Nelson County Courthouse
Will Book ??, pp. 523-524
I Jno Anderson of the County of Nelson, and state of Virginia being in feeble health but of Sound memory do in the name of God make this my last will and testament as follows.
First, I desire my body to be decently buried and after the payment of my funeral expenses & just debts, it is my will and desire that the remainder of my property be disposed as follows.
2ndly In as much as by the death of my beloved wife I became lawfully her heir, and became in possession of her Estate consisting principally of Negroes which are ten in number, and having by a deed now of record in the Cty of Nelson provided for six of my Children, therein named, by giving them each one ninth part which was their distributive share & reserved two shares for my own support during life, which at my death I leave to my daughter Sarah Ann Wood, formerly Sarah Ann Anderson, so much as will make her equal to my other six children, provided for in said deed. In trust to be held by the trustee hereafter to be appointed, for the benefit of her the said Sarah Ann Wood, during her life and after her death to be divided among the children of her body, which may be living at the time of her death; and I do constitute and appoint my friend Henry G. Roberts having full confidence in his honour and integrity to act as trustee; and should he fail so to do I desire the County Court of Nelson to appoint someone in his stead.
3rd: The residue of my estate I give and bequeath to my three grandchildren, Nancy Wood (daughter of my deceased daughter Janetta Wood) and my son WIlliam’s two daughters Mary and Jane Anderson, equally one third each.
4th I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Henry G. Roberts my Executor to carry into effect this my last Will and Testament. In testimony of the above, I do this 2nd day of March 1855 sign this my last Will and Testament with my own hand & seal in the presence of
John Anderson (seal)
Witness
Wm M Woods
Wm C Lanum
At a Court held for Nelson County at the Courthouse on Monday, the 23rd day of July 1855, this instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Jno Anderson Dec’d, was presented in Court and partly proven by the oath of Wm. M. Woods, a subscribing witness thereto, and ordered to lie over for further proof. And at a court held for Nelson County on Monday the 22nd day of Octo 1855 this instrument was again presented in said court and further proven by the oath of Wm. C. Lanum, another subscribing witness thereto, and ordered to be recorded. At a court held for Nelson County at the Courthouse on Monday the 27th day of Nov 1855 on motion of Henry G. Roberts, named as Executor therein, who with William A Hamner his Security entered into and acknowledged his bond in the penalty of one hundred and twenty dollars conditioned according to Law, certificate is granted him for obtaining probate of said Will in Law firm of law.
Thomas A. Mapie, C.C.C.