Submitted By:  Dixie Lee Blake (nee Moore)
Hemet, CA.

ROBERT RISK - 1786
In the name of God. Amen.
I, Robert Rusk of the County of Augusta in the State of Virginia
being very sick and weak in body, but of sound mind & memory,
Thanks be given to God for same and to mind the mortality of my
body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make
and ordain this my last will and testament in manners and from
following Viz., principally and first of all I recommend my Soul
unto the hands of God that gave it, and my body to the Earth to be
buried in a Chrisian like and decent manner at the discression of
my executors hereafter named and as touching such worldly estate as
it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and dispost of
the same in manner following.
I order that it is my last will that all of my just debts and
funeral charges be paid by my executors.
Im[----I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Rusk my
large sorral mare, her saddle and bridle and all her clothes her
bed and furniture and all the furniture of the dresser, three cows
of her choice of my stock. I likewise order that all my tools that
is necessary for working the farm I now live on be kept for the
support of my family during my wife's widowhood and at the end of
that period to be equally divided between my two sons John and
James Rusk.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my oldest son John Rusk, my
plantation lying on Brown's Creek containing 358 acres to be his
and his heirs and assigns forever. I likewise bequeath unto him my
sorrel mare with a star in her face.
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rachel Rusk one bay mare
four years old and a---saddle and bridle to be bought for her by my
executors and of the price of my land which is to be sold as soon
as she arrives at the age of thirteen years.
I likewise authorize my executors to sell my plantation or tract of
land lying on Naps (?) Creek containing 120 acres as soon as
convenient after my decease and the money arising to be paid to my
son John at his arriving at the age of twenty one years and fifteen
pounds to be paid to my oldest daughter at her coming to the age of
eighteen years of required and twenty pounds to my son James at his
arriving at the age of twenty one years.
I like allow to be paid out of the part ---of---land to my nephew
James Rusk Sen. five pounds and a balance due to me by him to be
forgiven and to my nephew Robert Rusk five pounds of said sale, that
five pounds to my nephew Robert O'Dear of said sale and five pounds
to be paid to my brother David Rusk out of the same.
I likewise allow my half of the mill and one acre of land left to me
by my father to be equally divided between my mother Margaret
Rusk and my brother Samuel Rusk each to have an equal share of the
same during my mother's life and at her decease to be wholly the
property of my brother Samuel upon him paying John Whitman a bond
due to him since he attend our Mill.
I --- and it is my last will that the remaining part of the price
of a tract of land equally divided between my three daughts
Margaret, Jane, and ----residence the house and empower my executors
to make a legal deed to John Willson of Rockbridge County for a
tract of land I sold to him as soon as convenient. I likewise---
my wife keep two of the rest of my horses to be of her choice to
assist in working the plantation for the support of my family
during her widowhood and at the end of that period to be equally
divided among her and my children each to have an equal part.
I also allow the remainder of my personal estate to be sold as
soon as convenient by the executors and the money arising from
such (and my outstanding debts) after paying my just debts and
funeral charges to be applied to the use of building a house on
the plantation my beloved wife is to have peaceable possession
of during her widowhood for the purpose of raising my family or
until my son James --- of age twenty one years and then to be his
property. I likewise allow my wagon to be kept for the use of my
plantation only. I allow my brother Samuel Rusk to have the one
half of the same upon condition that he pays for ----her in
proper repair and lastly I ---and appoint my beloved wife
Elizabeth Risk Executor and my loving brother John Rusk and my
brother-in-law James Moore executor of this my last will and
testament.
18 March 1786
(Signed Robert Risk)

July 18, 1786 presented in court and names then spelled Robert Risk,
John Risk, and Elizabeth Risk-----------

(The dashes in the will are where I could not read the faint old
writing--nrt)

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