1764 WILL. “In the Name of God Amen the 18^th Day of February in the Year of our Lord One Thousand and Seven Hundred and Sixty four I Barnet Newkirk of Frederick County and Colony of Virginia House Carpenter being in Perfect Health and Memory, Blessed be God Almighty for it but Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is Appointed for all Men once to Die I recomend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and my Body to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian and decent like manner at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named

“Imprimis I will that my Just Debts be first paid and discharged and Likewise my funeral charges

“Item I give to my well beloved Wife Rebecca one third part of the Benefit of all my Land and the whole Benefit of my now dwelling House during her Natural life and likewise she shall have her Choice of all my Horses and Mares to Chuse one for herself and two Cows her Bed and furniture which I allow to be her full share of my Estate

“Item I give to Barnet Newkirk Son of Cornelius Newkirk dec’d one Hundred and three Acres of Land it being the Place Commonly called Cornelius Newkirks as it was Surveyed for him of my Originall Tract which I allow to be his full share and he not to Claim no more of my Estate

“Item I give to my son Henry Newkirk one Hundred and four acres of Land Commonly Called Henry Newkirks Plantation that was Surveyed for him out of my Originall Tract with Another small piece of Land the Bounds agreed on but not Surveyed suposed to be Thirty Acres be it more or less likewise a part of the Originall Tract which I allow to [be] his full share of my Estate

“Item I give to my son Tunis Newkirk one Hundred and Six Acres of Land Commonly Called Tunas Newkirks Plantation as it was Surveyed for him of my Original Tract which I allow to be his full share of my Estate

“Item I give to my son Peter Newkirk all the Remainder of my Original Tract of Land with all the Benefits thereto belonging only what is herein Reserved and otherwise Willed and bequethed which I allow to be his full share of my Estate

“Item I will that my son Henry Newkirk pay to my Son Elias Twenty Pounds Current Money which I allow to be his full share of my Estate

“Item I give and Will to my Daughter Jean Hogland the sum of Twenty Shillings Current Money which I allow to be her full share of my Estate

“Item I give and Will to my Daughter Jemime Hougland the sum of Twenty Shillings Current Money which I allow to be her full share of my Estate

“Item I give to my GrandDaughter Martha Boon the sum of Twenty Shillings Current Money which I allow to be her full share of my Estate

“Item I leave my well beloved Son Henry Newkirk and my well beloved son Tunas Newkirk Executors of this my last Will and Testament disallowing all other Wills [and] legacies by me made in any Wise Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the Day and Year above Written

                                                                                    “Barent Newkirk (Seal)

“Signed Sealed Published and                        )

Pronounced and Declared                               )

by the said Barnet Newkirk                            )

to be his last Will & Testament                      )

in Presence of us Testis                                  )

“Jones Hedges Junas Hood James Davis

“At a Court held for Frederick County the 6^th day of August 1765

“This Last Will and Testament of Barnard Newkirk was produced in Court by Henry Newkirk one of the Executors therein named who made oath thereto and the same being proved by the Oaths of Jonas Hedges Tunis Hood and James Davis Witnesses thereto is Ordered to be Recorded and on the motion of the said Henry Newkirk who Entered into Bond with Richard Hougland and Tunis Hood his trustees in the Penalty of three Hundred pounds Conditioned for his due and faithful administration of the said Decedents Estate Certificate is Granted him for Obtaining a Probate thereof in due form

                                                                                    By the Court

                                                                                    Jas. Keith, Clerk”

SOURCE: Book 3, Pages 294-296, of the records of Frederick County, Virginia; transcribed by Curt L. Sytsma on August 31, 2003 from a photocopy of the original supplied by the Frederick County Circuit Court in Winchester, Virginia on February 7, 1995. Curt Sytsma notes: (1) I have attempted to transcribe this will as recorded, including the punctuation and spelling. (2) The word that I have transcribed as “dec’d” following the reference to Cornelius Newkirk is very problematic; it appears to be “dpecd” with a mark by the Clerk indicating that the mistake was made in the original.