For anyone else that may have had trouble getting to the address I gave , here is the Will: Will of Robert Harper In the name of God Amen I Robert Harper of Berkeley County in the Commonwealth of Virginia being sick and weak in Body but sound in memory and judgment calling to mind the frailty and vicisitudes of this life and succeeding eternity do hereby make constitute ordain and appoint this my last Will and Testament revoking disallowing and recinding all other wills or testaments by me heretofore made, in manner and form as follows viz: I leave my body to the earth to be burried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Executor after mentioned & recommend my Soul to the hands of that God who gave it in hopes of a glorious resurection thro the atone merits and attonement of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and for what worldly estate it hath pleased God to bestow on me I give leave and bequeath as follows, after my Just Debts Death Bed and funeral expenses are paid off, Viz IMPRIMIS I give leave and bequeath to my Nephew Robert Griffith one moiety or half of my Ferry Survey to form a straight direct line to run along the two fences on the east side on that side next to the ferry the one fence lying on the north and the other on the south side of the road leading from the ferry to Winchester the sides of the above mentioned fences to be a director or to shew where each end of the division line shall terminate. The end of the line leading to Potomak to terminate as soon as it strikes that river the end leading to Shannadoah to keep a straight till it likewise strikes said river and to contain and include the Island opposite where the said line strikes, then to run in my line joining Samples line to continue with said line and to include Ninety Acres of a new survey thence to continue its course till where the division line shall strike Potomac River including therewith my Saw Mill and Grist Mill with all the utensills belonging to both mills likewise I do leave unto my said Nephew all my moveable estate whatsoever except my Negro Wench Beck. 2ndly I give leave and bequeath to my neice Sarah Harper daughter of my brother Joseph Harper joiner & Cabinet Maker late of Philadelphia or her heirs, my Ferry and ferry house on Potomack River and all the remainder of my Ferry Survey not before devised to Robert Griffith together with all my estate right and title to the Maryland Shore of the said Ferry and also all my Estate Right Title to and for Ten Acres upon what is called the big Island up Potomack River adjoining the Ferry aforesaid. But it is my will that neather nam- neice or her husband if a live shall enjoy the said Ferry and lands hereby demised and bequeathed longer than their natural life or lives and it is likewise my will that my said neice Sarah or her husband shall and may have full power & authority to leave and bequeath the said Ferry and lands to them demised as above to either of their sons whom they shall judge most deserving thereof and in case of failure of male issue to leave and give the premises aforesaid to either of their Daughters as may appear to them or the survivor of them the most suitable. It is likewise my will that my debts all and sundry shall be paid out of the rents of my Ferry by my Executors after mentioned who are hereby empowered to retain the same till all just claims and demands against my estate are paid and discharged thereby. It is my will in consideration of what is above devised and made over to my said neice Sarah that she or her assigns shall be obliged to Ferry over at the Ferry above mentioned passaged free every person or persons who shall bring with them grist of any kind to the mills on the lands now belonging to me adjoining the same. FOURTHLY I hereby give leave and and bequeath unto my Nephew Joseph Keen a tract of land containing three hundred Acres of Land lying at the mouth of Indian Run Sleepy Creek in Berkeley County being the same as was purchased by me from Aaron Rice. FIFTHLY I hereby give leave and bequeath unto my Nephews Robert Harper, Josiah Harper, Jonas Keen, Hezekiah Keen and Israel Keen the whole amount of what my Negro Wench Beck shall bring to be equally divided and shared amongst them and for that purpose it is my will that my Executors shall as soon as convenient after my deceased cause the said Negro Wench Beck to be sold, and for the more sure carrying this my Last Will and Testament to be put into due execution I do hereby ordain nominate constitute and appoint and by these present have ordained nominated constituted and appointed my well beloved friends Edward Lucas John Ryon of Berkeley County and Robert Griffith of Bedford County in the Commonwealth of Virginia to be my only true and lawful Exors. for the purposes before mentioned hereby ratifying and confirming all and whatsoever my said attornies shall lawfully do with regard to the premises and they either of them shall not be liable to any neglect or omissions respecting the same IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal unto this my last Will and Testament this Twenty Sixth Day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty two. Robert Harper Robert Harper (L.S.) Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Robert Harper to be his last Will and Testament in presence of us Ro. McKnight, T. Hamilton, John Duncan, William Duncan, William Darke Be it known to all men by these presents that I Robert Harper of the County of Berkeley and Commonwealth of Virginia have made and declared my last Will and Testament in writing bearing date the first day of October One Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Two I Robert Harper by this present Codicil do ratify and confirm my said last Will and Testament and it is further my last Will that four Acres of land most convenient round my grave yard shall be laid of by my Executors and be entirely appropriated to the use of a grave yard and all my debts due by bond note or book debt and all rents now due from my ferry be by my Executors be disposed of in the best manner towards erecting a grave yard and building a church on said four acres of land and having a head and foot stone for my wifes grave and likewise for my own, and my will and meaning is that this Codicil be adjudged to be a part and parcel of my last Will and Testament and that all things contained therein be faithfully and truly performed and as fully and amply in every respect as if the same had been declared and set down in my last Will and Testament as witnessed my hand this first day of October One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty two. his Robert R. Harper (L.S.) mark Signed in the presence of us Ro McKnight Wm. Darke James Claypool At a court held for Berkeley County the 15th day of October 1782 This last Will and Testament together with the Codicil thereto annexed of Robert Harper Deceased was presented in Court by John Ryon Edward Lucas and Robert Griffith the Executor therein named who made oath therto according to law and the same being proved by the oaths of Robert McKnight, William Darke and William Duncan witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the said Executors who entered into bond with William Darke and John Briscoe joins their securities in the penalty of five hundred pounds conditioned for their true and faithful administration of the said estate certificates granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form of law. Examined Teste Will Drew Clk State of West Virginia County of Berkeley To Wit: I Harold O. Keedy, Clerk of the County Court of Berkeley County, a Court of record in and for said County and State, do certify that the foregoing is a true, accurate and complete copy of The Will of Robert Harper as the same appears of record in the office of the said Clerk of the County Court in Will Book No. 1, Page 291. I would like to thank Fran Daniels for doing all the typing. Thanks Fran!!

Hi folks.... I've been trying to tie up some loose ends with my line of Harpers. John Harper, son of Samuel and Sarah (Cunningham) Harper and born abt. 1799-1800 in VA, settled with his parents in Ohio. John was married three times; first to Rebecca Wood(s), then to Elizabeth Wilson, (who may have been Elizabeth BOBST prior to marrying a Wilson,) and third to Sarah Baily/Bailey. One of he and Elizabeth's children was John W. Harper, born abt. 1832, probably in Champaign Co., OH. I found a John Harper in the 1880 census of Logan Co. married to a Lydia ?, and children: Thomas HARPER b. abt. 1864 Bertie HARPER b. abt. 1868 Juanita HARPER b. abt. 1871 Mathis HARPER b. abt. 1871 Lou HARPER b. abt. 1875 Leo HARPER b. abt. 1877 Sallie HARPER b. abt. 1879 Anyone know of this family? It's possible he is the son of John and Elizabeth, but I have no proof. Kaylynn