The Will of Ryland Randolph

Location: Henrico, Virginia, United States
Surnames/tags: Slavery Black_Heritage Randolph

Ryland Randolph was living at his Turkey Island plantation in Henrico County, Virginia, when he wrote his will on 11 December 1784. It was recorded on 7 February 1785 in Henrico County.^[1]

Will of Ryland Randolph

I, Ryland Randolph being of sound mind & memory do make this my last will & testament, in manner & form following, I give freedom to my servant Aggy & her two children, Sylvia Anderson, now three years old; and Alexander Philip, now one years old from the date hereof.

I direct that my whole estate, both real & personal, except what is hereafter devised, to be sold on my death. I give to niece Jane Bolling, my marcasite ring.

I give to my nephew Richard Randolph of Curles, the picture of my father and mother & two silver waiters with their arms.

I give to my said house servant Aggy all my household furniture of every kind including gold & silver excepting what is fixed, comprehending tables chairs, etc. and all my wearing apparel. I give to William Waters one hundred pounds as soon as possible after my death & ten pounds sterling during his life & to have his passage paid immediately to Great Britain.

I give my own portrait in [?] to my niece Mrs. Douglass.

It is my will that my executors whom I now with great confidence nominate to be Charles Carter of Shirley, Anthony Walke of Princess Anne, and George Woodson of Chesterfield do as soon as possible after paying all my legal & just debts raise from the sale of my property aforesaid the sum of three thousand pounds sterling to be paid into the hands in trust of my very faithful friends the Hon. Baron Hotham of the Exchequer in England [ Beaumont Hotham (1737-1814) ] and Claudius Crepugney Esq. of the County of Middlesex to be vested by them in some secure Fund & the whole interest of one thousand pounds to be paid to the said Aggy the moment it accrues, after her arrival in England and annual interest of the other two thousand pounds to be paid in one equal part of one half to the girl [Sylvia Anderson] till she comes of age & the same to the boy [Alexander Philip] till he comes of age. It is my will and the sole object of it that the above sum of three thousand pounds sterling to be paid as aforesaid for the above purpose.

I give unto my brothers servant maid's son William Davis, five hundred pounds. I give to William Ryland Curles five hundred pounds. I give unto George Woodson five hundred pounds. I give freedom unto my slaves, London, Will, Arthur, Nelly, Perry, John. This is my will signed this eleventh day of December 1784.

Ryland Randolph

Codicil

It is my will that the aforesaid three thousand pounds the interest of which I have directed to be paid to the aforesaid Aggy & her two children be paid to the said Aggy and her two children when her daughter comes of age. Signed this eleventh day of December 1784.

Ryland Randolph

Codicil - December 15 1784

I give all my deer [?] to Charles Carter Esq'r of Shirley and I desire him to forbid an appraisement of my estate.

Ryland Randolph

At a Court held for Henrico County at the courthouse in Richmond on Monday the 7th of February 1785,

This will with the two codicils thereunto annexed were produced in Court by Richard Randolph and there being no intresses to the same, John Pleasants & Richard Sharpe being sworn severally deposed that they are well acquainted with the Testators hand writing & verily believe that the said will & codicil & the names thereto subscribed are all of the said Testators hand writing. Whereupon the said will & codicils are ordered to be recorded. And it appearing to the Court that the executors named in the said will have refused the executorship & also that the estate of the said decedent is likely to be wasted & embezzled on the motion of the said Richard Randolph who made oath thereto & together with David Mead Randolph and Miles Seldon Jr his securities entered into & acknowledged their bond in the penalty of Ten thousand pounds conditioned as the law directs, certificate was granted him for obtaining letters of administration on the said Decedents estate with the will aforesaid annexed in due form.

Teste, Adam Craig CC

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Ryland Randolph - Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900. Henrico > Mixed Records, Vol 1, 1781-1787, 1832, 1843. Page 179. Image 115 of 210. Ancestry Sharing Link Written 11 Dec 1784, Recorded 7 Feb 1785.

• Portrait of Ryland Randolph - Colonial Virginia Portraits.