Will of John Sharp
Washington Co. VA Will Bk 5: 179
dated 2 June 1823
abstracted Sept. 2012 by Diana Powell
I John Sharp of Sullivan County, Tennessee
to wife Elizabeth my negro girl Dill during her natural life, also one bed and furniture, and $75 dollars annually during her natural life...
to daughter Jane McConkey's children[,] her son John and her daughter Maria Terissa excepted[,] that tract of land on which the said Jane McConkey now resides together with my part of the knobb land adjoining it. The children of said John McConkey & Harriet his wife to have one equal portion with the children of the said Jane McConkey. However Jane McConkey to have full possession of land during her life and after her death the land to be sold and the monies equally divided. The children of John McConkey and Harriet his wife to have one equal portion with the children of Jane McConkey, her son John and her daughter Maria Terissa still excepted. Should the devisees agree among themselves to divide the land it is to be equally divided among the said devisees.
to daughter Anne Longacre's children the tract of land on which Ireson Longacre now lives; Ireson Longacre to possess land during his life and the life of his wife Ann Longacre.
to daughter Sally McChesney's children 2 tracts of land lying in Sullivan [Co.] Tennessee and deeded to me by Thomas McChesney 8 Feb. 1815; also 3 other tracts lying in Washington Co. deeded to me by said McChesney 8th of Feb. 1815. Thomas McChesney to possess land during his life.
to daughter Peggy Craig's children the tract of land on yellow [illeg.] in Kentucky on which George W. Craig now lives. George W. Craig to possess land during his life and the life of his wife Peggy Craig.?
to the children of daughter Marianna decd. land on which Benjamin Pemberton now lives which I obtained from James & Joseph Young. Land is divided from land on which James Cowan lives by the division line specified in the land devised to Clarissa Cowan’s children. Benjamin Pemberton to possess land during his life.
to my daughter Clarissa Cowan's children the land on which James Cowan now lives being part of the tract on which I now reside bounded ....[metes and bounds included and includes mention of corner to the land on which B. Pemberton lives]; also the land I own across the old line opposite said tract. James Cowan shall possess during his life and the life of his wife Clarissa Cown.
to James Gray married to my Granddaughter Maria Terissa McConkey that plantation on the river called Christley Grubbs place
to Samuel McConkey, Satina McConkey, James Gray married to Maria Terissa McConkey, Peggy McConkey, Betsy McConkey, Melissa McConkey, Jane McConkey& Clarissa McConkey and to the children of my grandson John McConkey (John’s children to inherit 1/9th part), I give my negro man Jack and my negro girl Jane. Jane McConkey shall have the control of the said negroes and benefit of their services during her natural life or until the return of her husband John McConkey senr. Should her husband John McConkey return or make any claim to said negroes as the property of his wife, the said legatees shall immediately claim them.?
to David King my negro girl Bett & her son George
to Ireson Longacre my negro girl Fan & her son Harry; also my negro boy Bacchus
to the children of my daughter Sally McChesney decd. my negro girl Susan and my negro boy Nathan
to George W. Craig my negro girl Kez and her issue and my negro boy Jim
to Benjamin Pemberton my negro girl Peggy and my negro boy Ben
to James Cowan my negro file Mary and my negro boy Jarrott
to James Gray my negro girl Chain
to my sons in law David King, Ireson Longacre, George W. Craig, Benjn. Pemberton and James Cowan and to my daughter Jane McConkey $100 each
to Thomas McChesney $10
to Thomas McConnel $10
to the children of my daughter Sally McChesney decd $90
to John Sharp McConnell $50
to Sally Melissa McConnell $40
to my son in law John McConkey $10
to Joseph Earley $50
to John Sharp Earley $50
to Maryanna Craig $50
to Melissa Pemberton $50
to John Sharp Longacre $50
to Samuel McConkey one set of Blacksmith tools that I now have in my Smith shop
all the rest of my estate to be sold; executors to pay each of my grandchildren except Samuel McConkey and John McConkey and my granddaughter Harriett McConkey, formerly Harriett King, the sum of $100 each. Executors pay to the children of my granddaughter Harriet McConkey $200 to be equally divided among them. And as under the preceding item the families of my daughters with the most children would receive more money, I direct my executors to pay my daughters with less children an amount such that each family receives an equal amount. The children of my deceased daughters Sally McChesney and Marianna Pemberton shall receive the amount that would have come to their mothers.
if there should remain any surplus of my estate it shall be divided into 7 equal parts: one to each of my five surviving daughters, and one to the children of my daughter Sally McChesney decd. and one to the children of my daughter Maryanna Pemberton decd.
my son in law George W. Craig is indebted to me by note of $1,000 with interest for 5 or 6 years; if he does not discharge said debt prior to my death, my executors shall retain all the legacies left to the said Craig and his children (except the Item devising the land & the legacy of $50 to Maryanna Craig). If debt is not paid within 2 years after my death, my executors shall sell the negroes bequeathed to said Craig and if proceeds, along with the $100 bequeathed to said Craig is insufficient to discharge the debt, executors shall retain the money bequeathed to said Craig’s children (except the $50 left to Maryanna Craig) or so much as is necessary to discharge debt and interest.?
if my daughter Clarissa Cowan should have no more children, and her daughter Eliza Cowan should die without issue, the land shall after her decease and the decease of her husband James Cowan revert to my estate & be sold with the proceeds equally divided among all my grandchildren. ?
on the decease of my wife Elizabeth Sharp my negro woman Dill shall be emancipated provided she gives the legal security to indemnify the County and if she cannot give such security she shall have her choice with which of my daughters she will live as a slave and to that daughter I bequeath her.
my Executors shall not sell the plantation on which I now reside for less than $10 per acre, nor my plantation on the river for less than $1,500.
appoint my son in law Ireson Longacre & my Grandson Jonathan King executors
2 June 1823 John Sharp SS
Witnessed by: Andrew Cowan, John Thomas, John Cowan
Codicil to the will of John Sharp
Dated 8 Sept. 1823
I John Sharp do make the following codicil:
In the present fluctuating state of western paper currency my Exors may be seriously injured by my legatees refusing to receive anything but specie in discharge of their legacies. It is my will that my Exors. shall sell my property for such money as they shall think most adviseable except the plantation on which I live which shall be sold for par money, and my legatees shall be obliged to receive at its nominal value such money as the property sold for. Executors to give each legatee an equal proportion of the specie in their hands.
8 Sept 1823 John Sharp
Witnessed by: John Thomas, Andrew Cowan; John Cowan
February Session 1824
the will of John Sharp dated 2 June 1823 with codicil annexed was exhibited in court and proven by Andrew Cowan, John Thomas & John Cowan.. Ireson Longacre & Jonathan King gave bond of $50,000 and qualified as executors according to law.
Sullivan County, Tennessee
I Richard Netherland, Clerk of the Court ..hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the Will of John SHARP deceased which is of record in my office…
12 October 1824.
Richard Netherland Clark
Sullivan County, Tennessee
I certify that Richard Netherland is clerk of the Court of pleas and quarter sessions of this county.
12 Oct. 1824
Joseph Wallace Presiding Justice
Washington Co. Virginia
21 December 1824
certified copy of the will of John Sharp decd. was exhibited in court and ordered recorded. Jonathan King took the oach of an executor and acknowledged his bond for $8,000 with Thomas McChesney, Hugh Berry and David King his security.