Here is a second signature found on those same documents.
And here is a signature by a Cornelius Bodine in Loudoun County, Virginia on September 13, 1779:
I believe these signatures match pretty well, especially the second and third ones, and would be good evidence that the Cornelius Bodine who lived in Hunterdon County, New Jersey is the same one who later lived in Loudoun County, Virginia. The signatures are a little different, but the last one would have been written by a very old Cornelius and it does in fact look a little "feeble." Notice the capital C's, the capital B's, and the d's.
In addition, the old papers of Dr. James Morrison Bodine seem to lend testimony to the idea that these two Cornelius's were the same person. See the notes on Cornelius' father, Jacob Bodine, which discuss this tattered piece of paper once belonging to Dr. Bodine.
Cornelius' will was written on September 13, 1779 and proven in Loudoun County, Virginia on August 13, 1781. Here is an image of this will. My sincere appreciation goes to Bettina Allred for sending me this image:
From his will, it is not clear how many of his children were by Mary and how many were by Idah. But Jacob and Isaac were definitely sons of Mary. Isaac names his mother as Mary, and Jacob was older than Isaac. The other children may have been of Cornelius and Idah. In his will, he mentions all seven of his children. [He names his children in this order: Jacob, Isaac, John, Orrionehe Rightmire, Sarah, Mary, and Elizabeth. He appointed his wife, Idah, and his son, Jacob, as executors (Loudoun County Wills, Book B, pp. 312-313).] Four of his children went to Nelson County, Kentucky around 1795.
The following is a transcription of Cornelius Bodine's will. It and the abstract of his inventory come from "Will Abstracts of Loudoun County, Virginia, 1772-1782," page 98 and 103, by Sam and Ruth Sparacio, 1988:
Loudoun County Will Book B, pages 372-373:
In the name of God Amen. I Curnelius Bodine being sick and weak but in perfect sence and memory doth make this my last will and Testament in the manner and form following. My will and desire is first that my Lawful Debts and Funirell expences be paid.
Item I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife Idah Bodine all my Estate real and personal for and during her life and at her discease to be equally divided between my seven children that is to say Jacob Bodine, Isaac Bodine, John Bodine, Orrionehe Rightmire, Sarah Bodine, Mary Bodine, and Elizabeth Bodine and in case any of them should die without heir my will and desire is that he same shall be equally divided between them or either of them aforesaid.
I do hereby nominate and appoint my beloved wife Idah Bodine and my Son Jacob Bodine Executors of this my Last will and Testament hereby declaring this to be my only Last Will and Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Thirteenth day of September one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine.
Cornelius Bodine
Signed and sealed in the presence of John Carter, Morris Carter, John Taylor
At a court held for Loudoun County on the 13th day of August 1781 This Will was proved by the Oath of John Taylor a subscribing Witness and ordered to be recorded and on the Motion of Idah Bodine and Jacob Bodine the Executors therein named who made Oath according to Law Certificate is granted them for obtaining a Probate thereof in due form they giving security. Whereupon they together with Jacob Moore and Isaac Vandeventer their Securities entered into and acknowledged their Bond in the Penalty of Five hundred pounds Specie conditioned as the Law directs.
Here is a message by Vee3 at aol.com about this will:
I believe this is either a holographic will or very close to it (articles I have read indicate holographic wills were not uncommon in those times). That is, it is the original, written either by Cornelius or in his presence--probably while he was ill and believed to be on his death bed. Ultimately, this is probably moot, because at issue is what is the name (Orrionehe or something else) and other misspellings within the will clearly indicate this name also might be misspelled. Added to the problem is the possible misreading, as suggested by Alice.
Support that it is a holographic will.
1) Handwritten.
2) Three witnesses compared to the normal two witnesses; a frequent requirement for a holographic will is three witnesses.
3) Note the phrase "being sick and weak but in perfect sense and memory." We don't have Cornelius' death date, just that the will was written 9/13/1779 and proved about two years later 8/13/1781. How sick was he? Did he believe
he was on his deathbed?
4) Note the errors where items have been crossed out and also where "Bodine" has been inserted with the caret--this "Bodine" is very similar to Cornelius' signature--others are not as similar.
5) In a comparison of the writing within the will, signatures are limiting when making comparisons. However, there are similarities with the signature of Cornelius, especially in the d's. When I compare with the signature of the
witnesses, I don't believe any of these three wrote the will.
6) Normally, a will remains in the possession of the individual or his family and does not go to a county clerk until after the individual has died. Based on the information from the Will Book, I'd say the will was filed and proved
at the same time--August 13, 1781.
End of message.
Loudoun County Will Book B, page 386:
An Inventory of the Estate of Cornels. Bodine Dec'd...items listed and valued to total 143 pounds 16/6...includes a negro wench Dinah @ 50 pounds, a negroe boy named Abraham @ 50 pounds... pewter, iron pots, canisters, weeden ware, spinning wheel, carpenters tools, livestock, harness, one gun, 2 Bibles, farming implements, a loom, quilt wheel, etc. totalling £143.16.6.
In Obedience to an Order of Loudoun August court We the under Scribers have valued and appraised the above articles in Specie as Witness our hands this 10th day of Novr 1781....William Beavers, Saml. Cox, Michel Schryock
At a Court held for Loudoun County the 12th day of Novr. 1781 This Inventory and appraisement was returned into Court and ordered to be recorded.
† - This symbol means the information comes from the Isaac A. Bodine Bible.
From: Ronny Bodine
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2018
Subject: Discoveries
Hey Dave,
... I am presently immersed in the records of Hunterdon County. Originally a part of Burlington County, it broke off in 1714. Morris County was formed from Hunterdon in 1739, Sussex from Morris in 1753 and Warren from Sussex in 1824. So pretty much a family did not have to move to be located in this succession of counties.
I read Book 11 (1767-1773) of the Hunterdon County Court of Pleas and Sessions and picked up Cornelius Bodine in May 1767. He was the first of the name and the one who moved to Loudon County, Virginia in 1771. These minutes are pretty dry and provide little more than people suing each other. So Cornelius was involved in several suits and is last mentioned in Feb 1769, at which point he may have decided that enough was enough, loaded his wagon and headed off to Virginia. This at least confirms again that Cornelius had roots in Hunterdon County, NJ before relocating to Loudoun County, VA.
Peter Bodine appears in October 1770 in a suit. Although there is no indication whether he was from Reading or Amwell, it had to apply to Reading as the Amwell Peter Bodine would have been 14 years old. This is the earliest reference to him, so far, in Hunterdon County when he would have been 34. In a mortgage deed of 2 July 1771, Peter Bodine of Reading Township, yeoman, sold 300 acres to Achsah Lambert, of Nottingham Township, Burlington County.
But more importantly is the following deed which I transcribed partially and almost went blind n the process which names his family in wonderful detail, as he died intestate. Aside from those children we already know of there is also Catherine Bodine (dec'd) wife of Gabriel Tenbroeck and Mary Bodine (dec'd) wife of Derrick Wesselse Tenbroeck. And Daniel Sebron Bodine after whom his nephew, whom we have as Daniel Sehern Bodine, was named.
I am continuing to focus on these records and will incorporate the details in their files and send them to you when I am satisfied there is nothing further to avoid sending updates of updates.
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ DEED BOOK 6, p. 374.
This indenture made this Seventeenth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and two between JOHN BODINE and Hetty his wife of the township of Reading in the County of Hunterdon & State of New Jersey PETER BODINE and Mary his wife GABRIEL BODINE and SEBRON BODINE of the township of Amwell County of Hunterdon and State aforesaid Abraham Lowe and PHEBE his wife of the township of Reading aforesaid John Sharp and AGNESS his wife of the township of Amwell & etc aforesaid and Gabriel Tenbroeck of Albany in the state of New York, party of the first part and Derrick W. Tenbroeck of the township of Reading party of the second part Whereas PETER BODINE late of the township of Reading aforesd deceased died intestate seized of certain real estate in the County of Hunterdon aforesaid and leaving heirs entitled thereto namely JOHN BODINE PETER BODINE GABRIEL BODINE and SEBRON BODINE John Sharp and AGNESS his wife late AGNESS BODINE, Gabriel Tenbroeck in right of his wife CATHAREN now deceased late CATHAREN BODINE and Derrick W-sell Tenbroeck and MARY his wife late MARY BODINE (which said Phebe, Agness Catharine and Mary deceased) Now This Indenture Witnesseth that they the party aforesaid of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and eighty four Dollars.....(sell all of the land formerly owned by the later Peter Bodine, which land is not described.)
Signed JOHN BODINE
ESTHER BODINE
PETER BODINE
MARY BODINE
GABRIEL BODINE
DANIEL S. BODINE
ABRAHAM LOWE
PHEBE LOWE
JOHN SHARP JUNR.
AGNESS SHARP
Recorded 8 June 1802
...
Ronny