I made the trip to the Louisa County Historical Society in January. Before I went I checked their list of files online and made a list of the ones I wanted to see. The personnel in Louisa were very helpful but the files I looked at were much less helpful. If only Janice Abercrombie had worked on the Moorman family genealogy! The files I looked at mentioned the name Moorman or Douglas, but only as a neighbor and all of the wrong generation.
I had planned on going to the Louisa County Clerk of Courts office to locate the will of Charles Moorman (1671-1757) but I didn’t need to add that stop to my trip. The Historical Society has a spreadsheet of wills as well as images of scanned copies on their computer system. Elizabeth Reynolds (1686-1765), Charles’ wife, also wrote a will.
Transcription of will of Charles Moorman, written 9 May 1755, recorded 24 May 1757, Louisa County, Virginia Will Book 1, page 30:
…Louisa County being perfect heath[sic] Sence and memory blest to [alm]ighty God for the same do acknowledge this to be my last will & [testa] ment this ninth day of May in the Year of our Lord One thousand [seven] hundred and fifty five which is as followeth Item I le[ave] unto [my be]oved wife Elizabeth all by household furniture and Stock of [?][torn] Horses and Mares with four Negroes named Toby Jack Cuffee [torn] Dina for her proper use during Widowhood or Life and after her [dea]th these four above named Negroes with the Increase and all [torn] forementioned Goods and Chattels to be Equally divided between my [torn] Sons Thomas Charles and Achelus Moorman Item I give & [bequ] eath unto my beloved Son Charles Moorman three hundred and [ei]ghty Acres of Land being more or less lying and being on Both [s]ides of [??shone] Creek the land whereon he no Lives to him his heirs and assigns forever Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Archilus Moorman the Land and Plantation whereon I now live Containing four hundred and twenty Acres More or Less to him his heirs & Assigns forever Item I give & Bequeath unto my three Sons Thomas Charles and Achilus Moormen four Negroes named Harry little Harry Jenny and Nany to be Equally divided in value [be]tween all three above named Sons Item I give unto my Daughter Judith the wife of John Douglass One Shilling Sterling Money Item I give unto my Daughter Ann the wife of Thomas Martin One Shilling Starling money and I do appoint & [illegible] my three Sons Thomas Charles & Achelus Moormen with my wife Elizabeth Executors & Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament I desire my Estate may not be Appraised
Charles (his mark) Moormen
Signed in Presence of George Taylor, Joseph (his mark) Megea, Thomas Clark
At a Court held for Louisa County on the 24th Day of May 1757 this Will was This Day proved in Open Court by the oaths of George Taylor & Thomas Clark Witnesses thereto & by the [torn] Admitted to Record is recorded Teste James Littlepage [torn]
Transcription of will of Elizabeth Reynolds Moorman, written 29 January 1761, recorded 11 May 1765, Louisa County, Virginia Will Book 1, page 68:
Be it known to all men that I Elizabeth Moorman of Louisa County being of sound Mind and Memory for which I desire to be made truly thankfull to the Lord calling to mind the uncertainty of this Life do make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following Item I give and bequeath to my three Sons Thomas Moorman Charles Moorman and Archillis Moorman all my Money or Negroes if I should gain any whatsoever Estate else I should have gain’d since the death of my Husband to be equally divided Between the Three fore mentioned Sons Except my warring Apparel which I give to by two Daughters Judith Douglass and Anne Martin to be equally divided between them In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my Seal this twenty ninth Day of January one thousand seven hundred and sixty one
Elizabeth (her mark) Moorman
Sign’d seald published and declar’d by the Testator as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us
George Thompson, Lucy English, Mary Thompson
At a Court held for Louisa County on the 11th Day of May 1765
This will was this Day proved in open Court by the Oaths of George Thompson Lucy English Mary Thompson Witnesses thereto and by the Court admitted to record and is recorded Teste Jame Littlepage Cl. court
