An Old Northen Will

Edward Minty is my sixth great grandfather and the father of Abigail Minty, whose famous quarrels with her husband William Northen were the subject of a previous blog. (I believe it is also through Minty that the name Edward entered into and became a staple male name in the Northen line.) I recently came across the will of Edward Minty through the courtesy of a distant Northen relative descended from William Northen after his relocation to North Carolina.

I thought Edward Minty's will was interesting on a number of levels.  First, of course, it is an historical record linking directly to our family, but I think that the content of the will is extremely interesting.  What did people who died thirty years prior to the American revolution value and leave in their wills?  The spelling in the document is interesting as well because much of what is in there that appears to be misspelling is not, but was either the way that the word was actually spelled at the time or was a variant of a word whose spelling was still in flux. Finally, it is interesting to note that Edward Minty, who was born in 1690, like most Virginians was probably illiterate inasmuch as his signature is "his mark."

Will of Edward Minty
September 2, 1745

I, Edward Minty of the County of Richmond and Parish of Lunenburgh being very sick and weak but in perfect mind and memory, having a mind to settle the affairs of this work knowing that all men is bound once to die, do make this my last Will and Testament. First bequeathing my soul to all mighty God our heavenly Father and my worldly goods as follows:
Item: My will and desire is that my wife Margaret Minty her choice of my cows and calfs.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son-in-law John Purcell his now choice of my beds and furniture after my wife has chused.
Item: My will is that my son-in-law John Purcell should have his choice of all my sows that is with pig.
Item: I give and bequeath to my wife Margaret Minty her choice of ewes and three lambs.
Item: I give and bequeath to my wife Margaret Minty my old mair and saddle and furniture and bridle.
Item: I give and bequeath to my wife Margaret Minty my land during her naturall life and after her cecease to be equally divided in quantity and quality between my two daughters, Abigail Northen and Margaret Purcell.
Item: My will and desire is my horse Joe should be sold to the highest bidder.
My will is that my two guns and all my coutrements for muster be sold to the highest bidder.
My will is that my wife Margaret Minty may be my executrix and William Northen and John Purcell Junior to be my executors with her.

Teste: Edward II Minty {his mark II}
John Landman
Tobias Purcell {his mark T}
At a Court held for Richmond County the second day of September 1745.
John Landsman and Tobias Purcell being first sworn in Court severally and jointly depose that there were present when Edward Minty deceased made his last will and that after he had finished and the will was signed and sealed up the said Minty told them he had left out something which was that the rest of his estate undisposed of should be equally divided between his wife, William Northen and John Purcell, Junior and that as the time this making his will and speaking those last words the said Minty was in his perfect sences to the best of those deponents understanding and further they say not.
Teste: M. Berryville
At a Court held for Richmond County the second day of September 1745.
This will was proved in open court by the oaths of John Landman and Tobias Purcell, witnesses to an admitted to record.

Transcribed from a copy of the original record by Nancy Slater Thompson 23 Mar 2002.

Received from Tamara Bigham, Sept. 1, 2012.