Ferguson-WVa-1825

Samuel Ferguson, was born 3 Mar 1744, possibly in Ireland.  He married Mary Jameson (b. 27 Mar 1746 in Augusta Co., VA) in 1825.

Will of Samuel Ferguson
recorded in Cabell County, West Virginia
Will Book 1, Page 52

In the name of Almighty God. Amen.
     I Samuel Ferguson Senour of the County of Cabell State of Virginia possessing soundness of mind and being of disposing memory, do hereby in the fear of God make ordain & seal this my last Will & Testament in the following words and figures on this 8th day of November one thousand eight-hundred and twenty four.

... In the first place it is my will that all my just and lawful debts be paid.

... Secondly I do hereby will and bequeath to my son Samuel my plantation that I do now live upon with all its improvements thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining.

... Thirdly it is my will & I do hereby liberate manumit and forever discharge MOLLY my old black woman from slavery at the death of my wife Mary and at my death that is to say at our deaths the said MOLLY is to be free from slavery from me, my heirs, executors, administrators & assigns forever.  And I do hereby will and bequeath unto the said MOLLY her bed and its furniture and a Cow to give her milk to live upon in her old age.

... Fourthly it is my will & I do hereby liberate manumit and forever discharge SEALLY my half coloured or mulatto Girl servant from slavery at our deaths that is to say at the death of my wife Mary and at my death the said SEALLY my yellow Girl is to be free from me my heirs executors administrators and Assigns forever--And I do hereby will and bequeath unto the said SEALLY her bed and its furniture and a little wheel for spinning on.

... Fifthly it is my will & I do hereby liberate manumit and forever discharge SAMPSON my half coloured boy from slavery in thirteen years from the date of this will, and at the expiration of thirteen years from the date of this will is free from me my heirs executors, administrators, and assigns forever.  And I do hereby will and bequeath unto the said SAMPSON a good ax at the time of his freedom that he may be able to get his living by honest industry.

... It is my will and I do hereby bequeath unto my son William all my wheelright tools.

... Seventhly, it is my will that all the remainder or residue of my personal Estate be equally divided among the children as is hereafter named in this Will (to wit) John Ferguson, William Ferguson, Thomas Ferguson, Isabel Bailey, Sally Bailey & Elizabeth Booth.  But & if any of my own children as mentioned in this will should be dead before the execution of this will or division of my Estate among them, then and in that case I wish to be fully understood that it is my will, that my Estate be equally divided among the remaining part of my own children that may survive & not among my grandchildren or among my son's wives that may survive their deceased husbands.  And be it understood that it is not my will that my son Samuel should possess and enjoy my plantation until my death & the death of my wife Mary only as we permit him to the privilege of living on the plantation--
......and it is further my will that SAMPSON my yellow boy after the death of me & my wife may be hired out to some good man that will use him well until the said SAMPSON is free as stated in this Will and the price of said hire equally divided among all my own children which may be living at that time.

Signed sealed & delivered from under my hand this eighth day of November 1824.

                              Samuel Ferguson {Seal}

Burwell Spurlock
Stephen Spurlock
Abraham Trout


Cabell County Court February 1825.
          The last will and testament of Samuel Ferguson decd. was presented in Court & proved by Burwell Spurlock, Stephen Spurlock & Abraham Trout three of the witness thereto which is ordered to be recorded.
                              Test John Samuel Ck. C. C. 
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Mary Ferguson lived until 27 September 1827, so Molly and Seally --if they survived-- were not released until that date.

All of this information, including the will, was acquired via the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) library in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Their call number is 929.273/F381m, and the record is from a book entitled "Ferguson Family Genealogical History of Wayne County, West Virginia (Early Cabell and Kanawha, Virginia)."

Contributed by: "Laurie McKay"  madison@mashell.com