1795 RICHARD

 

We think further information on this Richard Bandy is of interest. 

SOME CONJECTURE ON RICHARD

 

We showed the following material to our good friend and historian, Dr. Robert C. Black, III.  Bob said he felt there is a strong probability that Richard came to America as an indentured servant.  This would mean that in return for his passage from England, he would serve seven years apprenticeship.  At the end of this service, he would be given the tools of his trade.  Skilled labor was much in demand and well paid - hence Richard's ability to accumulate considerable property over the ensuing years.

TORY SYMPATHY

 

On September 30, 1780, Richard Bandy was charged^[1] with treason and that he admitted he took an oath.   The oath is not given in the record, but presumably was of allegiance to the King of England.  The Court ordered him to be placed in jail awaiting trial. 

 

A number of others were similarly charged.  Of these, familiar names are Joseph Greer, Josiah Meadors, John Bradshaw, Anthony Epperson and Joseph Wilson.  The oath does not appear in the records of these men either.

 

On October 16, 1780, the Virginia General Assembly passed a statute^[2] pardoning anyone in certain Southwest Virginia counties who had made allegiance to King George who now would take an oath of fidelity to the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The statute names Richard Bandy and the others listed above as being persons to whom the statute is specifically extended.

 

Since there is no further record of a treason trial, we assume Richard and the others were enlightened after it was so well explained to them!

 

There is nothing in the record to indicate whether the above Richard Bandy was 1795 Richard or 1815 Richard.  We have thought of the following factors which might give a clue.  The first two indicate it was 1795 Richard; the third would point to 1815 Richard; and the fourth could indicate either.

1. 1795 Richard probably was born in Great Britain and therefore might have had more reluctance to part from it.

2. 1795 Richard bought land in Bedford County in 1767 from John Bradshaw - the name of one of the prisoners.

3. 1815 Richard had sons named Joseph Wilson and Epperson, possibly after two of the others involved - fellow prisoners, perhaps, or are they just common names at the time?

4. Two of 1795 Richards children (and 1815 Richard's siblings) married a Greer and a Meadors.

RICHARD'S WILL

 

The July 21, 1795, Botetourt County, VA, will written by Richard Bandy, was probated in Botetourt County Court in the September, 1795, session.  This will reads as follows^[3]:

 

"In the name of God, amen.  I Richard Bandy of the County of Botetourt and State of Virginia being afflicted in body by sickness but of sound mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of mankind knowing that it is appointed for all men to die; do make and ordain this my last will and testament.  Principally and first of all I recommend my soul to God who gave it in hopes of receiving the same again to be Reunited to this my fail[?] body at the full resurrection.  By the almighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life; I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner of our impremise[?].  It is my will and desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses are to be paid out of my personal estate by my Executors hereafter to be named.  Then it is my further will and desire that the balance of my personal estate be sold and equally divided Between my following children and my wife Lucy Bandy that is to say Between Thomas Bandy, Richard Bandy, John Bandy, George Bandy, Mary Lewis wife of Thomas Lewis, Eliza widow and relect of Equalla Greer, Sarah wife of Benjamin Jordan, Katy Bandy an infant, Henry Bandy son of Ann Bandy now wife of James Neighbors and my widow Lucy Bandy.  Then it is also my will that the land I now live on shall be rented out by my executors during my wife's widowhood excepting to my said widow the house where I live together with such a piece of land thereto adjoining as may best suit her for a garden and excepting two acres which rent I allow to my said widow the one half thereof during the time she remains my widow and at that period I allow the land to be sold and the money arising from the sale therof to be equally divided between my children above mentioned and also an equal part to my grandson Henry Bandy.  It is my will that my executors do annually give to my said widow her part of the rent aforesaid for the support of her and my child and if at any time my said widow shall consent to have the aforesaid land sold, I hereby vest my said executors with full power and authority to sell and dispose of the same and to make titles in fee simple to the purchasor or purchasors for the same and I do appoint my sons Thomas Bandy and Richard Bandy the sole executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all former wills by me in any ways made Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.  In testimony whereof I do hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of July 179five.

"Signed and acknowledged in the presence of:

      James Mason

      Richard _his(C)_mark Bandy      Richard _his(X)_mark^[4] Bandy (seal)

      Thomas Bandy

"At September Botetourt Court 1795:

This instrument of writing purported to be the last will and testament of Richard Bandy deceased was exhibited in court and proved by the oath of James Mason, Richard Bandy and Thomas Bandy witnesses thereto subscribed and thereupon ordered to be recorded and on motion of Thomas Bandy and Richard Bandy the executors therein named, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form they having first made oath entered into and acknowledged bond according to law. "

RICHARD'S ESTATE

 

There is a listing of the inventory of 1795 Richard's personal property made in appraising his estate^[5].  We think that this list tells us a great deal about the nature of life in colonial times. 

 

Most, if not all, of the items are concerned with the necessities of living.  It is hard to find something which can be classified a luxury.  By today's standards, this seems a rather meager list of belongings.  However, Dr. Robert C. Black says that from this list and Richard's land holdings, he would judge Richard was an above middle class citizen of his day.  Dr. Black continues by saying that Richard did especially well considering the fact that he was illiterate.  

 

The values in the right hand column in the inventory list which follows are pounds, shillings and pence.  These values add up to a total of 143 pounds, 18 shillings and 6 pence.

 

"One negroe winch Jenny                                                                                                   15. 0. 0

One bay mare                                                                                                                        15. 0. 0

One old saddle and bridle                                                                                                   1. 0. 0

One ax and one hoe                                                                                                              0. 9. 0

One small jug and a pair of sheep shears                                                                         0. 4. 0

Seven sheep                                                                                                                           2. 2. 0

One Black sow                                                                                                                      1. 0. 0

Three barrows [castrated hogs],

   one black and two sandy                                                                                                  1.10. 0

One pair velvet breaches                                                                                                     1. 3. 0

One velvet jacket                                                                                                                  0.15. 0

One coat                                                                                                                                 2.15. 0

One pair leather breaches                                                                                                    0. 5. 0

One cotton Jacket                                                                                                                  0. 7. 0

One bond payable in common trade

  in the amount                                                                                                                      40. 0. 0

Five hogs at 15 [shillings] per hog                                                                                   3.15. 0

Four small hogs at 10 [shillings] per hog                                                                        2. 0. 0

Two trowel hoes                                                                                                                    0. 6. 0

One round cleves and one gyg [gig?]                                                                               0. 3. 0

One black mare                                                                                                                     9. 0. 0

One bell cow                                                                                                                          3. 0. 0

Three young cows, two red, one dark                                                                                9. 0. 0

One brown heifer                                                                                                                  1.11. 0

One muly [hornless] bull calf                                                                                             0. 8. 0

One heifer calf                                                                                                                      0. 6. 0

One ax, one sprouting hoe, one weeding hoe                                                                   0.10. 0

One red yearling bull                                                                                                          0.12. 0

One brier[?] scythe and hangings                                                                                     0. 2. 0

One large iron pott                                                                                                              0.15. 6

One dutch oven                                                                                                                    0.12. 0

One smoothing iron                                                                                                             0. 2. 6

Two large dishes, four plates,

    two basons, three spoons                                                                                                 1. 2. 6

Two pailes                                                                                                                             0. 2. 6

One churn                                                                                                                             0. 3. 0

One washing tub                                                                                                                  0. 2. 6

One table                                                                                                                               0. 0. 6

One chest                                                                                                                               0. 3. 0

Three bells                                                                                                                             0. 3. 0

One gun                                                                                                                                 0.15. 0

One bedstead with bed and furniture                                                                                1. 8. 0

One musket                                                                                                                           0.15. 0

One dough chest, old saddle bags,

    cag[keg?] and hackle [rooster or cock

    feathers?]                                                                                                                           0. 6. 0

One black stray mare                                                                                                           4. 0. 0

Two old hogsheads                                                                                                              0. 8. 0

One pair cotton cards and one pair wool cards

    [brushes to disentangle fibers]                                                                                        0. 7. 6

One small decanter                                                                                                              0. 2. 6

One iron wedge                                                                                                                    0. 3. 0

Four hogs                                                                                                                              2.15. 0

Nine barrels of corn                                                                                                             4.10. 0

Two barrels and a half of nubings                                                                                     0.12. 6

Two small sides of leather                                                                                                   0.11. 0

About fifty dozen of oats                                                                                                     3.15. 0

Rent corn by James Gowen                                                                                                  8. 0. 0

  Sam Crawford )

  Abram Howell ) Appraisers

  John Brooks  )

"At December Botetourt Court 1795:

This inventory and appraisement of the estate of Richard Bandy deceased returned to court and ordered to be recorded."

 

The value of Richard's land ownership and rental income brought the total estate value to slightly over 298 pounds on October 6, 1808^[6].

SETTLEMENT OF RICHARD'S ESTATE

 

Co-executor Thomas seemed to do most of the settling of the estate. Points we find of interest are^[7]:

1. On February 20, 1800, legatees Richard Bandy, John Bandy, Elizabeth Greer, George Bandy, Thomas Lewis, Thomas Bandy, and Sarah Jordan all got partial settlements of 7 pounds, 11 shillings and 7 pence each.  Widow Lucy got 21.2.7 at this time.

2. By February 20, 1800, the estate had received 125 pounds for the sale of 125 acres of land.  It is interesting that we could find no record in Botetourt land transactions for a sale, by Richard's estate, that matched this size and/or price.

3. The 100 pounds Thomas presumably paid the estate for the 254 acres he bought on September 8, 1801^[8], never shows up in the estate's receipts.  Maybe this sale and the one in point 2 above are the same and the estate and land records do not agree as to price and size.

4. On October 6, 1808, legatees Thomas Bandy, Richard Bandy, Elizabeth Greer and Sarah Jordan each received 10.9.3 more. 

5. The balance in the estate after the October 6, 1808, disbursements is 66.9.6. 

6. No further record of the estate's settlement could be found.

7. The records do not show that John Bandy, George Bandy and Thomas Lewis got their second portion or that Katy and Henry got anything.  Does this mean the latter two were still minors in 1808?  If second payments of 10.9.3 were made to John, George and Lewis and total payments of 18.0.10 to Katy and Henry, this would add up to 67.9.5.  This compares fairly closely with the October 6, 1808, balance of 66.9.6.