This Samuel Jordan lived in Nottoway Parish, Amelia County, Virginia.

Marriage

I don’t know who Samuel married but she must have died before December 21, 1760, as she is not mentioned in her husband’s will of that date.

Death

Samuel’s will was written on December 21, 1760, and recorded on February 26, 1761, making his death date sometime during that two month period.

Will

WB 1, p. 190, 21 Dec 1760.
Last Will and Testament of Samuel Jordan, Nottoway Parish, Amelia County

In the Name of God Amen This twenty first Day of December one thousand seven hundred and sixty I Samuel Jurden of the Parish of Notoway and County of Amelia Being sick and weak in Body but in perfect Sence and memory thanks be to God for the same their fore Caling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men Once to die doth make and Ordaine this my last Will and Testament that is to say Princepalsy and first of all I give and Recomend my Soul to God that gave it and my Body I Recomend to the Earth to be Buried in a Decent Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executor Not Doubting but at the General Resurection I shall Recive the same again by the Almighty Power of God, and as touching such Worldy Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this Life I give devise & Dispose of the same in the following forms & manner as followeth.

FIRST I give and Bequeth to my well beloved Sun Samuel Jurden One shilling Sterling to him & his Heirs for ever.
ALSO I give and Bequeth to my well beloved Sun William Jurden one Shilling Sterling to him & his Heirs forever.
ALSO I give and Bequeth to my well Beloved Daughter Hannah Yearbrough one Shilling Sterling to her & her Heirs forever.
ALSO I give and Bequeth to my GrandSun Edward Jurden Sun to Samuel Jurden the Choses of the Feather Beds and furnature and all that is upon his Plantation at Couches Creak in Lunenburg County that belongs to me which is the Negros and halfe the Mools [?] I give unto him and his Heirs forever.
ALSO I give and Bequeth to my Grand Sun Samuel Jurden Sun to William Jurden ye manor Plantation whereon I now Dwell and my Negro gal Sarah to him and the Heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten forever.
I ALSO give and bequeath to my above mentioned Grand Sun Samuel Jurden Sun to William Jurden all the Remainder of my Estate within doors and without when he arrives to the age of Twenty one years and that my Trustees keep it in their posseshon til he arrives to the age of twenty one years.

I ALSO Appoint Ludwell Beaker and Richard Clough Trustees and Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby Utterly disallow Revoak and Disanul all and every other former Testament Wills Leageces and Bequeaths and Executon by me in anyways before Named wills and Bequithed Rattefied and Confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament
IN WITNESS whereof I have hearunto set my hand and Seale this twenty first day of December One thousand seaven hundred and sixty.
Signed Seald and Delivered by the said Samuel Jurden as his last Will and Testament in the Presencs of
William Butler
Ann Butler [her mark]
Susannah Marcey [her mark]
Edward Jordan [mark]
{Samuel Jurden [his mark]

It’s important to note that abstracts of this will in published material contain a significant mistake, as seen below in Will book 1, Amelia County, Virginia: Wills, 1735-1761, Bonds, 1735-1754 (Amelia, Va.: Mid-South Pub. Co., 1978) by Gibson Jefferson McConnaughey.

WB 1, p. 190, 21 Dec 1760. Jurden, Samuel of Nottoway Parish. Leg: Samuel Jurden; son William Jurden; dau. Hannah Yarborough; g’son Edward Jurden, son of Edward Jurden, choice of all on his plantation on at Couches Creek in Lunenburg Co, Va that belong to me; g’son Samuel Jurden, son of William Jurden, manor plantation where I live; remainder of estate at 21 to Samuel Jurden, son of William Jurden. Wit: William Butler, Ann Butler, Susanna Marcey, Edward Jurden. Rec: 26 Feb 1761.

And here you can see a cropped section from the actual will that clearly says, “Edward Jurden, Sun to Samuel Jurden”, etc.

Samuel Jurden 1760 will, cropped section for grandson Edward Jordan

That’s a good lesson for genealogists: always go back to the primary source to confirm the facts.

Estate Chancery Case

I understand that there is an Estate Chancery Case 1773-001 for Amelia County, Virginia, regarding Samuel Jordan that I haven’t found yet. Please leave a comment if you have a copy of this.