washington
Land Mentioned: "land I now possess" (to son George); "Other estate in Virginia and elsewhere" (equally divided between sons George and River Jordan).
Also states: "Desires that negro Charity, be given her freedom. As law directs that she must leave the country if freed, then arrange to have her transported out of the country, and bring her back again."
Exors: [SSS note -- none mentioned]
Wit: Nath. Harrison, Tho: Flood, Water [sic] Flood
Dated: 24 Sep 1698
Probated: 3 Jan 1698/9
Book 5, Page 160

Lt. Coll. George Jordan
"Deceased. 9br 27 1682."
Book 2, Page 322 [SSS note -- that's all the entry states]

[Pages 102 & 103]

George Jordan
Bequests to: two goddaughters, Coll. Swann's children; godchildren - Sarah Sowerby, George Norwood (not ten years old), & George Briggs; friend Thomas Sowerby; James Sowerby; Wm. Arnall; Mary Browne, godchild; Mr. Cary; the Church
Land Mentioned: "Has given nephew Edward Bayly land."
Also Mentions: daughter Fortune Hunt (decd), cousin Edward Bayly, Chris. Foster, Waltor Flood, George Jordan, James Jordan, River Jordan, Eliza: Jordan, Thomas Flood, nephew Thomas Jordan, brother Arthur Jordan, seven nephews, niece Elizabeth Jordan.
Also states: "Body to be buried by wife & children in Maj. Browne's orchard."; "Has tobacco in hand due to children of Wm. Jordan, long since deceased, which children I could never find; learned they lived in Yorkshire, now to be sent to them."; "On 15th day of every Oct. a sermon of Mortality to be had at my house, the day my daughter Fortune Hunt died. . . . Whoever shall enjoy the land, be it one thousand generations, who possess the Land shall perform both Sermon & Prayer." & "God bless the Colony where I have lived forty-thre [sic] years."
Codicil: nephew Edward Bayly (revoked bequest as he gave him land already); Bequests to: Chris. Foster & Water Flood, Daniel Roome, Thomas Andrews & wife Dorothy.
Exors: Coll Swann & Major Browne.
Wit: Will: Browne & Wm: Thompson
Dated: 8 May 1678
Probated: 9br [sic] 5, 1678
Book 2, Page 191

George Jordan
Bequests to: son George Jordan, son Arthur Jordan, son Thomas Jordan, sons James & River Jordan, son Charles Jordan, Wife Mary Jordan, daughter Mary Anderson, daughter Elizabeth Baley
Land Mentioned: at Tuskahora Branch (to son George), "land where I live" (to son Arthur after his mother's death), at Sunkon Marsh "called Stony Run" (to son Thomas), "the rom. [sic] part of land on Sunkon Marsh & Stony Run" (to sons James & River Jordan), all land on Roody Marsh (to son Charles, "Wife to have until her death")
Also states: Wife Mary Jordan "to maintain my three youngest children". & "Wife and seven youngest children".
Exor: Wife [Mary Jordan]
Wit: Howell Edmunds, George Walker, James Masongall
Dated: 18 May 1718
Probated: 20 Aug 1718
Book 7, Page 145

James Jordan, Estate
Admrs: Richard Washington & River Jordan made oath 9 Jul 1699
Book 5, Page 169

Richard Jordan, Estate
3 May 1687 [SSS note -- no indication as to what this date refers to]
On 5 Jul, "Richard Jordan appeared in Court and made oath to the Inventory of Richard Jordan."
Also Mentions: Anthony Evans, Henry Norton, Nicholas Sossoms [sic] & Joseph Wall
Book 3, Page 86

[Pages 103 & 104]

Richard Jordan:
Bequests to: son Richard Jordan, son Charles, son Robert, daughter Rachel, daughter Elizabeth Fort, daughter Margaret Howse, daughter Hannah, daughter Mary, daughter Sarah.
Land Mentioned: "the Land and Est. that I have to bestow on" son Richard Jordan; land that was formerly Mr. Owens which was "part of a tract where I now live" (to son Charles); "Plantation I do now live on that is to say the upper end of that land" (to son Robert "after the death of my wife")
Also states: "Probate granted to Elizabeth Jordan admrx."
Exors: wife, Josiah Proctor & John Fort
Wit: Joshua Procktor, Rob: Owing, Richard Ham
Dated: 24 Sep 1695
Probated: 7 Nov 1699
Book 5, Page 183

River Jordan:
Bequests to: wife Priscilla Jordan; "my child in esse" [SSS note -- esse is a Latin word meaning "to be" according to the Latin Genealogical Word List at www.familysearch.com .]; George Jordan, oldest son of George Jordan; Arthur Jordan, son of George Jordan; Thomas Jordan, son of George Jordan; George Washington; Mary & Elizabeth Jordan, daughters of George Jordan.
Land Mentioned: my Plantation (to wife Priscilla Jordan "for her life, and at her decease to return to my child in esse", if the child died in minority, then after Priscilla's death, the plantation would go to George Jordan, oldest son of George Jordan); "neck of Land ad. said father's land up the swamp . . . to the Spring Branch" (to Arthur Jordan, son of George Jordan) & "land adjoining John Gulledge" ("to my wife until the children are twenty-one years old", then to Thomas Jordan, son of George Jordan)
Exor: wife, Priscilla Jordan
Wit: William Browne, Grace Barker, Patrick Lashley
Dated: 2 Dec 1699
Probated: 4 Mar 1700/01
Book 5, Page 220

Robert Jordan, Estate:
By: Martha Jordan
Signed: Joshua Proctor & William Rose
Dated: 25 Feb 1710
Book 6, Page 42

Thomas Jordan, Estate:
By: Coll. Wm. Browne & Mr. Ja: Jordan.
[Signed:] John Moring, Will: Foreman & Samuell Thompson
Dated: 6 Jul 1686
[SSS note -- No Book or Page reference; however, it is listed between ones in Book 6, Pages 42 & 81]

Source: Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia, 1671-1750, abstracted & compiled by Eliza Timberlake Davis

Extracts & Notes by Susan Shields Sasek at the VSLA, 3 Jan 1990.   Items in brackets are either my notes or items I had difficulty reading]

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