“IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN–I LAWRENCE DAMERON being weake in body yett thanks be to God in perfect memory doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following:

I bequeath my soule to God, my creator and my body to the earth. I bequeath unto my sonne Bartholomew Dameron one halfe of five hundred acres of land situated in Great Wicocomoco which I bought of Mr. Peter Knight, the said land to be enjoyed peaceably by said Bartholomew and his heirs for ever, and to be delivered to him at the death of his mother with one cedar Bedstead, one long table with forme and benches to it, and one Couch, all which stands in the Great Roome.

I give unto my son George Dameron, the other half of 599 acres of land above described to him and his heirs for ever with one Cedar Bedstead, one small table and one Couch which all stands in the Chamber to be divided at the death of his mother and then the land and the houses to be equally divided between Bartholomew and George Dameron and George Dameron.

I give unto ea . . . . . . . . three sonnes Bartholomew Dameron and Thomas
. . . men servants that have fower . . .
. . . . . . . . to serve five barrels of corne . . .
. . . . . . . . one good feather bed with. . . .
fixed guns, one good chests . . . . . . . . great one
and one little fower . . . . .
three silver spoons, these to be . . . .
they come to the . . . . . . . . .

I give and bequeath . . . .
one able man servant . . .
serve, six cows . . . . .
to it one inland . . . . .
(1) iron pot fower . . . .
spoons to be deliv . . . .

I give and bequeath . . . .
of the further ov . . . .
halfe of it and . . . . .
that and the head of . . .
for them and theirs . . .
they come to the . . . . .

My will is that if . . .
come to the age of . . . . .
then the legacy . . . .
be equally divided amongst the survivers . . . . . land belonging to the male.

I doe give unto my ‘wife Dorothy Dameron my debts and Legacies being paid and my children being maintained until they come to age of 17 years the whole remainder of my estate hereby making her my full and whole and sole executrix. Hereby entreating and ordering Mr. Thomas Hopkins and Abraham Byran to be the overseers of this my last will and testament and to see it performed, unto each of ‘which said persons I doe give twenty shillings sterling.

In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and this I acknowledge to be my last will and testament as witness my hand this first day of May 1660,

LAWRENCE DAMERON (Seale)

Witness,

Henry Mayes, Thomas Gaskins.

December 17th, 1660, this will was proved in the county court of Northumberland to be the last will and testament of Lawrence Dameron by the oaths of Thomas Gaskins and Henry Mayes, execution thereof committed to Dorothy Dameron being appointed executrix in the Will and the said will is recorded.”

“Note: This… will was found in an old book in Heathsville, Virginia, with the brittle pages crumbled away. It is copied down to show where the lines were obliterated. Whenever old records are quoted, I have tried to copy down the exact language and punctuation, though sometimes they have had to be taken from other copies and not from the originals.”²