September 28, 1774,
Probated October 24, 1774
Updated November 25, 2022
I, James GILLIAM, of the Parish of Littleton and County of Cumberland do make my last Will and Testament, as follows:
I give to my son James and his heirs forever, the tract of land purchased of Jacob Cox, containing 112 acres, or thereabouts, whereon the said James now lives. I also give my son said my Negro man, Great Will, my Negro Sue and her child Delpha, but if my said son shall die without issue, lawful of his body, I give the said land and Negroes to be divided among the rest of my children, to them and their heirs, forever.
I desire, that a line be run from a stooping marked white oak, near where my path leaves Daniel's Road, to go a little above my plant patch to Woodson's Line, and all that part of my land that will lie on that side, the line where my dwelling house stands, I lend to my wife during her life, and at the death of my said wife I give the same to my grandson, Charles Manning GILLIAM, to him and his heirs forever. I also give to my said grandson one of my negro girls, named Cleo.
I give to my grandson, Robert GILLIAM, the remainder of the tract of land I now live on, to him and his heirs forever. But I desire that my son James shall have the use of the said land during the minority of my said grandson, only that he shall not be at liberty to cut down or clear any on the upper side of Cannon's Branch. I also give to my grandson, Robert GILLIAM, one Negro girl, named Mary, daughter of old Phoebe, and one negro girl, named Betty, daughter of old Jenny, but if my said grandson shall die without lawful issue of his body, I give the said negro girls, and their increase, to be divided among all of my children.
I give to my son-in-law, Joseph Taylor, one Negro boy named Will, now in possession of my son James, also one Negro girl named Doll, daughter of Old Jenny.
I lend to my son-in-law, Martin King and his wife, for their life, the use of old Phoebe and her daughter Sary, and at the death of the survivor of the said Martin and his wife, I give the said negroes and their increase to be equally divided among the children of the said Martin King and his wife.
I lend to my said wife the use and labour of my negroes, Joe & London and Jenny, a black blazed faced horse purchased from Martin King, my gray horse, as many of my cattle, hogs and sheep as she thinks to be sufficient for her use, and all the household and kitchen furniture and plantation utensils, crop of corn, (except shall be otherwise disposed of), for her life. At her death, I give the said negroes and personal estate hereby lent to her, to be equally divided among all my children.
I desire, that my said wife shall have the care of Betty before given to my grandson, Robert GILLIAM, to be in her house with her until the said grandson shall become 21 years of age, if she shall so long live, and if she shall die before that time, I desire that the said Negro, Betty, shall be in the care of James GILLIAM, and Joseph Taylor, to whom I also leave care of the other Negroes, given to my said grandson, Robert GILLIAM, during his minority.
I give to my grandson, GILLIAM King, one Negro boy named Jacob.
I give to my son-in-law, Joseph Taylor, two cows and calves, to be delivered this fall.
I give to my son James a sorrel horse in lieu of 17 pounds I owe him.
I give to my daughter, Sally GILLIAM, one Negro girl named Phoebe, (purchased of Samuel Manning), and her child Jack, and a Negro girl named Jenny, daughter of Old Jenny, now at son James GILLIAMs, one good feather bed and furniture, a black colt raised on the plantation, and a side saddle.
I give to my granddaughter Sarah Taylor, one Negro boy named Lewe.
I desire my daughter, Sally GILLIAM, to live with my wife as long as my said daughter shall be a single woman.
I appoint my son, James GILLIAM, and my son-in-law Joseph Taylor, Executors of this my last will and Testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty-eighth day of September, seventeen hundred and seventy-four.
Sig: James (J. G.) GILLIAM
Signed, Sealed, Published and declared by the testator as his last will of Testament in the presence of us the subscribers who who [sic] in his presence and at his request subscribe as witnesses
Wit: G. Carrington, Jr., Lucy Mannin, John Creasey
At a court held for Cumberland County Virginia, on the 24th day of October 1774, this last Will and Testament of James GILLIAM deceased was exhibited in Court by James GILLIAM and Joseph Taylor, the Executors herein named, and the same was proved, by George Carrington, Jr., and John Creasey two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the said Executors who made oath according to Law certificate is granted them for obtaining a probat [sic] thereof in due form giving security whereupon they together with John Murray, Thomas Fearn and Samuel Taylor their security enters into bond according to law.
Teste: Thompson Swann, Clk.
Cumberland County Will Book 2, pages 154-156.
Inventory of James GILLIAM, Sr.
Presented 12 Dec 1774, Littleton Parish, Cumberland County, VA
We the subscribers being sworn on the holy evangelists do appraise such of the Estate of James GILLIAM decd as the exec produced as follows:
| One Negro man (Joe) at £85 | £85.0.0 |
| One Negro (London) | 30.0.0 |
| One Negro (Will) £100 | 100.0.0 |
| One Negro woman (Jenny) | 50.0.0 |
| One Negro woman (Phoebe) and her child £80. Little Will £70 | 150.0.0 |
| One Negro woman (Little Jenny) £40, old Phebe £70 | 110.0.0 |
| One Negro boy (Jacob) £25 Lewis Boy £25 | 50.0.0 |
| A girl (Bette) £35, A girl Mary £35 | 70.0.0 |
| A girl (Cloe) | 30.0.0 |
| One horse £.5, one horse £12, one colt £18 | 30.5.0 |
| One horse colt £18, 14 hoggs £6 | 24.0.0 |
| 234 pork £2.10.2, 5 yearlings £2 | 4.10.2 |
| 4 cows £10, 2 cows £5, 2 heifers £4 | 19.0.0 |
| 2 heifers, £4.10, one steer £1 | 5.10.0 |
| 3 ewes £1.2.6, 12 geese .15 | 1.17.6 |
| 1 man’s saddle .25, 1 man’s saddle .15 | 1.17.6 |
| 1 woman’s saddle £1.5, one woman’s saddle £2.10 | 3.15.0 |
| 1 cart and wheels .35, 1 desk £4 | 5.15.0 |
| 1 oval table .30, 1 table 40, chairs .15 | 4.5.0 |
| 6 chairs 7.6, 4 chairs, 8, 1 chest 7.6 | 1.3.0 |
| 1 table 2.9, 1 chest 7.6, 1 spice mortar 3.9 | 0.14.0 |
| 1 doz. pewter plates 12., 6 dishes 20. | 1.12.0 |
| 9 spoons 2.6, 1 pail and tubs 2.6 | 0.5.0 |
| 2 bridles 5.3, 1 iron spit .5, 1 frying pan .5 | 0.15.3 |
| 1 iron pott .15, 1 iron pot 3. working tools 48.6 | 3.6.6 |
| 1 pair flat irons and one box iron 10. 1 gun 32.6 | 2.2.6 |
| 6 stone plates 5.6, 6 stone plates 5. | 0.10.6 |
| tea ware 2.6, 3 quart bowls 2.9 | 0.5.3 |
| a set of shoe makers tools | 0.16.6 |
| 1 tea kettle 7.6, 21 cotton cards 6. | 0.13.6 |
| 1 bed and furniture £7, 1 bed and furniture £7.10 | 14.1 |
| 1 bed stead 7.6, 1 bedstead 5. | 0.12.6 |
| 1 bed and furniture £8.10 | 8.1 |
| 1 bed and furniture £6, 2 bed steads .5 | 6.5.0 |
| 2 cotton wheels .10, 1 linnen wheel 12.6 | 1.2.6 |
| 6 knives and forks | 0.4.0 |
| £810.3.2 |
December 12, 1774
Drury Woodson, Hezekiah Davidson, Saml Robinson
The Estate of James GILLIAM deceased
| 1774 | 15 Oct | To paid John Newton etc account | 0.17.6 |
| 1774 | 1 Dec | To paid Simon Roland etc account | 0.5.0 |
| 1775 | 11 Mar | To paid Hezekiah Davidson etc account | 1.0.0 |
| 1775 | 6 Apr | To paid expenses transporting _bds 4 | 2.16.6 |
| to market for asse, etc. | |||
| 1775 | 3 May | To paid Henderson Eubank & co. etc asse | 45.1.0 |
| 1775 | 20 Jul | To paid Sheriff Cumberland etc. rect | 0.13.8 |
| 1775 | 1 Aug | To paid Sheriff Cumberland etc rect | 1.12.10 |
| 1775 | 26 Aug | To paid Bartlet Cunningham etc. asse | 0.16.5 |
| 1776 | 16 Mar | To paid Hezekiah Davidson etc ____ | 1.12.4 |
| 1776 | 24 May | To paid Ellis Putney etc. asse | 1.14.0 |
| 1776 | 14 Sep | To paid Robert Glover etc asse | 1.10.4 |
| 1777 | 16 Jul | To paid Joseph Taylor etc rect | |
| deducting £2.9.3 sec | |||
| to apt _th of 5 | 8.1.2 3/4 | ||
| 66.1.9 3/4 | |||
| To commission on the above | 6.5.6 | ||
| To Balance due the estate | 46.16.0 | ||
| 119.3.3 3/4 | |||
| To paid Joseph Taylor | |||
| To paid Thomas Wilkerson’s Bond | 35.15.8 | ||
| To paid Thomas Taylor’s Bond | 2.10.8 | ||
| To paid Richard Anderson’s Bond | 10.10.8 | ||
| 48.15.8 | |||
| To balance etc. Contra | 1.19.8 |
Cumberland County, VA, Will Book 3, page 130Sources
- Cumberland County, VA, Will Book 2, Pages 154-156
- Cumberland County, VA, Will Book 3, page 130