Buckingham Notables: The Allens of Hunts Creek, Part VI

Courtesy Central Virginia Heritage (Fall 2018)

The Fall 2018 Issue of Central Virginia Heritage includes three Allen family wills transcribed by Jean L. Cooper. These wills inspired “The Allens of Hunts Creek.”

Need to catch up? Click here: Buckingham Notables: The Allens of Hunts Creek, Part I

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William Hunt Allen, 1806 will, continued

First, William Hunt Allen considered the security and comfort of his widow, Elizabeth, who received the household and kitchen furniture, the family wagon, three horses of her choice, half of the Allen stock of cattle, all of the sheep and hogs, as well as any corn on hand and part of the wheat. She also inherited a sizable farm:

[In] lieu and bar of dower in my estate . . . I leave to her during her life the following tract of land, to wit, Beginning at a white oak corner in my fathers William Allens old line, below Hunt’s Creek, thence crossing the creek in the said old line to Guerrant’s line to a branch called and known by the name of the (WA) branch to a path called the Schoolhouse path which is a dividing line, between myself and Peter Guerrant, thence along the said path to my line where it crosses the said path, thence along my line to the land I bought of Adrian Anglin, thence, along the said Anglin’s old line so far as that a line may be drawn therefrom crossing the land which I purchased of the said Adrian Anglin and the land I had of my father to include my Barn and Orchard and four hundred acres of land. . . .

Elizabeth Allen also received slaves to serve her. The will continued:

I also leave to my wife during her life the following negroes to wit, Bettey, Fanny, Peter, Isham, Little Henry, Aggy, Archer and Molly, also a boy by the name of Jerry until he arrives to twenty one, after which time my desire is that the said Jerry may go free. I also leave to [my] wife during her life my negro woman Conday. . . .

Who was Jerry and why was he to be freed at the age of twenty-one? A search of the 1810 and 1820 census did not produce a free black man named Jerry living in Buckingham County. If a Slate River Ramblings reader recognizes him, please comment.

Also, does anyone know which schoolhouse was near Hunts Creek c. 1806? If so, please comment below.

Coming Next: Buckingham Notables: The Allens of Hunts Creek, Part VII