Will of Richard Timberlake
Bourbon County Will Book C, Pages 292-295
In the name of God, Amen. I, Richard Timberlake, being at present in good health and of sound mind, but being far advanced in years, and calling to mind my latter end, do ordain, publish and establish this my last will and testament as follows, hereby revoking and annulling all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made.
First. I will and direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid out of my estate.
Second. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, absolutely and forever, my Negro woman named Sarah and such child or children as she may bear after this time, and also my Negro boy John.
Third. I give and bequeath to my son Henry Timberlake and his heirs my Negro boy George.
Fourth. I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Duncan and her heirs my Negro girl Lucy.
Fifth. I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy P. Trimble and her heirs my Negro girl Phoebe.
Sixth. I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca C. Findley and her heirs my Negro boy Elliott.
Seventh. I give and bequeath to my daughter Betsy D. Timberlake and her heirs my Negro woman Esther, and I further will and direct that if the Negro woman Esther should bear any child or children after this time during my lifetime, such child or children shall belong to my wife to dispose of as she may think proper.
Eighth. I give and devise to my beloved wife, during her natural life for and in lieu of land, the tract of land, house and plantation where I now live. I also give and bequeath to her
During her natural life the possession and use of all my stock, furniture and personal estate of every description, not herein otherwise disposed of, with the power of disposing of such part of the personal estate, absolutely as may be necessary for her comfortable subsistence and I further will and direct that after her death the said tract of land and plantation and all the said stock, furniture and personal estate of every description before mentioned in this article which shall be remaining at her death, shall be sold by such of my executors as shall then be living and as shall have duly qualified as such, and that the money arising from the sale thereof shall be equally divided among my three daughters, Nancy P. Trimble, Rebecca C. Findley and Betsey L. Timberlake.
Ninth. I further will and direct that in case any claims shall hereafter arise on damages be recovered against my estate on account of any lands being lost for the title of which I am now bound by deeds of conveyance, my whole estate, both real and personal, shall be subject to the payment thereof, except the Negro woman Sarah and the Negro boy John, bequeathed to my wife, neither of which shall be taken
To satisfy any such claims or damages until the whole of the residue of my estate, real and personal shall first be exhausted.
Lastly, I ordain and appoint my beloved wife, Mary, my son Henry Timberlake and my son-in-law Robert Trimble, executors of this my last will and testament and direct that the survivor or survivors of them, or such of them as duly qualify shall have the same power that all of them would have if all were living and had duly qualified.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th day of July 1807.
Richard Timberlake
Att. John Walton, Thomas Walton, William Clarke
Bourbon County October Court 1807
I do hereby certify that his last will and testament of Richard Timberlake, deceased, was produced into court, proved by the oaths of John Walton and William Clarke, and ordered to be recorded.
ATT. John Trimble
Categories: Old Wills
I know slavery was a terrible thing and a stain on our country but seeing the Seventh instruction on Richard Timberlake’s will makes the horror more real. And makes you sick to read it. We, as a country, are not where we should be but we are certainly better than yesterday!