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Will Book 17, Page 62

Washington County Courthouse, Abingdon, Virginia

I, Charles Mann of the County of Washington & State of Virginia being weak in body but of disposing mind & memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament.  I diret all my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid.  I will and bequath to my bloved wife Mary An Mann one third of all my real and personal estate of every kind during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow, and at the death of my wife or marriage I will and bequath my entire estate Real & personal of every kind to my following named children & to their heirs forever to have an equal share to each of them to wit:  Eliza A. Smith, Henry A. Mann, Elizabeth Sproles, Mary M. Phelps, Patty Luisnuda Mann daughter of Richard Mann, Martha L. Hite & Sarah C. Nunley which I will to them and their heirs forever.  I hereby constitute and apoint my two soons, Henry A. Mann & Richard Mann my executors to execute this my last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 14^th day of October 1866.

                                                                                                             his
                                                                                                    Charles x Mann
                                                                                                            mark

Witnesses

William Combs

Elijah Mongle

At a Court continued and held for Washington County the 23^rd day of October 1866

The last Will and Testament of Charles Mann deceased was proved in Court by the oaths of William Combs and Elijah Mongle the subscribing Witnesses thereto and is ordered to be recorded.  And on the motion of Richard Mann & Henry A. Mann the Executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with John M. Hamilton their security entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of one thousand dollars condition as the law directs.  A Certificate is therefore granted them for obtaining a probate of said Will in due form.

                                                                        Teste—

Notes:    We can assume from the date of his will and the date it was entered in the record that Charles Mann died between October 14^th and October 22^nd 1866.

Eliza A. Smith was married to Emmanuel Smith, Elizabeth Sproles was married to Thomas Sproles, Mary M. Phelps was married to John Phelps, Martha L. Hite was married to Nicholas Hite, Sarah C. Nunley was married to Osborn Nunley.

In the 1860 Census, Richard Mann is shown as being age 28 and living at home with his parents.  From this Will and from some other documents found in Chancery Court, it appears that he must have married in the early 1860’s and had this daughter Patty L. Mann. 

Henry A. Mann declared Bankruptcy in the early 1870’s.  The Chancery Court books contain records of a long ongoing battle over the Charles Mann estate.  It appears that they had a hard time finally dividing the farm into seven equal portions.  It also appears that whatever caused Henry A. Mann to go bankrupt may have stimulated these suits as they tried to separate his property from the rest of them.  But there were also a large number of suits with Patty L. Mann as the plaintiff against the rest.  It appeared that her mother or guardian was trying to ensure that this grandchild got their part of the estate.

This page was last updated on 02/14/18 07:12 PM