Snidow Ancestors Wills

In the name of God Amen. I William Burk being very sick and weak in body but of a perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it to me and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my executors hereafter named nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of Almighty God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in the manner and form following.

– I give and bequeath unto my well beloved sons John Burk & William Burk my tract of land which I purchased from John & Lewis Neal and my entry of 400 acres adjoining to it to be equally divided betwixt them also I give my son John Burk my sorrel mare called Rose & one cow and calf & to my son William Burk a breeding mare & one cow and calf.

– I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Thomas Burk my tract of land which I purchased of John Hayl & my entry of 400 acres adjoining to it called the Long Meadow which I now live on and my two natral pacing mairs and coltes one horse colt and the other a mair colt & three cows and calves which are called his.
– I give and bequeath unto my well beloved daughter, Catherine Burke else McCommus my breeding mare and side saddle which is called hers and one cow and calf one feather bed & furniture and also I give unto my daughter Catherine Burk else McCommus all my household goods and to pay unto her sister Judea Burk as much when she comes of age.

– I give and bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Judea Burk my tract of land lying on the north side of the river beginning below the mouth of Naked Creek and one breeding mair & one cow and heifer. I also leave my daughter Judea Burk under the care of Mrs. Matterson while she comes of age and also I leave my son Thomas Burk under the care of Mr. John Matterson till he comes of age and his estate in the (hands) of David McCommis & my daughter Catherine and they to pay to my executors half that they rais on the plantation and I leave my son William Burk to have one year's schooling and be put to learn the trade of blacksmith.

Now I decree that the rest of my estate should be equally divided betwixt my three sons, John, William & Thomas and in case my sister Brigget Burk should come into this Colony that then my estate shall pay her seventy pounds current money of Virginia out of my three sons estates and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke disannul all and every former testaments or wills, legacies and bequests and executors by me in any ways before named and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. I also appoint and ordain my true and trusty friend(s) Mr. John Matterson & Gabriel Jones to be my true and lawful executors to see this my last will and testament truly performed and fulfilled. In witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty four.

Witnesses:

   Thomas Smith
   Nicholas Null (his mark)
   Daniel Remy

At a Court continued and held for Augusta County the 16th day of May, 1754, this last will and testament of William Burk dec'd being proved by the oaths of the witness thereto subscribed is admitted to record. Test John Madison C.C.

(Will Book 2, page 43)

Webmaster's note: When reading these old wills, remember the Giles County formation time line:

1721 Spotsylvania Co. formed from Essex, King & Queen, and King William Counties.
1734 Orange Co. formed from Spotsylvania Co.
1745 Augusta Co. formed from Orange Co.
1770 Botetourt Co. formed from Augusta Co.
1772 Fincastle Co. formed from Botetourt Co.
1777 Montgomery Co. formed from Fincastle Co.
1806 Giles formed from parts of Montgomery, Tazewell and Monroe (now WV) counties.

In the name of God Amen I Thomas Burk of the County of Giles and State of Virginia being in a low state of health but of sound mind and memory thanks be to God, & calling into mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make this my last Will and Testament. That is say I principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in decent Christian burial, at the discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again, by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First. I give and bequeath to Clary my dearly beloved wife the dweling house where in I now live and the garden adjoining the same & a small field lying in the second bottom which I have lately cleared containing about twelve acres together with a sorrel mare called poll or otherwise her choice out of my stock of horses & two cows her choice of my stock of cattle. Also my Will is that she have all my house hold furniture also my Negro girl Patty & her two children & any other children she may have hereafter. All the above property is to go to and be enjoyed by my dearly beloved wife during her natural life & then is to descend in manner and form herein after devised.

Also I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Sons John Burk & William Burk the tract of land whereon I now live and the two tracts of land adjoining containing in all about six hundred acres to be an Estate of inheritance to them and their heirs forever to be divided between them as follows, beginning on the bank of new River at the mouth of a hollow immediately above a field known by the name of Rues field thence a straight line to two chesnut trees near the path leading from my house to my son John Burk's which trees are known by the name of Magown's trees, thence a straight line to a large black oak standing on or near the top of a large ridge or nob to the north of the path leading from Henry Lybrooks to Jacob Snidow's Mill. My son John is to have that end of the said land lowest down new river & my son William the upper end. I also give to my two sons above named my negroes Letty & her son Harry to be divided between according their value & if they cannot agree themselves in the division that the said negroes shall be valued by two disinterested persons chosen by my sons and after the said valuation shall be made if either of my sons shall have choose to pay the other one half of their valuation he shall be at liberty to do so & keep the negroes but if that be not done then the said negroes shall be sold at publick sale and the proceeds of sale shall be equally divided between my sons aforesaid.

I also will & bequeath that my two tracts of land that lies on the opposite side of new river from where I now live shall be divided between my son William Burk & my daughter Nancy Williams the line to run on the top of the river hill. All that part North westwardly is to be my son Williams & his heirs forever and all that part that lives on the other side of the river hill Southwardly is to be my daughter Nancys & her heirs forever. Also my Will is that my negroe girl Patty & her two children or any she may have hereafter and all my household furniture at the death of my wife shall go to & be the property of my daughter Nancy Williams.

I also will and bequeath unto my Grandson Thomas Burk son of John Burk one yearling horse colt called boniparte.

I also Will unto John & William Burk one large kettle each.

As to my daughter Mary Snidow I having given to her a tract of land horse beasts & cattle do not will her any part of my present property.

My Will & desire is that all my property not heretofore devised shall on my decease be sold by my Executors herein after named and out of the proceeds of the sale for all by just debts to be paid and the balance to be equally divided between my two sons above named and my daughter Nancy Williams.

And I do hereby constitute and appoint my dearly beloved sons John & William Burk and my friend Andrew Johnston the Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills Legacies bequests and Executors by me in any wise before named willed and bequeathed 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 this tenth day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and eight.

Signed and acknowledged
declared & published in the
presence of us:

    Joseph Jackson
    Henley Chapman
    Isaac Jackson

At Giles Septr Court 1808 This last will and testament of Thomas Burk Dec'd was Presented in Court and proven by the witnesses thereto Subscribed and Ordered to be recorded.
Test David French CGC
Thos Burk's Last will not the first
Recorded & Examined

Will Book A, page 33

Jacob Snidow's will, dated 5 July 1847, was proven in the County Court of Giles County on 26 July 1847. It is recorded in Giles County Will Book B, pages 496-498 and reads as follows:

I, Jacob Snidow of the County of Giles and State of Virginia do hereby make my last Will & Testament in manner and form following, to wit:

First. I give and bequeath to my wife Mary during her natural life one room of my mansion house and the room she now occupies also my lower apple orchard and the lot of land that I myself have been cultivating from the Barn up to the land, Two cows, Two head of hogs, one Feather bed and its furniture an as much Kitchen furniture and cupboard ware as may be necessary for her support and the horse she now claims called Elic and my three sons are to find their Mother in a sufficient quantity of grain to maintain herself and stock also to give her such pasturage for her stock as they may have and use for themselves and my three sons must also find her in firewood and my desire is that my wife keep no more stock than is absolutely necessary for a comfortable support & the beding and clothing that she may have in possession at the time of her death she may dispose of as she thinks proper.

Secondly. I give and bequeath to my three sons John, Augustus and Jacob all that portion of my home plantation including the lands that I purchased from Hoges McCoy and Hanley Chapman that lies on the east side of New River. John to have that portion of the land on (which) he now resides. Augustus to have that portion on which he resides and Jacob that portion on which he resides. I have marked certain corners which are known and understood between my sons and the lines are to run straight from corner to corner to make the division between my three sons aforesaid.

Thirdly. Christian Snidow paid a sum of money for my son John and he is to have of John's portion of the land devised to him a quantity sufficient to pay said debt at the rate of Five dollars per acre agreeable to an article Between the said Christian Snidow and myself and I authorize my son John to convey said land to him.

Fourth. I desire that all my other lands, to wit: the Turkey Hollow land, the Pich Hill Survey, my portion of the surveys at Big meadows of Big Stony Creek, my two surveys on Little Stony Creek now in the possession of Anthony Kessinger and Jasper Harless, my land on the west side of New River now in the possession of Adam Nosler and my tract of land in the Rich Valley now in the possession of Arphaxed Key are to be valued at their present worth by thre disinterested persons of the neighborhood to be appointed by the Court of this County all of which said lands I give and bequeath to my eight daughters, namely: Elizabeth, Nancy, Hannah, Mary Ann, Amanda, Polly, Clara, Rebecca and the heirs of my dauther Sally, dec d. and for each to have the same value or interest in my estate and that the heirs of Sally Johnston keep the land now in their possession. Rebecca Nosler and her heirs the land in their possession. Elizabeth Key and her heirs the land in their possession and when the whole of the lands are valued and the amount found to be due to each daughter those who have recd. too much must pay back and those who have not recd. enough must receive so that all my daughters and the heirs of Sally Johnston are made equal and as to those lands that are not now in the possession of any of my daughters may of those daughters who are not in possession of land may take them at the valuation heretofore provided for. The reason why I have directed that my lands be valued at their present worth is that a portion of my Daughters have not enjoyed any portion of my estate and I think the rest have been fully equal to the improvements that any of them have made. In the event any of my land now in the possession of my daughter or daughters being valued to more than her share and she not be willing or able to pay such overplus as may be due from her then the whole of said land must he sold by my Executors and the proceeds of sale divided so as give to each of my daughters and the heirs of Sally Johnston are equal Shares.

Fifth. I give and bequeath to each of my daughters Polly and Clara one Feather bed and furniture, one cow and one four year old colt to each all of which each of them now clain and that they also enjoy that portion of the Mansion house not devised to their Mother and the Kitchen so long as they remain single or wish to enjoy them.

Sixth. As to the balance of my perishable property, I wish it appraised and if it is necessary to sell it or a portion of it to pay my debts that I may be owing, and the Smith's tools to remain where they are and each of my sons to have an interest in them by John and Jacob keeping them in repair and if any of the personal property is left after paying my debts it is to be divided amongst my daughters and the children of Sally Johnston.

Seventh. My Daughter Mary Ann has never had a horse from me. I give her Fifty Dollars deducting an account her husband owes me from the same.

Eighth. I have a suit now in the Court of Appeals with the heirs of Abram Williams and if I succeed that land is to be disposed of in the same manner as the land devised to my Daughters and the children of Sally Johnston and for their benefit.

Ninth. I do hereby appoint my sons John & Jacob Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby declaring this to be my only true last Will and Testament hereby revoking all other former Wills by me made in Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 5th day of July 1847.

Signed and Acknowledged
in the presence of us:

   Jabez Leftwick
   Wm H. Snidow
   Elizabeth Snidow

Christian (Blacksmith) Snidow's will, dated 4 APR 1859, is recorded in Giles County Will Book 4, p. 221:

I Christian Snidow of the County of Giles and State of Virginia do hereby make my last Will and Testament in manner and form following to wit:

I desire that all my just debts shall be paid.

I have already given to my granson Edwin F Snidow a tract of land in Clover Hollow which is all of my estate real or personal that I intend for him.

I give to my son William T. the tract of land he now has in possession and on which he resides. I give to my son Wm. T. four hundred dollars to be paid out of my estate which sum I think necessary to make his lands equal in value to those given to my other sons. I give to my son William T. the dry hollow tract of land in trust for the use and benefit of my Daughter Barbara Douthat.

I give to my son George the tract of land on which he now lives.

I give to my son Philip N. the tract of land on which he now lives.

I give to my daughter Jane Snidow two hundred dollars to be paid out of my estate.

I give to my son Christian W. the home tract of land.

After the above bequests are paid I give the remainder of my estate to my beloved wife Sarah during her life, and after her death to my children equally except three hundred dollars of my daughter Jane Snidow's portion which I give to my grandson James M. Williams. I give my daughter Barbara Douthat's portion to Wm. T. Snidow to be held by him in trust for her use and benefit.

I do ratify and confirm the distribution of my servants recently made to my several children.

And lastly I do hereby appoint my sons Wm. T. Snidow, George Snidow, Philip N. Snidow and Christian W. Snidow executors of this my last Will and Testament.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 4th day of April 1859.

Christian Snidow (((SEAL)))

Signed, sealed and acknowledged before us:

Wm. W. McComas
Lorenzo D. Harless
W. H. Staton

I, H. W. Snidow, of Pembroke, Va., Giles Co., do make this my last will & testament that is to say; I will & bequeath to my son F. P. Snidow, a lot of land at Pembroke, Va., on which his house is situated, which lot of land is to begin at the south east corner of my garden on the turnpike road and running with the road an east course to the line of Mrs. Will Snidow's lot and on a line with her lot and leving (word difficult to read) same back into the bottom so as to __ (?) include three (3) acres of land.

Second, I give to my son John J. Snidow, a certain lot of land at Pembroke, Va., Giles Co., on which his house is situated beginning in the middle of Little Stony Creek, at the turnpike road, at or near the bridge and running with the road an east course to a drain or overflow waterway, east of his dwelling house, thence back into the bottom so as to include three (#) acres, but back to the creek, and up the middle of the creek to the beginning.

Third 3rd. I give & bequeath to Elizabeth E. Snidow, all the rest of my property both real & personal of every kind & description and wherever situated.

Given under my hand & seal this the 21st day of November, Nineteen & Twenty one (1921).

We do hereby certify that H. W. Snidow, signed the foregoing Will in our presence and we witnessed the same in his presence and in the presence of each other this the 21st day of November, 1921.

William Burk d.1754

Thomas Burk d.1808

Jacob Snidow d.1847

Christian (The Blacksmith) Snidow 1787-1861

Harvey Washington Snidow d.1921