Dingess-VA-1850 Small yellow girl named Rhoda Will of CHARLES ANDERSON DINGESS I, CHARLES DINGESS, County of Giles and State of Virginia do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, Viz: first all my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid out of any monies or leived out of my personal property ... 7th I give and bequeath unto my sister, ELIZABETH SMITH, one negro girl named Jane during the natural life of the said ELIZABETH and at the death of the said ELIZABETH the said negro girl with her increase, if any, to be sold by my executors and the proceeds devised as herin after named. 8th I give and bequeath unto CYNTHIA MC COMAS, one small yellow girl named Rhoda until 17th day of July 1851, at which time she is to be free requesting my Executors to furnish any sum necessary, not exceeding one hundred dollars to pay her transportation to some place where her and her increase can enjoy the privilege of freedom. ... I will that my executors have my mother well provided for during her natural life and I request ELIZABETH SMITH and WILLIAM SMITH provide for and keep my mother and for that service they are to receive out of my estate at the rates of one hundred and fifty dollars per year during her natural life for the time they provide and support her also they are to have the use of Sukey a negro woman to attend my mother provided they choose to keep and support the said Sukey and her two youngest children and incase the said ELIZABETH and WILLIAM SMITH comply with this requistion the said Sukey and her children are not to be sold until the death of my mother. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 14 June 1850. On the petition of RHODA a free woman of colour (by her attorney) who was liberated by the last will and testatment of CHARLES DINGESS deceased it is ordered that the Sheriff summon all the justices of this county to appear here on the first day of the September term to say whether she may remain in the Commonwealth or not. (Mercer Co VA Court Minute Book 2, page 412.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Above are excerpts from the will of Chas. Dingess, Giles County, VA that mention his slaves. I believe Rhoda may have been his daughter and hypothesize that the date he sets for her freedom is her 18th or 21st birthday. He provides funds to transport her "to some place where her and her increase can enjoy the privilege of freedom" and puts her in the care of his sister who married a McComas (some of this family known to have had union sympathies and perhaps the most likely to free a slave?). The Mercer Co court record shows that Rhoda was freed more than a year before the date Chas. set in his will. I'd be delighted to hear from Rhoda's descendants and can provide more details on the Dingess family for anyone who might believe they descend from them. Jackie Contributed by: "Betteye" bbolden@tir.com