Will of Thomas Preas (Jr.) - 1865
This Thomas was the son of Henry Preas Jr. - but since there was already an elder
Thomas Preas living in Bedford County, Va., "Jr." was attached to the younger Thomas Preas.
Dated 22 August 1859 -- Produced in Court 27 February 1865
I, Thomas Preas, of the County of Bedford and State of Virginia being of sound mind and memory do
make this my last will and testament.
1st I direct my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid and if any person shall give me attention in my last illness
which involves care and trouble I direct that he or she shall be liberally compensated for the same.
2nd I give to each of my five cousins to wit; Parmelia Brown, Sarah Brown, Nancy Brown, Willie Brown, and
Thomas Brown, children of James T. and Polly Brown, the sum of one hundred dollars.
3rd I give to Mary Jane Preas, wife of William H. Preas, the same of Fifty dollars.
4th I give my cousin, Patsy Pendleton, widow of Philip Pendleton, the sum of Fifty dollars in the event she survives me.
5th I give to my cousin, Rhoda Blankenship, widow of Andrew Blankenship, the sum of Fifty dollars in the event she
survives me
6th All the residue of my estate of every kind I give and devise to my Sister, Ruth Sence, and her four children namely;
Jane Wood, Samuel H. Sence, Joel Sence, and Elizabeth Sence, in equal portions, but the portion to which my Sister,
Ruth Sence, is entitled is to be held by her for and during her life time and at her death I give the same in equal portions to
her four children above named to wit; Jane Wood, Samuel, H. Sence, Joel Sence and Elizabeth Sence, and in the event
my Cousin Patsy Pendleton should not survive me, the fifty dollars given to her above is to be equally divided between the
said Jane, Samuel, Joel and Elizabeth, and in like manner, the fifty dollars given to Rhoda Blankenship is to be given equally
to them in he event she does not survive me.
7th In the division of my slaves among the legatees in the next preceding clause, I direct that if any one or more of said slaves shall
fall to a Master or Mistress and are dissatisfied, that the slave or slaves so dissatisfied shall within one month from the time of
the division have the privilege of selecting his or their Master or Masters as may be selected as aforesaid at a deduction of one
hundred dollars from the appraised price of each and the legatee to whom the said slave or slaves may be allotted shall receive
from my estate a sum equal to the amount deducted from the value of the slave so sold.
8th I hereby constitute and appoint _____________; Executor of this my last will and testament with power to sell and convey all
or any portion of my lands and divide the proceeds of sale according to the terms specified in the 6th clause of my will, but the
said lands shall not be sold if the parties entitled to them under this will can agree upon a fair and equitable division of them
among themselves.
In witness where of I subscribe my name here to this 22nd day of August 1859.
Witness Thomas “X” Preas
W. T. Campbell (his mark)
Thomas Campbell
At a Court of Quarterly sessions begun and held for Bedford County at the Courthouse, on Monday, the 27th day of February 1865.
This last will and Testament of Thomas Preas, deceased, was produced in court, probed according to law by the oaths of
William T. Campbell and Thomas Campbell, the subscribing witness thereto, and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion
of William H. Preas, who made oath thereto, and together with John A. Marshall, Cornelius Pate, and Daniel P. Jones, his securities,
entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of Sixty thousand dollars, conditioned according to law, certificate was granted
him to obtain letters of administration on the estate of the said Thomas Preas deceased, with his will aforesaid annexed in due form,
and the said bond was ordered to be recorded.
Teste
A.A. Arthur C.B.C.