ROBERT ASHBY WILL - 1792 In the name of God, amen. I Robert Ashby of Fauguier county and Commonwealth of Virginia do make and ordain this my last will & Testament in Manner & Form as followeth Item I give & bequeath to my loving son Benjamin Ashby and his heirs one tract of land on Shenandoah River being the land whereon my said son Benjamin now lives likewise the following negroe Hampsheir Item I give and bequeath to my Grandson William Ashby son to Benjamin one Negroe girl named Lydda when he arrives to the age of twenty one years and that my Executor which shall be hereafter mentioned shall have the said negroe Lydda under his care a that the said negroe shall be hired out and the money for the use of the said Wm untill the above mentioned term. Item I lend to my loving son Enoch Ashby for and during his natural life the tract of land where on I now live and after his decease I give and bequeath the said land to my two grandsons (Robert & Alexander) sons of Enoch to be divided by a branch known by the name of Ann Churchills Spring branch and empties into the Deep branch near George Ashes Meadow, the south side of said division to be the property of my said grandson Robert Ashby and the remainder of Manner plantation to be the property of my gand son Alexander Ashby and his Heirs forever as also one Negroe Lad named Thomas. I likewise lend to my loving son Enoch for and during his natural life the following Negroes towit Grace and her four children Leanna, Soloman, Cate and Cassa as also one Negroe man named Frederick and after the decease of the said Enoch it is my will that the said Negroes with their future increase be equally divided between my said sons wife Sally Ashby during her natural life and all his children but after her decease the said Sally Ashby's part of said estate to revolve to the said children of the said Enoch or such of them as are then living and it is further my will that the above mentioned lands and negroes heretofore bequeath'd to my said son Enoch, shall not be sold rented nor hired for any term longer than one year together Item I give and bequeath to my loving daughter Ann Farrow ten pounds and no furniture Item I give and bequeath to my grandson Bayles one feather bed and no furniture. I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Molly Fargason one Negroe woman named Sall to her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Winifred Piper one cow and no more Item I give and bequeath to my two grand sons Martin and Thomas sons of Nimrod one shilling each and no more Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Molly Athel one gown and no more Item I do hereby constitute and appoint my loving son John Ashby my true and lawful Executor of this my last will and testament and do give and bequeath to the said Executor the following Negroes towit: Anthony, Rachel, and Anne but it is my will that my said son and Executor do purchase out of his own estate one youg Negroe and that he give the same to my grand daughter Lucinda Ashby but that my said son shall not be obliged to pay the said Negroe to my said daughter before the expiration of five yeas after my decease and in case the said Lucinda should die without lawful increases of her body then the said legacy shall decend to my said executor or such of his heirs as is then living. I also give to my said son and executor one tract of land lying in Fauquier County joing George Ash and apart of Ewells tract which I purchased of Martin Ashby containing one hundred acres to him and his heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to my grand son Benjamin Farrow one Negroe child called Jenney to him and his heirs forever Item It is my will should negroe Rachel have any more children that her next should be the property of my grand son Nimrod Ashby to him and his heirs forever The remainder of my estate not heretofore mentioned after all my just debts are paid I leave to be equally divided between my two sons John and Enoch but that the said Enoch shall have no right to dispose of any of the aforementioned legacies which is bequeathed him as it is intended purely for the benefit of his children In witness of this and only this I have here unto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of June 1790. Wm Withers x John Fishback x Jno Clark x Robert (his mark) Ashby x At a Court held for Fauquier County the 27th day of February 1792. This will was proved by the oaths of John Clarke and William Withers. Witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on this motion of John Ashby the executor therein named who made oath together with CharMarshall and William Withers his securities entered innto and acknowledged bond in the penalty of two thousand pounds conditioned as the law directs. Certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.