In the name of GOD, Amen.
I MARTHA WASHINGTON, of Mount Vernon, in the county of
Fairfax, being of sound mind and capable of disposing of my worldly estate, do
make, ordain, and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby
revoking all other Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made.
Imprimis.—It is my desire that all my just debts may
be punctually paid, and that as speedily as the same can be done.
Item.—I give and devise to my nephew, Bartholomew
Dandridge, and his heirs, my lot in the town of Alexandria, situate on Pitt and
Cameron streets devised to me by my late husband, George Washington, deceased.
Item.—I give and bequeath to my four nieces, Martha
W. Dandridge, Mary Dandridge, Frances Lucy Dandridge, and Frances Henley, the
debt of two thousand pounds due from Lawrence Lewis and secured by his bond, to
be equally divided between them or such of them as shall be alive at my death,
and to be paid to them respectively on the days of their respective marriage or
arrival at the age of twenty-one years, whichsoever shall first happen,
together with all the interest on said debt remaining unpaid at the time of my
death; and in case the whole, or any part of said principal sum of two
thousand pounds shall be paid to me during my life, then it is my will that so
much money be raised out of my estate as shall be equal to what I shall have
received of the said principal debt, and distributed among my four nieces
aforesaid as herein has been bequeathed; and it is my meaning that the interest
accruing after my death, on the said sum of two thousand pounds shall belong to
my said nieces, and be equally divided between them, or such of them as shall
be alive at the time of my death, and be paid annually for their respective
uses, until they receive their shares of the principal.
Item.—I give and bequeath to my grandson, George
Washington Parke Custis, all the silver plate of every kind of which I shall
die possessed, together with the two large plated coolers, the four small
plated coolers, with bottle castors, and a pipe of wine, if there be one in the
house at the time of my death also the sett of Cincinnati tea and table China,
the bowl that has a ——— in it, the fine old China jars which usually stand on
the chimney-piece in the new room; also, all the family pictures of every sort
and the pictures painted by his sister, and two small screens, worked one by
his sister, and the other a present from Kitty Brown; also his choice of
prints; also, the two girandoles and lustres that stand on them; also, the new bedstead
which I caused to be made in Philadelphia, together with the bed, mattresses,
bolsters, and pillows, and the white dimity curtains belonging thereto; also,
two other beds with bolsters and pillows, and the white dimity window curtains
in the new room; also, the iron chest and the desk in my closet which belonged
to my first husband; also, all my books of every kind except the large Bible
and Prayer-book; also, the set of tea china that was given me by Mr. Van Braam,
every piece having M. W. on it.
Item.—I give and bequeath to my grand-daughter,
Martha Peter, my writing table and the seat to it standing in my chamber; also,
the print of General Washington hanging in the passage.
Item.—I give and bequeath to my grand-daughter,
Elizabeth Parke Law, the dressing table and glass that stands in the chamber
called the yellow room, and General Washington's picture painted by Trumbull.
Item.— I give and bequeath to my grand-daughter,
Eleanor Parke Lewis, the large looking-glass in the front parlor, and any other
looking glass which she may choose; also, one of the new side-board tables in
the new room; also twelve chairs with green bottoms, to be selected by herself;
also, the marble table in the garret; also, the two prints of the Dead Soldier,
a print of the Washington Family in a box in the garret, and the great chair
standing in my chamber; also, all the plated ware not heretofore otherwise
bequeathed; also, all the sheets, table linen, napkins, towels, pillow-cases
remaining in the house at my death; also, three beds and bedsteads, curtains,
bolsters, and pillows for each bed, such as she shall choose, and not herein
particularly otherwise bequeathed, together with counterpanes and a pair of
blankets for each bed; also, all the wine-glasses and decanters of every kind;
and all the blue and white china in common use.
Item.—It is my will and desire that all the wine in
bottles in the vaults be equally divided between my grand-daughters and
grand-son, to each of whom I bequeath ten guineas to buy a ring for each.
Item.—It is my will and desire that Anna Maria
Washington, the daughter of my niece, be put into handsome mourning at my
death, at the expense of my estate; and I bequeath to her ten guineas to buy a
ring.
Item.—I give and bequeath to my neighbor, Mrs.
Elizabeth Washington, five guineas to get something in remembrance of me.
Item.—I give and bequeath to Mrs. David Stuart, five
guineas to buy her a ring.
Item.—I give and bequeath to Benjamin Lincoln Lear,
one hundred pound specie, to be vested in funded stock of the United States,
immediately after my decease, and to stand in his name as his property, which
investment my executors are to cause to be made.
Item.—When the vestry of Truro Parish shall buy a
glebe, I devise, will and bequeath that my executors shall pay one hundred
pounds to them in aid of the purchase, provided the said purchase be made in my
life-time, or within three years after my decease.
Item.—It is my will and desire that all the rest and
residue of my estate, of whatever kind and description, not herein specifically
devised or bequeathed, shall be sold by the executors of this, my last will,
for ready money, as soon after my decease as the same can be done, and that the
proceeds thereof together with all the money in the house and the debts due to
me (the debts due from me and the legacies herein bequeathed being first
satisfied,) shall be invested by my executors in eight per cent stock of the
funds of the United States, and shall stand on the Book in the name of my
executors in their character of executors of my will; and it is my desire that
the interest thereof shall be applied to the education of Bartholomew Henley
and Samuel Henley, the two youngest sons of my sister Henley, and also to the
education of John Dandridge son of my deceased nephew, John Dandridge, so that
they may be severally fitted and accomplished in some useful trade; and to each
of them, who shall have lived to finish his education, or to reach the age of
twenty-one years, I give and bequeath one hundred pounds, to set him up in his
trade.
Item.—My debts and legacies being paid, and the
education of Bartholomew Henley, Samuel Henley and John Dandridge, aforesaid,
being completed, or they being all dead before the completion thereof, it is my
will and desire that all my estates and interest in whatever form existing,
whether in money, funded stock, or any other species of property, shall be equally
divided among all the persons hereinafter named, who shall be living at the
time that the interest of the funded stock shall cease to be applicable, in
pursuance of my will hereinbefore expressed, to the education of my nephews,
Bartholomew Henley, Samuel Henley and John Dandridge, namely: among Anna Maria
Washington, daughter of my niece, and John Dandridge, son of my nephew, and all
my great grandchildren living at the time that the interest of the said funded
stock shall cease to be applicable to the education of the said B. Henley, S.
Henley, and John Dandridge, and the interest shall cease to be so applied when
all of them shall die before arriving at the age of twenty-one years, or those
living shall have finished their education or have arrived at the age of
twenty-one years, and so long as any one of the three lives who has not
finished his education or arrived to the age of twenty-one years, the division
of the said residue is to be deferred, and no longer.
Lastly.—I nominate and appoint my grandson, George
Washington Parke Custis, my nephews, Julius B. Dandridge and Bartholomew
Dandridge, and my son-in-law, Thomas Peter, executors of this, my last will and
testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-second day of September, in the year eighteen
hundred.
MARTHA WASHINGTON.
[SEAL.]
Sealed, signed, acknowledged and delivered as her last will
and testament, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, who have been
requested to subscribe the same, as such, in her presence.
ROGER FARRELL,
WILLIAM SPENCER,
LAWRENCE LEWIS,
MARTHA PETER.
MARCH 4, 1802.
I give to my grand-son, George Washington Parke Custis, my
mulatto man Elish, that I bought of Mr. Butler Washington, to him and his heirs
forever.
SOURCE: Benson John Lossing, The Home of Washington; Or, Mount Vernon and
Its Associations, Historical, Biographical, and Pictorial, p. 420-5.
