Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I Cornelia Jefferson Randolph, being of sound and disposing mind, do make, publish & declare this to be my last will and testament, writing the same wholly with my own hand.

1st My just debts, if I leave any, are to be paid.

2nd All my property of any & every kind, real, personal or mixed, except only the articles below specified, I devise and bequeathe to my sister Mary J. Randolph, for the term of her natural life, and after her decease, to my Executor, to be held by him on trust for the purposes following, namely: that the rents, profits and all advantages therefrom accruing, shall be paid to and enjoyed by the persons here named, during the term of the natural life of each, and in the order following:

First, my married sister Virginia J. Trist for her own separate use, free from all marital rights of her husband and from all liabilities of his contracting, exactly as if she were unmarried. Second, after the decease of my said sister Virginia, then her husband Nicholas P. Trist for the term of his natural life. Third, after the decease of my said sister Virginia and her said husband, then my niece Martha Jefferson Trist Burke for the term of her natural life, for her own separate use, free from all marital rights of her husband and from all liabilities of his contracting exactly as if she were unmarried. Fourth, after the decease of my said niece Martha, then her children; in which children the said property shall, upon the decease of their said mother, become vested as their absolute property, in fee simple so far as the same may consist of real estate. Provided that from the time when any such real estate by me possessed at the time of my decease shall begin to be held for the use of my said niece Martha, down to the decease of my deaf-mute nephew Thomas Jefferson Trist, there shall be annually paid to my said nephew, as a charge upon the said real estate, during the term of his natural life, a sum equal to four per cent upon the fairly estimated value of said real estate.

3d. To my nephew Hore Browse Trist, I bequeathe as mementos of my affection, my silver beaker & silver funnel and small silver tea-spoon.

4th. All my books, manuscripts,¹ paint boxes & painting and drawing implements, drawings & papers of every description, I devise & bequeathe to my niece Martha Jefferson Trist Burke.

5th. Whereas, I, together with my sister Mary J. Randolph have by conveyance from our brother Thomas J. Randolph of Albemarle county Virginia, become seized & possessed in fee simple of a certain portion or piece of our said brother’s estate in said county called Edgehill, which said portion is known under the name of Walnutfield and contains two hundred acres, of which two hundred acres we each own one undivided half-part in fee simple; and whereas a certain house standing on our said land is now occupied by our widowed sister Mrs Septimia Meikleham with her two daughters Alice & Ellen and her son Randolph, now therefore by agreement with my sister Mary, I do hereby make a part of this my last will & testament that my said sister Septimia and her said three children shall during their several lives, have the right to continue to occupy and use, free of rent or other charge for such occupancy & use, the said house together with a portion of our said land for cultivation and pasturage, to the extent of ten acres, immediately adjacent to the said house.

I name and appoint as my Executor such one of my nephews below named as shall find it least inconvenient and burthensome to himself to assume & carry out the dispositions of this will,—namely Thomas Jefferson Randolph, Wilson Nicholas Randolph, Meriwether Lewis Randolph.—Written all with my own hand and in duplicate this tenth day of November A. D. Eighteen hundred and sixty-nine, as witness my hand and scroll in lieu of seal.