The Will of Charles Lewis of The Byrd, 1779.

In the Name of God, Amen!

I, Charles Lewis, of Goochland County, and Parish of St. James Northam, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make, constitute and ordain and appoint this writing to be my last will and Testament, in manner and form following— that is to say:

I give and devise and bequeathe to my beloved wife, Mary Lewis, during the term of her natural life, the free use and profits and full enjoyment of my whole estate both real and personal without impeachment or waste, and after her decease, I give and dispose thereof as follows, to-wit:

I give and bequeathe to my son Charles Lewis and his heirs forever, all that tract of land on which I now live, called and known by the name of the Byrd tract, together with all the appurtenances; also five acres of land which I purchased of Edward Rice, also my still,'cloik, great glass, and twenty of his choice out of my stock of cattle, meaning the horned or black cattle.

It is my desire and will that after my wife's decease, that my son Howell shall have his first choice of all my negroes, and that my son Robert shall have his second choice of all my negroes, and that after my son Howell and my son Robert have so made their choice of a negro each, that there shall be seven of my youngest negroes set apart from the other slaves.

I give and devise to my sons John, Charles, Howell and Robert, and their heirs forever, as follows, that is to say :

To my son John, three; to my son Charles, two; to my son Howell, one, and to my son Robert, one; which I do in order to make the number of the slaves to those sons equal to what I gave-my son James in his life time, and the division and partition of the said seven slaves amongst my said sons John, Charles, Howell and Robert, I desire may be made by their drawing the names of the said slaves by lot, or otherwise, as they, my said sons, can agree.

My will and desire further is, that on the death of my wife, all the rest and residue of my estate not herein otherwise disposed of, may be divided into eight parts or portions, and one of those parts or portions I give and devise and bequeathe to each of my sons and daughters respectively or their heirs, viz: John Lewis, Charles Lewis, Howell Lewis, Robert Lewis, Elizabeth Kennon, Anne Taylor & Frances Lewis, and the other eighth part or portion thereof to the sons and daughters of my son James Lewis, deceased, and to their heirs or legal representatives respectively, and lastly, I constitute and appoint my loving wife, Mary Lewis, Executrix, and my sons John, Charles, Howell and Robert, and my friend William Holman, Executors of this'my last will and testament, hereby revoking and disannulling all former and other wills by me at any other time made, desiring that my estate may not be appraised, and that no security be demanded of my Executors or Executrix on the probate of this, my last will.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed m^ seal, This 21st day of September, 1779.

Charles Lewis. [Seal.]
Signed, sealed and published by the said Charles Lewis, the Testator, as and for his will and Testament, in presence of us, the subscribers, who in his presence and at his request, subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.

Anna Harrison, Milley Cobbs, William Harrison.

At a Court held for Goochland County, December 20th, 1779, William Harrison and Anna Harrison proved the writing to be the last Will and Testament of Charles Lewis, Gent., deceased, which was thereupon admitted to record.

Tests: Val. Wood, Clerk. A copy Teste:

P. G. Miller, Dept. Clk., Goochland Co. Court.
[Charles Lewis, of " The Byrd," Goochland county, was born, according to the Abingdon parish, Gloucester, register, in 1696, and was son of Colonel John and Elizabeth (Warner) Lewis, of " Warner Hall " He married Mary Howell.] 385