I’m still trying to fully understand this document, as the legal mumbo-jumbo is like a foreign language to me.

Some of the facts I know:

Charles Moorman, Sally’s father, died October 23, 1803.

Nancy Moorman, Sally’s mother, received Land to live on after the death of her husband. (I have a document which shows her allotment dated 1804).  I’m not sure when Nancy died.  I have seen some list her death in 1847, but I have nothing to back that up.  Does this document mean that she has died and Sally is getting a portion of her mother’s allotted land?  Is that what “Dower Land” is?  I’m not clear on this.

Lemuel Moorman is Sally’s brother.

From what I understand, Francis & Sally sold their portion of this land to Sally’s brother Lemuel.  Sally wasn’t able to come to town to acknowledge that she wanted to sell the land.  They were either concerned that maybe her husband was selling it without her consent (since it was her mother’s land) or else they wanted to make sure that she was relinquishing her right to dower in the land (and couldn’t get the land back upon her husband’s death).  They sent out 2 Justices to speak with her privately and make sure that this was what she wanted to do.

I’ve transcribed this document to the best of my ability under the images.  (I’m always happy to receive corrections of my mistakes!!)

I would love to know what the full meaning of this document is if you understand it.

The CommonWealth of Virginia to David Pegram and Richard Hobson Gent. Justices of Bedford County _____ whereas Francis L. Lee + Sally his wife by their certain Indenture of bargain  + Sale bearing Date the 23rd Nov. 1813. have sold and conveyed unto Lemuel Moorman the fee simple Estate of their portion of Dower Land of Nancy Moorman widow ___ of Charles Moorman Dec’d lying and being in the County of Bedford and State of Virginia whereas the said Sally cannot conveniently travel to our Court of our said County of Bedford and State of Virginia to make acknowledgement of the same. Therefore we give you or any two or more of you power to receive such acknowledgement as the said Sally shall be willing to make before you of the conveyance aforesaid contained in the said Indenture which is hereto annexed and we do require you that you do personally go to the said Sally and examine her privately and apart from the said Francis L her husband, and whether she be willing the said Indenture together with this acknowledgement should be recorded in our said County Court and when you have received her acknowledgement + examine her as afors’d that you distinctly + openly certify us thereof in an ___ Court under your Seals sending then there the s’d Intenture and this ____ Witness James Steptoe Clerk of our said Court the 28th day of Nov’r 1813.

In the 38th Year of our Independence.

J Steptoe [signed]

Bedfort County to wit

In obedience to the within Commiss. to us directed we did go to the within named Sally Lee and examined her privily and apart from her husband whether she freely and voluntarily relinquished her right to the within mentioned Land and she saith she doth freely and willingly relinquish her right to the same in fee simple without the threats or persuasions of her husband and is willing that the same should be recorded in the County Court of Bedford.  Given under our hands and Seals this 30th day of November 1813.

Dan’l Pegram {seal}

Rich’d Hobson {seal}

At a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 27th day of December 1813.  This Commission was returned executed + Ordered to be recorded.

Teste  J Steptoe CBC

Transcription follows the images.

The thirds of Mrs. Nancy Moorman
Beginning at an Old Willow Stump on the _ bank of little Wolf Creek in the Plantation of Charles Moorman Dec’d near where the Spring branch formerly emptied into said Creek at A thence off a new line from A to B N16 W 162 poles to a W. Oak in the Edge of a small road in Hobson’s lines thence with his lines from B to C N 50 W 23 1/2 to a red Oak on same Road from C to D N 17 W 41 1/2 to a large W. Oak at Hobson’s and Derrett’s corner thence with Derretts line from D to E S 83 E 200 to pointers in said line thence off from E to F new line S 15 E 76 to a R. Oak from F to G S 20 E 50 to Pegrams corner B. Gum on Wolf Creek aforesaid and down the same as it meanders to the beginning.

In obedience to an order of the Court of Bedford to us directed we have assigned to Mrs. Nancy Moorman 197 acres of Land which we are of Opinion is one equal third part of her deceased husband Charles Moorman’s Lands and that the same is bounded as above. Given under our hands this 21st day of December 1804

David Crenshaw
Dan’l Pegram

In a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 24th day of December 1804. This allotment of the Thirds of the Lands of Charles Moorman Dec’d to Nancy Moorman the widow of the said Decedent was exhibited in Court + Ordered to be recorded.
Teste J. Steptoe CBC

Just look at this drawing of the land….

This is my transcription project for this month – and it’s probably going to take me all month.  There is a description of the division of each individual piece of land and who it goes to – 2 pages worth. I think I need to brush up on my land records terminology!!

I understand the poles and the different types of trees that are used as boundary lines.  The question I have for you readers – because I know that some of you are way more experienced than I am – is what do “pointers” mean?  Is this different than a “stake”.  What exactly are pointers?  Thanks for your help!

After Ginger’s comment, I decided to add the text of this land division also so that you can see what I mean by “pointers”.  I haven’t transcribed it yet.

The above map was right here in the document.

He was resident physician at the White Sulphur Springs resort (Greenbrier) for many years and apparently wrote a memoir full of descriptions of the presidents and famous people he met while working there. He also wrote some books about the benefits of the water. I will write about all of that in more detail another time.

Today, I wanted to post his obituary, which I found while I was visiting Roanoke, Virginia last year. I wonder if he may have had another obituary written in West Virginia, where he lived for many years.  I also wonder if there may have been a more detailed obituary at a later date in this same paper, rather than a death announcement which this appears to be.  Sadly, it doesn’t give any biographical information or even list his relatives.

DEATH OF DR. MOORMAN – Dr. J.J. Moorman died at his residence in Salem last Thursday at 4 o’clock a.m.  Dr. Moorman has been for some weeks confined to his bed and his recovery scarcely hoped for, yet his death was quite a shock to the community.  He was 83 years of age and his long, useful and honored life has endeared him to all.  His funeral will take place this morning at 11 o’clock from the Presbyterian church in Salem.

He was born in 1705 in Virginia and died in 1766. He lived in Bedford County, Virginia.
Here is the will of Thomas Moorman, transcribed to the best of my ability.  If you have anything that you think needs to be corrected please let me know.  I am not perfect.

In the name of God Amen I Thomas Moreman of Bedford County Being in perfect Helth + Memory do make Constitute + Ordain This my Last Will + Testament in Manner and form following Item I send unto my Beloved Wife Rachel Moreman During her Life the plantation on where I now Live with the Stocks of all Kinds also all my House Hold of every Sort (Except Such as I Shall hear after Set apart for my Children) also Five Negroes,  ?, Sambo, Two Molls, Dinah ???  Item I give unto my Daughter Mary Johnson one Negro Girl named Sarah to her and her Heirs forever + whatever she processes that ever was mine  Item I give unto my Son Pleasent Moreman + my Son Charles Moreman four Hundred Acres of Land on Permunkey River in Louisa County to them and Their Heirs forever to be Equally Devided betwixt them by men Appointed also Each of them a Feather Bed and Furniture Item I give unto Daughter Aggothy Johnson one Negro boy Named James to her and her Heirs forever  What ever Els She percesses that ever was mine Itam, I give unto my Son Pleasent Moreman + my Son Charles Moreman four Hundred Acres of Land on Permunkey River in Louisa County to them and Their Heirs forever to be Equilly Devided betwixt them by men Appointed also Each of them a Feather Bed and Furniture  Item I give unto Daughter Aggothy Johnson one Negro boy Named James to her and her Heirs forever What ever Els she percesses that ever was mine Item I give unto my Son Clerk [?] Moorman Two Negroes Peter + Glaster to him and his Heirs for ever one Horse and Sadle one Feather Bed + Ferniture Item I give unto my son Cilley Moreman Dick + Fillis to him and his Heirs forever one Horse and Sadle one Bed + Ferniture Item I give unto my Daughter Rachel Moreman one Negro Girl Jude to her and her Heirs forever one Horse and Sadle one Feather Bed + Furniture Item I give unto my son Andrew Moreman Moreman after his mothers Deceas the plantation on where I now Live with Two Hundred Acres of Land to him and his Heirs forever one Horse and Sadle one Feather Bed and furniture and it is my Desire that if any of my Children Die without Heir that their Estate be Equally Devided aMongst the Rest have given my son Zachariah + Micajah Moreman what I Entented at present I shall Say no more of them yet and it is my further Desire that after my Wife’s Decease that my Son Micajah have Twenty pounds and my Daughter Aggothy and my Daughter Rachel Ten pounds apease Raised of my Estate before any Devision and Afterwards the Rest to be Equally Divided amongst them all male + femail and I do Appoint my Wife + Zachriah + Micajah Executors to this my Last Will and Testament given under my hand + Seal this Twenty Second of July 1765

Thomas Moreman, S.S.

Teste

Henry Tate William Anthony

Christopher Anthony

At a Court held for Bedford County November 25th 1766

The within Last Will +Testament of Thomas Moorman Deceased was Exhibited in Court + proved by the Oath of Henry Tate and Christopher Anthony Witness’s Thereto and Ordered to be Recorded and on the Motion of the within Rachal Moorman Zachariah Moorman + Micajah Moorman Executrix + Executors therein Named they having made Oath According to Law and they having first Entred into [apparently I didn't scan the last page of the will so it ends here for now]

There is a handwritten note on the side of the page that states that the word “son” was added on March 4, 1946 by a clerk, but I’m having  a hard time reading why.  I think that it was in the original, but was left out of the copy.  It appears that “son” was added in front of Cilley.

I have such a hard time reading my transcription because of the lack of punctuation and the various spelling  used!

I love that I have this document though.  It blows my mind that his will was written in 1765.  Before the Revolutionary War.  Before we were a country.  That’s a long time ago…  246 years ago. I suppose I can forgive the spelling  mistakes.

Moorman’s Inventory
Inventory of the Estate of Thomas Moorman Deceased Appraised by the Subscribers Agreeable to an Order of  Bedford Court.

Negroes Viz + 1 Wench Named Moll S.60″0″0
1 Do. Do. Dinah 70″0″0
1 Do. Do. Moll 40″0″0
one Negro Fellow his Eye Sight fail + Named Sam 10″0″0
1 Negro Wench Named Hanah 55″0″0
1 Do. Girl Do. Jean S.40″0″0
1 Do. Do. Jude 38″0″0
1 Boy Do. Dick 45″0″0
1 Girl Do. Named Philis 30″0″0
1 Boy Do. Do. Gloster 20″0″0
1 Do. Do. Puter 50″0″0
Stock  38 head of Cattle a  46″10…..46″10″0
28 head of Hogs a 8  …….8″0″0
1 Yallow Bay Horse a 9  …….9″0″0
1 Gray Mare…7…..7″0″0
1 Dark Bay Horse…8….8″0″0
1 Sorrell Horse + Bell…8…8″0″0
1 Bay Horse…3…3″0″0
Potts…3 9….3″9″0
Pewter…5  12….5″12″0
Old Iron Axe and hoes plows…7″6″6
Beds + Furniture…40…40″0″0
1 Bag New Feathers…2 5…..2″5″0
House Hole Stuff Chares Table Desk…20″12″0
Lumber…10″17″3
Do…1″18″0
2 Silver Spoons…1″10″0
To sundrys amount….6″14″6
Given under out hands this 22 Decer 1766

Robert Russell
Robert Clerk
Chas Lynch

At A Court Held for Bedford County January 27th 1767
The Within Inventory and Appraisement of Thomas Moorman Decd Estate Returned and Ordered to be Recorded Teste
Ben Howard CBC

And on a side note, I need your advice. Do you think it’s better to transcribe word for word as below, or to do an abstract, which is much easier to read? Or both? Just curious about what other people do with their records.

Slaves listed were:

Negroes Viz + 1 Wench Named Moll S.60″0″0
1 Do. Do. Dinah 70″0″0
1 Do. Do. Moll 40″0″0
one Negro Fellow his Eye Sight fail + Named Sam 10″0″0
1 Negro Wench Named Hanah 55″0″0
1 Do. Girl Do. Jean S.40″0″0
1 Do. Do. Jude 38″0″0
1 Boy Do. Dick 45″0″0
1 Girl Do. Named Philis 30″0″0
1 Boy Do. Do. Gloster 20″0″0
1 Do. Do. Puter 50″0″0