Will of William Via Sr.
April 1782
In Will Books, Vol 2–3, 1752–1798, in Ancestry’s Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652–1900, is a copy of the Albemarle County will of a William Via, taken by circumstance to be the son of Amor Via. The heir listed therein, William’s grandson “Micajah Viar”, appears to be Micajah Via Sr. (c. 1740–1818), my great6-grandfather.
In the name of God Amen I William Via of Albemarle County, calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men one1 to die, I do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following. First of all I give my Soul me Trusting thro’ the mercies and merits of Jesus Christ my Savior to receive full pardon of all my Sins Committed, and to be received into Eternal Bliſs, and my body I give to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and Deſsent [sic] manner, at the discretion of my heirs hereafter mentioned, and as to Touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased god to bleſs me I give and Dispose of in the following manner and form.
1. Perhaps a misremembering or misspelling in evoking Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”.
After all my Legal Debts and Funeral Charges are justly paid, I give to my grandſon Micajah Viar ſon of William Viar decd. the Plantation, whereon I now live, beginning at a Branch, above the new plantation, and ſo up the ſaid Branch to a pine in William Barksdale[’]s line, and ſo on the ſaid line Down to the river.
Alſo I give to my granson [sic] William Viar son of the aforesaid William Viar, the remaining part of the Tract of Land up the river.
And my daughter Sarah Viar, to have Liberty of the aforesaid Lands for her own proper use during the time ſhe remains a widow, and no longer, and I do appoint James Epperson and Stephen Philips Extors to this my Last Will and Testament.
April 7th 1782 William (his + mark) Viar (LS)2
Signed & Seald
in the presence of
Rowland Worsley
James Talbot
Mary Epperson
Alſo I give to my granson [sic] William Viar son of the aforesaid William Viar, the remaining part of the Tract of Land up the river.
And my daughter Sarah Viar, to have Liberty of the aforesaid Lands for her own proper use during the time ſhe remains a widow, and no longer, and I do appoint James Epperson and Stephen Philips Extors to this my Last Will and Testament.
April 7th 1782 William (his + mark) Viar (LS)2
Signed & Seald
in the presence of
Rowland Worsley
James Talbot
Mary Epperson
2. “(LS)”, written verbatim on the page, means locus sigilli, indicating where the wax seal William placed would have gone.
At a Court held for Albemarle County the Eighth day of May MDCCLXXXII this will was proved by the oath of Rowland Worsley and Mary Epperson two witneſses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Epperson an Executor therein named who made oath according to the Law. Certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate in due form on his giving Security, whereupon he with Micajah Viar his ſecurity entered into and acknowledged their Bond for performing the ſame accordingly
Teſte
Martin W. [illegible]
Teſte
Martin W. [illegible]