Patrick Hamrick
Family Patriarch
PATRICK'S LIFE
April 2, 1764
Patrick’s recent death is indicated by a £100 executor’s bond that was secured by Patrick Hamrick [Jr.] and James Bridges. Patrick [Jr.] was named as executor of Patrick’s Last Will and Testament. (Prince William County Bond Book 1753 – 1786. p. 60.)
Patrick would have been 80 years old in 1764. (REF: 1683/84) Unfortunately, the Prince William County Will Book that would have revealed the contents of his will was lost during the Civil War. (Prince William County Clerk's Office, 2006.) Often, if a wife survived her husband, she was named as executrix. However, the fact that Margaret was not named as such in this case may not necessarily indicate that she had died before Patrick. If she was still alive, Margaret would have been between 71 and 74 years old, (REF: October 10, 1709 comments) an advanced age for assuming the responsibility of settling an estate. Unfortunately, there is no apparent record to pinpoint Margaret's death, so it is not known if she survived Patrick. The fact that Patrick, Jr. was named as executor of the estate means that, most likely, he was Patrick’s oldest son.