Joseph Wilkes first bought land in Brunswick Co., VA in 1757, at which time he was then living in Dinwiddie Co. On 2 Dec. 1768 Joseph Wilkes voted for Frederick Maclin and Thomas Stith for election of Burgessesin Brunswick Co.
Will:
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the twenty-fifth of August in the year of ourLord God One thousand seven hundred and Eighty two I Joseph Wilkes ofthe County of Brunswick do appoint and ordain this my last will andTestament revoking all other, my Soul I Recommend to Gad that gave it,my body to be buried in a Christian manner and for what it has pleasedGod to bless me with I do Give and Bequeath as follows, to wit:
ITEM I give to my Daughter Sarah Wilkes one negro girl named Lender toher and her heirs forever.
ITEM I give to my son John Wilkes after the death or marriage of mywife the part of the tract of land I now live on lying on the fork ofGilberts branch to the back line the other part of my land to beequally divided between my sons Joseph Wilkes and Thomas Wilkes at thedeath or marriage of my wife but if either of my three young sonsshould die under age then their land to be equally divided between theother two to them or their heirs forever.
ITEM My desire is that my negroes should be equally divided after thedeath or marriage of my wife between my children Burwell Wilkes, JohnWilkes, Nancy Wilkes, Thomas Wilkes, Joseph Wilkes, Minah Wilkes andFrances Wilkes or such of them that shall survive the death of theirmother to them and their heirs forever.
ITEM I desire that my household furniture at the death or marriage ofmy wife to be equally divided between my children John Wilkes, BetsyWilkes, Nancy Wilkes, Joseph Wilkes, Thomas Wilkes, Minah Wilkes andFrances Wilkes or such of them as shall then be living to them andtheir heirs forever.
ITEM My stock of all kinds at the death or marriage of my wife to beequally divided among all my children then living to them and theirheirs forever.
I do appoint Henry Harrison and Burwell Wilkes and my wife HenryettaWilkes whole and sole executors of this my last Will and Testament INWITNESS where I have here set my hand and affixed my seal.
In presence of teste: Joseph Wilkes (L.S.)
Brunswick Co. Court
22 day of November, 1784
William Harrison
Lucey Vaughain
Caron Vaughain
This will was proved by the oaths of Wm. Harrison, Lucey Vaughain andCaron Vaughain witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And uponthe motion of Henryetta Wilkes and Henry Harrison, two of theexecutors therein appointed, and they having given bond with securityand taken the oath according to law, certificate is granted them forobtaining a probate thereof in due form.
Teste
Brury Stith, Count . Clerk
There was a John Wilkes in Amelia Co., Virginia at the time of the1790 census, with 5 whites and 12 blacks.
Hennings Statues, Vol. 10, pp 324-5, shows a pardon issued to a JohnWilkes, who had been jailed for taking an oath to the King after 1776.Henrico Co., Virginia (next to Amelia Co.) was given as the county,but may have been only the central point, and not the county of hisresidence.