In the name of God amen. I, Isaac F. House of the County of Brunswick and State of Virginia, being weak and feeble in bodily health, but of sound mind and disposing memory, knowing the uncertainty of human life, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following~ Imprimes, It is my will and desire that my executors herein after named pay my just debts and funeral expenses,~ Secondly, It is my will that my beloved wife Elizabeth take such part of my estate as she would take if I died intestate~ Thirdly, I give and devise to my son Eaton Pugh House and his heirs forever, the tract of land whereon I reside, subject to my wife's dower. I have heretofore given to my sons John and Jordan a tract of land each~ Fourth, the tract of land on which my son Dudley lives containing about one hundred and eighty acres and adjoining that on which I live. I devise and convey to my sons in trust for the benefit of Dudley House's wife and children.~ Fifthly, It is my will that the negroes heretofore given by me to my sons John and Jordan shall be taken as a part of what I intend to give them and that the negroes given by me to my daughter Martha, who intermarried with Henry A. House, shall be considered her full share of my estate~ Sixthly, It is my will, that the balance of my negroes after taking out the dower slaves, should be divided in such a manner among my sons John, Jordan and Eaton and my daughter Margaret and the children of Dudley House, as will make their shares respectively equal. And in order to do this, I direct that three negroes of equal value with those given to my son John shall allotted to my son Eaton, and three negroes of the same value be alloted to my daughter Margaret, and such a number to my son Jordan, as added to the one heretofore given him, will make his share equal to John's and the same quantity of negroes to the children of Dudley House, which negroes I bequeathed to my said children and grandchildren respectively. If any slaves should be left after making the above disposition of therm, I wish them to be equally divided among John, Jordan, Eaton P., and Margaret R. House and the children of Dudley House.~ Sevently, At the death of my wife it is my will that the slaves held by her as her dower therein, should be divided into five equal parts, and one allotted to my son John, another to my son Jordan, another to my son Eaton Pugh, another to my daughter Margaret and another to my Grandchildren, the children of Dudley House.~ Eightly, I desire that the residue of my estate after paying my sons a reasonable compensation for managing my estate, shall be distributed equally among my four children John, Jordan, Eaton P., Margaret and the children of Dudley House the said children taking one fifth part thereof. I wish no account taken in the distribution of my estate, of any beds or bed clothing which I may have given to any of my children. I have given to my son Eaton a horse of which I desire no account taken. Lastly, I do hereby appoint my friends Richard S. Sims and Edward Dromgoole Executors of this my last will and testament, given under my seal.
Isaac F. House
Signed and sealed and acknowledged before us
James R. Seward
John I. Weaver
Entered in Brunswick County Court August term 1852.
Will Book 15, page 664, Brunswick County, Virginia