The Story of Gabriel and Marie Maupin

Page 73

Gabriel Maupin died early in the year 1720 and he named his wife, Mary, as his executrix. Maupin's old French Bible and some of his furniture was in the possession of some of his descendants just prior to the Civil War. The greater part of his personal property was destroyed when the British occupied Yorktown. His sword, carried to Kentucky by one of his descendants, has also disappeared. His will was destroyed by fire at Richmond, the 3rd and 4th of April 1865, following the evacuation of the capital of the Confederacy by Gen. Lee. However Dr. Socrates Maupin had found and copied the will about 1850. His affidavit is as follows: "The subscriber copied the will, codicil, etc., from the records of the General Court at Richmond, about twenty years ago. Said records were then deposited in the state courthouse on the southeast corner of Capitol square, and remained there until the disastrous conflagration of the 3rd and 4th of April 1865, when they were destroyed by fire together with the building". S. Maupin, May 14th 1870.

WILL OF GABRIEL MAUPIN "In the name of God, Amen. The second of Sept. 1719, I Gabriel Maupin, of Williamsburg, being sick of body but of a sound mind and memory, praise be to God for the same, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following: - and first I bequeath my soul in to the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth to be decently buried according to the discretion of my executrix hereafter named, and as touching such worldly estate as it has pleased God to bless me with, I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: - first I will that all of my just debts be truly paid. Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mary Maupin, fifty pounds current money to be paid her at the decease of my loving wife, Mary Maupin. Item, I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Mary Maupin, the dwelling house and lot wherein I now dwell, during her natural life, and at her decease I appoint my two sons, Daniel Maupin and Gabriel Maupin, or the survivor of them, to sell the same to the highest bidder at public sale and the proceeds thereof I give to be equally divided amongst my three children and their heirs, - Item, all the rest of my estate of whatever nature or quality soever, I give to be equally divided amongst my wife, Mary, and my aforesaid three children, but my children's part not to be paid until after the decease of my loving wife, aforesaid. Lastly, do I appoint my loving wife, Mary Maupin, my whole and sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament, revoking all former wills and testaments and allowing this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.

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In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this day and year aforesaid. GABRIEL MAUPIN (seal) Signed, sealed, Published and declared by the said Gabriel Maupin (the words "or the survivor of them" and "I give" being first interlined) to be his last will and testament in the presence of the subscribers. Christo. Smith, Richard Brand, William Thorpe

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Codicil to the Will of Gabriel Maupin "Upon mature consideration I have thought fit to alter some parts of my will (viz) instead of dividing my estate equally among my children according to my last two devising paragraphs of the Will, I give to each of my sons (viz) Daniel and Gabriel, ten pounds current money to be paid them after the decease of my loving wife, Mary Maupin, -All the rest of my estate, both real and personal, I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, and her heirs forever, revoking whatever is contrary to this devise in any part of my will. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the first day of Dec. 1719. Gabriel Maupin (seal) Witnesses: Joseph Sutton John Davis Christo. Smith Virginia SS: At a General Court held at the Capitol, April 30th, 1720, this will of Gabriel Maupin, dec'd was this day proved in open court by the oaths of Richard Brand and Richard Thorpe, two of the witnesses to it, and the Codicil thereunto attached by the oaths of Joseph Sutton and John Davis, two of the witnesses to the same, Mary Maupin, the executrix, having made oath to said will and codicil according to Jaw. Teste. C.C. Thatcher, Clk of Gen'l Court Truly worded. Teste C. C. Thatcher, C. G. C.

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April 30, 1720, date of the General Court to prove the Will of Gabriel Maupin, gives us an appoximate date of his death. It also gives son Daniel's name first which shows he is the eldest son. Daughter Mary is called Mary MAUPIN indicating she was unmarried. From earlier publications this daughter was listed as the wife of Jacob Pressnel. This cannot be as according to the Codicil of Gabriel's Will Mary is not mentioned and she is called "Mary MAUPIN, deceased" in the Indenture of 1724. The Indenture which follows is lengthy but important because it identifies the last home of Gabriel, Lot #352 (now called Taliferro-Cole house). It tells us that wife Marie re-marries to Thomas Creas, a gardener for William & Mary College. According to Colonial Williamsburg Guide Book Thomas Creas and his wife Mary, widow of Gabriel, owned and lived in this house until they died, Mary in 1748 and Creas in 1756.

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