Will of Martin Scarlett
In the name of God, Amen. I Martin Scarlett of Stafford County in Virginia, gentleman, being sick in body, but of sound and perfect memory, blessed be to God for it, so declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following.
Item. I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God, from whence it came, in hope of a blessed resurrection.
Item. I give and bequeath to Will Smith, son to Edward and Lettice Smith, all my lands lying and being in Richmond County, upon the Rappahannock River in Virginia, to him and his heirs for ever, but if the said Will Smith dies before he comes to the age of 21 years, then the said land to fall to the heirs of the said Lettice Smith for ever. And I likewise give to the said Edward Smith two cows and calves.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son-in-law Joshua Green all my land lying and being upon the Marumsco Creek in the County of Stafford to him and his heirs for ever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my godson Scarlett Green a certain parcel or tract of land lying between the North and South branches of Marumsco Creek in the County of Stafford to him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto Edward Barton all my lands on the other side of the South West Branch of Marumsco Creek to him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to Lettice Smith and her heirs my Negro girl Hoigas after she comes to the age of fourteen.
Item. I give and bequeath to my loving wife Ann Scarlett all my lands upon Occoquan and Marumsco Creek for her natural life and after her decease I give and bequeath all the said lands with all housing, orchards, etc., unto Captain Thomas Owsley and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Ann Scarlett all my personal Estate, as Negroes, money, plate, tobacco, etc., after all my just debts and legacies are paid.
Item. And lastly, I appoint my loving wife Ann Scarlett and Captain George Mason to be my whole and sole executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this third day of January 1675/6.
Martin Scarlett seal
Sealed and delivered in presence of William Harris, John Cotton, Walter Griffin
Proved and recorded this 8th April 1696.
Categories: Genealogy Ramblings, Old Wills
So glad to have found your post of wills of Ann and Martin Scarlett. I am a decendent of the Edward Smith line through Lettice Green Smith. Frances Smith Odom
Wonderful! So glad you could use the information. What do you have on Lettice Green who married Edward Smith. I am interested in their daughter Catherine who married John Hancock. Do you have any information on this John Hancock or their children? Thank you!
John Hancock born 1690 Bladen Co., NC. Died 1740. Children Scarlett and Letitia Hancock. Letitia married William Smith.
I descend through edward smith and lettice green. Edward Smith, Jr. married Mary Bell who I descend. Do you have any info on the Bell family?
Janice Friel
janice friel@aol.com
Is this Captain George Mason the famous patriot?
This was before his (Captain Mason’s) time – 1696. But I’m sure he was most likely a grandfather of the patriots!
Phyllis, You said once that you were descended from both Ann Green Barton and her sister Lettice Green Smith. If you are, then I am. Could you please let me know how your/our Lintons are connected to Lettice and Edward Smith? Anything having to do with Caroline and her husband John Hancock?
Joshua, Ann & Lettice Green were step-children of Martin Scarlett. Some new postings on Ancestry.com indicate a Scarlett Green was Joshua Green’s son, so Martin Scarlett’s step-grandson. (It’s a pretty nice gesture naming one’s son after one’s step-father if that’s the case). The Will above is interesting. Martin calls Joshua his “son-i-law” & Scarlett Green his “godson”. Any thoughts? Also, could Joshua have married a daughter from a previous marriage of Martin Scarlett, making Joshua a “son-in-law”? According to Phyllis’ great tombstone story, Martin had at least one child, John, whose stone along with his father’s, was thrown into the river. So, either Ann Green Scarlett, his wife, was the mother of John, or a previous wife was. Any knowledge or thoughts about all this?