Son of William Snodgrass Sr 1676-1735 and Elizabeth Gray Denholm 1683-1783 Familysearch. There is much speculation and many theories about William's origins, but as yet there is nothing in the way of documentation to support any particular claim.


[Transcribed by Charlou Dolan]

3 Nov 1750 -- (among loose survey papers in the Virginia State Archives, Richmond, VA)

By Virtue of a Warrant from the Propr's Office dated the 29h day of Sep'r 1750. Survey'd for Wm. Snodgrass a parcell of waste land where he lives in the County of Frederick on both sides of Back Creek & bounded as Followeth Viz Beginning at (A) a Corner white Oak in John Millers line on a Piney hill Thence N 55 E 188 po: to (B) a white oak Thence S:E 172 po: to (C) a Corn'r white Oak on the No. side of Back Creek Thence S 41 1/2 W 224 po to (D) a Corner Black Oak on a hill Thence N 35 W 222 po: to the first station Containing 250 acres

William Snodgrass Pilot P'r John Mauzy

John Murphy & John 3 Nov'r 1750

Ford Ch'n [= chain] Carriers.

NB. This survey was made in this manner to show John Murphys Claim
- - - - - - - - - -
[on the back of said paper]

William Snodgrass

Platt for 250 Acres

William Snodgrass dying

without Will David Snod

grass heir at Law now

present desires Deed may

Issue in the Names of

Robert & Joseph Snodgrass

no deed to Issue till the

Widow Relinquishes her Ri

ght of Dower B

The Widow relinguishes her

Right before John Greenfield

Paid to Issue

Drawn & Ex'd.

1750

[Under Virginia law at this time if a man died intestate, his oldest son inherited all the property. Since David Snodgrass above was the heir-at-law of William Snodgras, that means David was William's oldest son.]


[transcribed by Charlou Dolan]

Frederick Co., VA, Will Book 2, page 338:
In the Name of God Amen the sixth day of April in the year of our Lord 1758 one Thousand seven Hundred & Fifty Eight I Aaron Jenkins of Frederick County & Colony of Virginia Farmer being very sich and Weak in Body but of Perfect Mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore Calling into mind the mortallity of my Body & knowing that it is appointed for all man once to Dye do make & ordaiin this my Last will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I give & Recommend my soul into the hands of God that Gave it & for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executor Nothing Doubting But at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mighty Power of God, and as Touching such Worldly Estate Wherewith it Hath Pleased God to Bless me in this Life I give Devise & Dispose of the same in the Following Manner & Form--It is my Will and I do order that in the first Place all my Just Debts & Funeral Charges be paid and satisfied--
I give and Bequeath unto John Jenkins, George Jenkins and Aaron Jenkins my Beloved sons the Tract of Land which I now Liveth on to be Equally Divided and for my son John to keep is own part and the remainder part of the Land to be Divided Between George Jenkins & Aaron Jenkins for Each of them to Have an Equal Part of the meadow, and all the Land which I Have lying on Back Creek for to be Disposed of to the Best advantage & to be Equally Divided Between my three sons & my two sons in Law Robert & Joseph Snodgrass for Each of them to Have an Equal Part of What the said Land shall be sold for and to John Imdee my son in Law I allow him Five Shillings and to Edward Robinson Fifteen Pounds and a Black Pacing Mare for my son Aaron & the moveables to be Equally Divided Between my three sons Escepting the thirds of them to my Beloved Wife and I do hereby Leave and Constitute Edward Robinson my only and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and do hereby Disallow Revoke & Disannul all and Every former Testaments Wills Legacies and Executors by me in any Wise before named In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the day and year above Written.

Signed Sealed and Declared

by the said Aron Jenkins as Aaron (his mark) Jenkins

his Last Will and Testament

In the Presence of us the Subscribers William Patterson James Brown David Snodgrass

At a Court held for Frederick County on Wednesday the 4th day of April 1759

This Last Will and Testament of Aaron Jenkins dec'd was Presented into Court by Edward Robinson the Executor therein named, who made oath there to according to Law & the said will being Proved in Court by the oaths of the Witnesses thereto is admited to record.

Teste

J. Woods

[Charlou Dolan: In the 1700s and earlier, the word "son-in-law" could mean either son-in-law or step-son. In this case it means step-son since Robert & Joseph's mother Catherine (Patterson) Snodgrass married second Aaron Jenkins. I have found 3 other cases where a man left land (rather than personal estate) to his wife's relatives, and in all 3 cases later research revealed that they were also in some way blood-relatives of the husband (a nephew, second-cousin, etc.). There is therefore a clue to look for an earlier Snodgrass/Jenkins connection or a Patterson/Jenkins connection.]

[transcribed by Charlou Dolan]

(Loose paper in the Virginia State Archives, Richmond, VA)

Fred'k Set

This day came before [me] Catherin Snotgrass widow of William Snotgrass Deceased and Desires that Deeds may Issue for a Certain Tract of Land on Back Creek Quantity unknown, in the Names of her Two Son's, Robert and John Joseph Snotgrass and that she Relingisheth all her Right and property of the Said Lands unto Them

Given under My hand this 25 day of Sept'r 1766

To the Agent of the Jn'o Greenfield

Proprietors Office


[transcribed by Charlou Dolan]

21 Sep 1783 -- Berkeley Co., Virginia, Minute Book 1, page 222: A Power of Attorney from Katherine Jenkins to Hugh Vance and John Snodgrass of Barkly County acknowledged in Court and ordered to be certified.

[Charlou Dolan: This is apparently the widow of William Snodgrass of Frederick/Berkley Co., Virginia, who reportedly married second Aaron Jenkins]