Boaz / Boaze / Boze Wills
Will of James Boaz
Patrick Co VA Will Book 4, pp. 152-3
In the name of God Amen. I James Boaz of the county of Patrick and state of Virginia being vary infirm but of perfect mind and memory, knowing that is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this instrument to be my last will and testament namely, first I recommend my soul to God who gave it & my body to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial, & as touching my worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of in the following manner & form,
Item 1st to my daughter Milly Boaz I give and bequeath all my estate real and personal except such as is hereafter excepted, that is I give and bequeath to her the said Milly Boaz all that part of the tract of land on which I now live lying and being in the county of Patrick and state of Virginia on both sides of Spoon Creek and bounded as follows, viz., Beginning at a corner white oak in Thos. Reynolds line thence with his line to pointers in his line made by my own act thence a south west course to the upper crop fence thence with that fence a chopped line to the outside fence thence running a southerly course crossing a branch to the meadow field and running above the house that James Boaz built and above the lot around the same to a persimmon tree thence almost south a little west to the old ridge path, thence a new chopped line to the head of a branch is Edmond Fulchers line thence with his line to Nowlins line thence with Nowlins line to a corner black oak on the ridge thence a conditional chopped line to a corner chestnut near the old ridge path thence a strait line north by east to the beginning to her the said Milly Boaz to be by her freely enjoyed & disposed of as she may think proper. I also give and bequesth to my said daughter Milly Boaz all & singular my goods and chattels of every nature & description together with all the stock of horses, cattle, hogs, & sheep & every other species of personal property which I may die possessed of, together with all the money if any should be on hand at the time of my death, all of which my will and desire is she the said Milly Boaz shall have the free and full use and dispose of as she may will or direct. My will and meaning is that all my just debts shall (sic; 'be paid' assumed) if any of the time of my death out of any money of property I may die possessed of.
I also give and bequeath to Daniel R. Pedigo and Agnes his wife late Agnes Boaz all that part of my tract of land comprehended in the following boundaries: Beginning at a corner chestnut oak near the old ridge path thence a new chopped line north by east to a corner white oak in Thos. Reynolds line thence with his line south to a corner Spanish oak, thence a straight line south by west to my corner black oak in Nowlins line thence a new chopped line to the beginning to them the said Daniel R. Pedigo and Agnes his wife free absolutely and unencumbered forever, by them to be fully possessed and enjoyed and disposed of as they may think proper. I also the give and bequeath to my son James Boaz Jr. the west side of my land and comprehended in the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at pointers in Thomas Reynolds line thence with the described as Milly Boaz line to the upper crop fence to the outside fence thence with his line crossing a branch to a persimmon tree above the house thence with her chopped to a chestnut oak near the old ridge path thence a new chopped line to Wm Boaz line thence with his line to A. Staples line to a corner Spanish oak thence with his line east to Thomas Reynolds line thence with his line to the beginning. To him the said James Boaz Jr. his heir and assigns free and unencumbered forever now the condition of this bequest is that I am bound as security for my said son James Boaz to A. Staples for the sum of seventeen dollars and some cents when given which of the said James Boaz Jr. pay the said above named and described is his forever but if given any cause he fails to pay the said debt before my death it is my will and desire the said land or so much thereof to be sold as will pay the said debt with interest and cost thereon, if any cost should accrue.
I also the I also give and bequeath to my daughter Tabitha Taylor one certain tract a parcel of land lying and being in the vicinity of Allens Spring, containing twenty eight acres more or less to her the said Tabitha Taylor her heir etc. free and unencumbered forever. To my other children. to wit, Russel Boaz, Phoebe Candler, Polly Hiatt (?) and Robert Boaz I give and bequeath the sum of one dollar each to be paid by my executor out of my money in his hands after my death, and lastly I constitute and appoint my trusty friend H.W. Reynolds the sole Executor of this my last will and testament
Revoking all former wills legacies and bequests and declaring this instrument and no other to my last will and testament
James Boaz [his mark] [seal]
Charles T. (or I.? J.?) Martin, William Caitze (Cates?), Wm Edwards
We hereby recognize the title to the land as described and mentioned in this will devised to James Boaz Jr. as perfect and free from any interference, with the rights of one of us Milly Boaz and relinquish to him or his assigns the land therein described to all intents and purposes saving and excepting a small piece lying on both sides of Spoon Creek and containing two or three acres as agreed upon between James Boaz Go. and James Boaz Jr. in the presence of Barnabas Baliles, the lines localities etc. being known to the said B. Baliles, the said small piece being reserved for the said James Boaz Sr. for the fire wood & timber only during the life (sic) James Boaz Sr. We bind ourselves to make to the said A. Staples his heir or assigns a good and lawful right and title to the whole of the land as described in this will devised by one of us to the said James Boaz Jr. whenever required by said A. Staples or his heir or assigns saving the reservation as above mentioned.
Given under our hands the 16th day of August 1847
James Boaz Sr [his mark], Milly Boaz [her mark] Teste, William Hancock
Patrick Clerks Office August 1847
The above instrument or title bond was proved by the witness William Hancock and admitted to record.
Teste., L.G. Rucher, D.C.
I do not have further information on this family. I selected the will because I have found few records of Boaz and because other ancestors of mine came to MO from Patrick county. My one known Boaz ancestor, Juretta Boze, of unknown origin, married Matthew Patterson on 24 May 1838 in Ripley county MO, so my folks were not in VA in the generation of this deed. If this is your line, or if you have other Boaz records to share, I'd be glad to add an email or webpage link to you here.