Testator:  John Thompson of Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Date signed:  16 Feb 1829
Executors:  Richard Thompson (son), Zachariah Curtus
Witnesses:  John Tucker, Richard Thompson, Chesley Curtus, William Thompson
Recorded:  Mecklenburg County Court House, Boydton, VA, Will Book 12, pp. 13-15
Court proceedings appear to span Apr thru Oct, 1829. 

Sons:  James M. THOMPSON, John THOMPSON, Edward THOMPSON, Richard THOMPSON

Daughters:  Nancy DAVIS, Elizabeth LETT

Grandsons:  William THOMPSON (s/o James M.), Richard THOMPSON, John W. THOMPSON, Spencer THOMPSON, Fendollee THOMPSON (s/o Edward), Dick Richard THOMPSON, Fendol Lewis DAVIS, Henderson THOMPSON

Granddaughters:  Sally Ann THOMPSON, Martha THOMPSON, Quentina LETT, Nancy LETT, Araline DAVIS, Nancy DAVIS

Others:  Fanny THOMPSON, wife of son Richard THOMPSON; Thomas B. JACKSON; Hugh DAVIS; Jessee PATRICK?/PARRISH? 

Slaves:  Ruffin, Welb?, Amy, Arnold, Phebe, Waddy, Tishee?/Tahee?, Jack, Billy, Polly, Rachal, Rose, Burwell, Goodwin, Henneretter?

First of all my will and desire is that my just debts be truly and [unreadable] paid and then the residue of my whole estate I give and bequeath in manner and form following.

Item.  I give to Grandson William Thompson, the youngest son of James M. Thompson, one negro boy named Ruffin to him and his heirs forever.

Item.  I give and bequeath to my two Grandsons Richard Thompson and John W. Thompson all my land that lies to the east of cold water branch Begining at the [unreadable]

branch where it empties on the [remainder of line unreadable] through the field to Coleman Line to the [remainder of line unreadable] field to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever togather with all its profits and advantages to it belonging.

Item.  I also give and bequeath to my said Grandson John W. Thompson one negro man named [unreadable — Welb?] one negro Woman named Amy and one negro boy named Arnold to him and his heirs forever.

Item.  I also give and bequeath to my said grandson Richard Thompson one negro woman named Phebe & one negro boy named Waddy to him and his heirs forever.

Item. my will and desire is that my two Grandson above named with all that I have given them that is to say the above named land and negroes to remain togather and live on their possessions peaceable and uninterupted as long as they shall please or think proper.

Item.  I lend to Fanny Thompson wife of my son Richard Thompson one negro Woman named Tishee[?] and her child named Jack untill my Grand daughter Sally ann Thompson shall become of age or get married at which time I give and bequeath to my said Grand daughter Sally Ann Thompson the above named negro Woman Tahee[?] and her child Jack and their increase forever.

Item.  I lend to my son John Thompson one young negro man named Billy untill my grandson Spenser Thompson shall be Eighteen years old at which time I give and bequeath to my said Grandson Spenser Thompson the above named negro man Billy to him and his heirs forever.

Item.  I give and bequeath to my Grand daughter Martha Thompson one negro Girl named Polly and her increase if any to her and her heirs forever.

Item.  I lend to my son Edward Thompson two negro women namely one named Rachal and one named Rose untill his oldest son Fendollee Thompson shall be eighteen years old at which time I give and bequeath the said two negro women Rachal and Rose to my two Grandsons Fendollee Thompson and Dick Richard Thompson to them and their heirs forever.

Item.  I likewise give and bequeath to my said two Grand sons Fendollee Thompson and Dick Richard Thompson all my land the north side of cold water branch Begining at the mouth of said branch where it empties in the creek thence up the said branch through the field to the road at Colemans line with all its profits and advantages to it belonging to them and their heirs forever yet my will and desire is that my son Edward Thompson should have the use of the said land untill his oldest son Fendolle Thompson is Eighteen years old and no longer.

Item.  I lend to my Daughter Nancy Davis one negro man named Burwell untill my Grandson Fendol Lewis Davis becomes to be sixteen years old at which time, I give and bequeath the said negro man named Burwell to my said Grandson Fendol lewis Davis to him and his heirs forever.

Item.  I give and bequeath to my grandson

Item.  I lend to my Daughter Elizabeth Lett one negro man named Goodwin and one negro girl named Henneretter untill my grand Daughter quentina Lett shall be of age or get married at which time I give and bequeath to my said Grand daughter quentina Lett the said negro man named Goodwin to her and her heirs forever.

Item.  I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Nancy Lett the said negro girl Henneretters to her and her heirs forever, to be given to her at the time as her sister quentina Lett shall be of age or get married.

Item my will and desire is that the Whole of the remaining part of my whole Estate that I have not mentioned nor given away be sold and the money arising from that sale be Equally Divided between my five grand children Namely Araline Davis, Nancy Davis, Fendollee Thompson, Dick Richard Thompson, and Henderson Thompson.

Lastly I appoint my son Richard Thompson and Zachariah Curtus Executors to this my last Will and Testament this 16th Feby 1829.

John [his mark] Thompson [Seal]

Signed Sealed and acnowledged in the presence of
John Tucker
Richard [his mark] Thompson
Chesley Curtus
William [his mark] Thompson

The foregoing last will and Testament of John Thompson decd was this day produced in court for probat and on motion of Edward Thompson & Thomas B. Jackson It is Ordered that the motion for probat be continued untill the next court mecklenburg County July court 1829.  The foregoing last will and Testament of John Thompson decd was again produced in court for probat and thereupon John Tucker, Chesley Curtus& Wm Thompson three of the subscribing witnesses were sworn and examined [unreadable] the execution of the same and sundry Witnesses [unreadable] by Edward Thompson & Thomas B. Jackson who opposed the said motion for probat were sworn and examined and the parties fully heard by counsel.  On consideration whereof the court is of opinion that the said writing is the true last will and Testament of the said John Thompson decd and doth Order that the same be recorded, and thereupon Jack Curtus one of the exers named in said will appeared in Court and refused to take upon himself the burden of the execution thereof, and at a Court held for mecklenburg County 19th day of Oct 1829 On motion of Richard Thompson the other exer named in said will who made oath and togather with Hugh Davis and Jessee Patrick[?]/Parrish[?] his [unreadable] entered into and acknowledged his bond in the penalty of $10,000 certificate is granted him for [remainder unreadable]...

It is claimed that the kin mentioned in testator's will constitute all of his living descendants and that the lack of a bequest to son, James M. Thompson, meant that James was dead at the time.  But I would point out that none of the testator's children received a bequest!  All the bequests were to grandchildren, with slaves or land merely loaned to his children until the particular grandchild came of age.  I submit that the reason James was not "loaned" any assets for his children is that, as the testator's eldest son, James's children were all of age and/or married by 1829.  In other words, there was no need to "loan" him any assets for safekeeping.

There is another important phrase in the will, where the testator writes, "I give to [my] Grandson William Thompson, the youngest son of James M. Thompson…"  The clear implication is that there were other, older sons of James M. Thompson to whom he made no bequests (not to mention James M.'s daughters).   If there were no older sons living, there would have been no need to say "youngest son of…"  We can never know the reasons why John Senior chose to leave bequests to some grandchildren and not to others, but clearly that is what he did.  And was the fact that James M. had gone to Kentucky enough to ensure he was cut out of the will?  Had William gone back to Virginia and is that the reason he was included?  And was James M. really James Mills?  There was many a James Madison Thompson, including one in Christian Co., KY.