In the name of God, Amen. I Joel Preston, Senr. of Bedford County and State of Virginia being well in body and of sound mind and memory thanks be to God for the same and knowing that it is appointed unto man once to die think proper to make this my last will and testament in manner and form following (to wit):It is my will & desire that I be buried in a decent manner and that all my funeral expenses be paid together with all my just debts by my executrix and executors hereinafter named and then the balance of my (sic) to be disposed of as follows.
Item: I give & bequeath to my beloved wife LUCY PRESTON all my estate both real and personal not otherwise disposed of for her own proper use for & during her natural life or until she with my other executors may think it desirable to sell off any part of the perishable property or divide by lot any portion of my negroes that may become or likely to become burdensome and at her death it is my desire that the remaining part of my estate be disposed of as follows:
Item: I give & bequeath to my son WILLIAM PRESTON all the property that he has hitherto received of me estimated in value at one hundred pounds (and he is to have nothing more from my estate until each of my children receive that amount) to have & to hold to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter SUSANNAH AGNEW formerly SUSANNAH PRESTON all the property that she has hitherto received of me estimated in value at one hundred pounds (she is to know no more from my estate until each of my children receive that amount) to have & to hold to her & her heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son FRANCIS PRESTON all the property that he has hitherto received of me estimated in value at eighteen pounds and also eighty two pounds to be paid him in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have & to hold to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son ISAAC PRESTON all the property that he has hitherto received of me estimated in value at one hundred pounds (and he is to have nothing more from my estate until each of my children receive that amount) to have & to hold to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my son JOEL PRESTON the property that he has hitherto received of me estimated in value at eighteen pounds and also eighty two pounds to be paid him in money arising from the sale of my estate (it is not my wish that he shall have any of my negroes which sum above named is not to be paid him until after the death of my wife Lucy Preston) to have & to hold to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my son CALEB PRESTON all the property that he has hitherto received of me estimated in value at eighteen pounds and also eighty two pounds to be paid him in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have & to hold to him and his heirs forever.
Item: Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter NANCY PRESTON one hundred pounds to be paid to her in property at value after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have and to hold to her and her heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter LUCINDY MAGANN formerly LUCINDA PRESTON all the property that she has hitherto received of me estimated in value at six pounds and also ninety four pounds to be paid to her in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have & to hold to her land her heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter POLLY PRESTON one hundred pounds to be paid to her in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have & to hold to her and her heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter PERMELIA PRESTON one hundred pounds to be paid to her in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have and hold to her and her heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter MARIAH PRESTON one hundred pounds to be paid to her in property at vauation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have and to hold to her and her heirs forever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my son CHARLES PRESTON all the property that he has hitherto received estimated in value at ten pounds, ten shillings and also eighty nine pounds, ten shillings to be paid to him in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have & to hold to him & his heirs forever.
Item: I bequeath to my daughter ELIZABETH P. PRESTON one hundred pounds to be paid to her in property at valuation after the death of my wife Lucy Preston to have & to hold to her and her heirs forever.
It is my will and desire that my negroes in the first place after the death of my wife Lucy Preston (or before so far as she together with my other executors may think expedient) be divided by lot amongst such of my children as has not already received one hundred pounds (my son JOEL excepted who is to receive no negro property but money or other property in lieu thereof) until each one's portion with what they have already received as above charged amounts to one hundred pounds and that the balance of my estate if any be equally divided amongst my above named thirteen children after the death of my wife Lucy Preston. It is also my will & desire that my executors hereinafter named, after the death of my said wife Lucy Preston proceed to sell my lands together with all my other property and negroes should there be any that cannot be divided.
Lastly - I do ordain & appoint my wife
Lucy Preston, Francis Board and Thomas Kasey my whole and sole executors of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 25 day of October the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred & Twenty Seven.
N.B It is my special will & desire that none of my legatees contend for any land sold by me which I received by my first wife ESTHER PRESTON formerly ESTHER HOWARD as the above will seemeth to me just amongst all my children and should any of my legatees contend for any land so sold such damage as may come against my estate on account of such contending legatee or legatees is to be deducted out of their portion or portions left them in the above will as witness I hereunto set my hand and seal the day & date above written.
The will of Joel Preston was written in Bedford County, Virginia on 25 October 1827. He arrived in Smith County, Tennessee in 1828, and died a few months later. His will was probated and proved in Smith Co., TN. His widow Lucy Preston was living at age 95 at the 1860 DeKalb Co. Census. She was at one time a member of Liberty Baptist Church. Her son Caleb Preston was also a member of this church. Lucy Preston received a land grand of 160 acres for her husband Joel's service in the Revolutionary War, both the Continental Line and the Virginia Militia (four terms).
Of the children named in the above will, Joel and Lucy Preston's son Caleb Preston (wife Elizabeth Majors) and daughters Lucinda Preston (wife of Lewis Magann) and Permelia Preston wife of James Yeargin, all lived in DeKalb Co., TN.
1. My descent from Joel Preston (Sr.) and Lucy (Tate) Preston is as follows
2. their son Caleb Preston and wife Elizabeth Majors
3. Matilda Adeline Preston and William Henry Simmons of Logan and Butler Counties, Kentucky
4. Indiana Louella Kentucky Simmons and Charles Thomas "Neal" Harris of Tennessee
5. Flora Ella Harris and Walter Watson Sanders of Arkansas and Alabama
6. Lillian Sanders and Earl Gregerson of Omaha, Nebraska and Los Angeles, California
7. Sonia Gregerson Meyer (me) and George Meyer of Hacienda Heights, CA.
Submitted by:
Sonia Gregerson Meyer
14495 Edgeridge Drive
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
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