Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 24: 149
Agreement between John Clark and his wife Mary, and their sons James and John B. Clark
Transcribed by Bob Ford, Sept. 2007
"This agreement made and entered into this 6th day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and fifty eight by and between John Clark & Mary his wife of the County of Washington and State of Virginia of the one Part and James and John B. Clark their sons of the other part. Witnesseth that the said John Clark & Mary his wife being both now far advanced in life and wishing to be relieved as much as possible from the cares of the world and also wishing to promote the temperal [sic] interest of their family, do hereby enter into the following agreement with the said James and John B. Clark their sons.
They desire that the said James and John B. CLark shall have all their landed estate consisting of four parcels, one of 140 acres being the land on which they now live, conveyed to John Clark by James Clark his father, and one of 122 acres purchased of Robert Clark, and 8 acres purchased of Basil Talbert, and 100 acres known as the Beatie Tract, one half of which fell to us as the heirs of William Beatie deceased and the other half was purchased of the heirs of James Beatie dec'd.
Now we wish our said Sons James & John B. Clark and their heirs to have and to hold all the before mentioned land free from the claims of us or anyone claiming under us. Now the said James and John B. Clark for and in consideration of the before mentioned conveyance do hereby agree and bind themselves, their heirs & to pay a debt due by said John Clark to John M. Preston amounting to a little upwards of two thousand dollars and also to pay to our two daughters Elizabeth & Elanor [sic] Clark five hundred dollars cash, the said legacy is not to be Paid so long as the said Elizabeth A. & Elenor G. Clark remain in the family and receive their support from the farm, nor is any interest to be paid thereon as long as they so remain. They the said James & John B. Clark also agree to pay to our daughter Martha H. Ryburn three hundred dollars as soon as they can do so with convenience after paying the debt due to John M. Preston. They also agree to support comfortly [sic] the said John and Mary Clark their parents during their natural lives. They are to continue to live in the house they now occupy and to be furnished with any thing necessary to render them comfortable. They also agree to support their two unmarried sisters Elizabeth and Ellen so long as they remain Single. They are to live in the house with them and to fare as well as any other member of the same family. The said John & Mary Clark are to retain the possession and control of the dwelling house & Kitchen & should one or both of our daughters remain unmarried after the death of their parents they are to have sole possession and control of the new or frame part of the dwelling house.
In witness whereof the parties aforesaid have hereunto ______ set their hands and affixed their seals the day and date above written.
[No witnesses]
[Signed]: John Clark, Mary Clark, James Clark, John B. Clark"