The Will of Samuel Magruder -- Prince George's Co., Maryland
Samuel Magruder was my 8th great-grandfather, born about 1654 in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He was the son of Alexander Magruder and Margaret Breathwaite, and he married Sarah Beall about 1693. I have not yet found a marriage record so their marriage date is not known. Sarah Beall was born about 1665, and was the daughter of Ninian Beall and Ruth Moore.
They had a total of 12 children -- Ninian, Samuel, John (my 7th great-grandfather), Alexander, James, Nathaniel, William, Elizabeth, Verlinda, Mary, Eleanor, and Sarah.
The Will of John Magruder
The Will of Sarah Beall Magruder
The Will of Ninian Beall, father of Sarah Beall Magruder
The Magruder Family
My family line from my grandfather, Lionel Howard Hamilton to Samuel Magruder:
Lionel H. Hamilton - Noah Frederick Hamilton and Maude Mae McElfresh - Elmore McElfresh and Susannah Margaret Davis -- John Wesley McElfresh and Jacintha Elgantine Davis - Bazil McElfresh and Nancy Ann Schreve - Richard McElfresh and Eleanor Magruder - Zadock A. Magruder and Rachael Pottenger - John Magruder and Susannah Smith -- Samuel Magruder and Sarah Beall
Date of Will -- November 23, 1710
Date Proved -- April 16, 1711
In the name of God, Amen, I, Samuel Magruder, of Prince George’s County in the province of Maryland, being sick of body but of perfect mind and memory, praise be therefore be given unto God, and considering ye uncertainty of this life, do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner and form following. That is to say my soul I commend into the hands of ye Almighty God, hoping through the merits and passion of my Saviour, Jesus Christ, to receive full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins, and at ye last hoping to inherit eternal life to ye praise of God and ye comfort of my immortal soul which cannot die. My body I commit unto ye earth to be decently buried at ye discretion of my Executors hereafter named and touching what temporal estate it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I give and bequeath as follows.
Imprimis. It is my Will and pleasure, in this my last Will and Testament that all my funeral charges and also all other just debts dues from me to any person or persons by bill or otherwise, howsoever be duly and honestly paid without suit or suits of law by my well beloved wife, Sary Magruder, whom I do leave and appoint and ordain to be my sole Executor over my whole estate.
First. I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, Sary Magruder, my now dwelling plantation and the land belonging unto it during her natural life to occupy, possess, and make use of to ye best of her advantage, and after her decease, I give and bequeath unto my son, Samuel Magruder, ye said plantation with two hundred acres of land belonging to it, it being the uppermost part of ye tract of land of ye track of land called Good Luck unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Samuel Magruder, one hundred acres of land, it being called by the name of Magruder’s Delight, and the plantation belonging to it unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Ninian Magruder, a plantation that was my brother, John Magruder, and three hundred acres of land belonging unto it, it being ye uppermost part of a tract of land called Alexandria unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, John Magruder, ye tract of land called Dunblane with ye plantation and two hundred and fifty acres of land belonging unto it unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, James Magruder, ye plantation that John Cole lives on and three hundred acres of land belonging unto it unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, William Magruder, all that tract of land called Turkey Cock Branch with one hundred and ninety three acres of land belonging unto it unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Alexander Magruder, one hundred acres of land, it being part of a tract of land called Good Luck unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Alexander Magruder, ye eighth part of the Pertuxant (?) merchant ship unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Alexander, ten hhds(?) of tobacco for to be shipped home this year and with the produce for to buy a piece of land for him.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Nathaniel Magruder, one hundred acres of land, it being part of a tract of land called Good Luck unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Nathaniel Magruder, the eighth part of the Purtuxant merchant ship unto him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Nathaniel Magruder, ten hhds(?) of tobacco for to be shipped home this year and with ye produce for to buy a piece of land for him.
Item. My will is that in case either of my sons, Samuel, Ninian, John, James, William, Alexander, or Nathaniel Magruder shall die without issue that then the deceased, his land to be equally divided between the other six brothers.
Item. My will is that my five sons, John, James, William, Alexander, and Nathaniel Magruder shall work for themselves at ye age of sixteen years.
Item. I will and bequeath one third part of my personal estate unto my loving wife, Sary Magruder.
Item. I will and bequeath unto my two daughters, Elizabeth Magruder and Sary Magruder, ten pounds for to buy them a gown and petty coat.
Item. I will and bequeath unto my five sons, John, James, William, Alexander, and Nathaniel Magruder, and my three daughters, Verlinda, Mary, and Eleanor Magruder the two thirds of my personal estate unto them and their heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my sons, Samuel, Ninian, and John Magruder a lot at Marlborough Town containing one acre of land, ye lot number forty eight unto them and their heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my four sons, James, William, Alexander, and Nathaniel Magruder one lot of land at Marlborough Town containing one acre of land, ye lot number three, unto them and their heirs forever.
Item. My will is that what goods I have sent for out of England should be accounted of as my personal estate and my dear wife for to have her thirds of them, and do order and appoint my brother, Alexander Magruder, and my brother, Nathaniel Magruder, and my brother, John Pottenger, to be overseers of this my last Will and Testament, and lastly I do one(?) this to be my last Will, and all other formally made to be void and of none effect as witness my hand and seal this twenty third day of November, in the year of our Lord God, one thousand seven hundred ten.
Signed, sealed, pronounced and declared that this is the last Will and Testament of Samuel Magruder in the presence of:
Edward Willet
Tabitha Willet
Ann Smith
Samuel Magruder, Sen. (his seal)
On the back of this Will was endorsed to wit April 16 day, 1711, then came Edward Willet, Tabitha Willet, and Ann Smith, before me, Benjamin Berry, Debt Commissioner(?) of Prince George’s County, and made oath upon the Holy Evangelist. They were evidences to the within Will and were at the signing and sealing the same and that the within Samuel Magruder was in his right sense and memory at ye same time to the best of their knowledge and he owned (?) these to be his last Will and Testament.
Sworn before me, Benjamin Berry, Commissioner (?) of Prince George’s County
Source:
FamilySearch.org
Maryland Register of Wills
Prince George's Co., Maryland
Wills 1698, pg. 46, img. 30-31
Transcribed by V. Burton