Eleanor, a regular contributor to the Massey list, recently sent me and others a private posting which motivated me to refocus on the 1761 will of Joseph(2), brother of Hezekiah(2) and Richard(2) Massey. Eleanor's posting was in regard to an entry in MARRIAGES OF SOME VA RESIDENTS 1607-1800 by D.F. Wulfeck, which quoted an item from the following 1979 book: Mavis Parrott Kelsey, M.D., and Mary Wilson Kelsey (of Housotn, TX), THE FAMILY OF JOHN MASSIE 1743-c.1830 REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOT OF LOUISA COUNTY, VIRGINIA. The family traced is that of George Massie Sr (1760/70 - 1837) of Louisa Co., VA. George's father in John R. Massie of New Kent Co., VA whose ancestry is not definitely known. This family is discussed in Chap. XIV, p. 237, of Judge Frank Massey's MASSEY ADDENDUM, where two hypotheses regarding John's father are given. On p.1 of the Kelsey book is the same abstract of the will that Eleanor quoted: "One J. Joseph Massie of Brunswick County, son of John Massie, recorded a will on May 25, 1761 in Lawrenceville, Brunswick Co., VA (Will book 3, p. 368) The children named were: John, Joseph, Thomas, James. Amy, Sarah, Rececca, Agnes, Elizabeth, Winifred, Lucy, and Frances. We do not know anything about this first son, but it is most unlikely that he was our John." The will in question was well known to Judge Massey. He had a photostatic copy of it and an aggresively edited transcription of it is published on p. 184-186 of Boddie's HISTORICAL SOUTHERN FAMILIES, VOLUME XVIII (1973.) As the Kelsey authors suspected, this Joseph is not a forebearer of the Massies of New Kent and Louisa Cos., VA. It is the will of Joseph(2) Massey, brother of Hezekiah(2) and Richard(2) Massey, all of which are placed as sons of Richard(1) Massey of co. Chester, Eng. and Charles City Co., VA in William W. Massey's MASSEY GENEALOGY 2000. Eleanor has records that strongly indicate this Joseph(2)is her ancestor. Although, Judge Massey thought that the father of Joseph(2) might be a hypothetical John Massey, that hypothesis has been disproved. (See MASSEY GENEALOGY 2000 and my posts on the subject in the Rootsweb MASSEY Archives.) The will in question does NOT in any way suggest that this Joseph's father was named John. Whoever was the original abstractor of the will made at least two mistakes! The following text in the recorded will: "I, Joseph Massie of ... County of Brunswick ... unto my son John ..." became the following in the incorrect abstract: "... J. Joseph Massie of Brunswick County, son of John Massie... " As is generally the case with wills, nothing in this will mentioned a father. Also leading initials were rarely, if ever, used in the 1700s. More bad news! From p. 82 of MASSEY GENEALOGY 2000: "Several phrases were omitted when the will was copied into the record book, e.g., the devise to son John is incomplete and the bequest to daughter Rebecca Wise is missing. Thus it is possible that other phrases and words were also omitted" Best regards to all, Theron Smith 6-great grandson of Richard(2)