Southampton County, Virginia Will Book 23:83

Contributed by Gloria F. Hardy

I, James Claud , of Southampton County, Virginia, being of sound and disposing mind, do hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all other Wills by me at any time made:

2. I desire that all my just debts shall be paid, If I shall owe any at my death.

3. I give to my beloved wife, Susanna Claud, all my household and kitchen furniture to be hers forever.

4. All the balance of my property, real , personal, and mixed, I desire shall be sold and converted into cash. I give to my wife one-third of the entire amount, to be hers forever, and the balance of the property, after one-third is taken out and given to Susanna Claud, I desire be equally divided among all of my children. Should any one die before my death, I desire that his or her part, shall go to his or her children. Thus my grandchildren shall have their parent's share.

5. I desire that my hereinafter named Executor shall have the authority and power to sell my real estate and convert same into cash and reserve the family burying ground for me and my family, and it shall not be sold with the farm.

b. I do hereby nominate and appoint Jas. T. Gillette of Courtland , Virginia Executor of this my last Will and Testament, with power to sell all of my real estate and convert same into cash and to execute a good and sufficient deed for same, and to execute this said Will according to its true and intended meaning.

Witness my hand and seal this 8th day of April , 1926.

James Claud (Seal)

The above signature of the Testator , James Claud, was made, and the foregoing Will was acknowledged by the said James Claud, in the presence of us, two competent witnesses, present at the same time; and we, the said witnesses , do hereunto subscribe the said Will in the presence of the Testator and of each other , at the request of the said Testator, this 8th day of April, 1926.

Witnesses: Jas. T. Gillette

E. Whitfield

Bessie T. Shands

Virginia: In the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Southampton County, the 4th day of November, 1926.

A writing purporting to be the last will and testament of James Claud, deceased, was produced in the Clerk's Office for probate and proved by the oaths of E. Whitfield and Bessie T. Shands, two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded as and for the last will and testament of the said James Claud, deceased.

And on motion of Jas. T. Gillette, the executor named in said will, who made oath according to law and entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of Four Thousand Dollars, conditioned and payable as the law directs, with American Surety Company of New York, as surety, which bond is ordered to be recorded.

Certificate is granted the said James T. Gillette for obtaining a probate of the said will in due form.

And on motion of said Executor, W.R.L. Cobb Jr. , C.W. Parker, Ezra W. Davis, E. Whitfield and W.T. Pittman, be and they are hereby appointed appraisers , who will after being duly sworn , appraise the estate of the said decedent and return the same under their hands as the law directs.

Teste: H.B. Mclemore Clerk

By: B. M. Willis D.C.