Will, DE, Sussex, William Poynter 1781 In the name of God, Amen. The third day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one. I WILLIAM POYNTER, Yeoman of the county of Sussex in Delaware being sick and weak of body but of sound disposing mind, memory and judgment, thanks be to almighty God for shame, and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last will and testament in Manner and form following. IMPRIMIS it is my will and I do desire that all my just debts and funeral charges be first paid and fully satisfied. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife RUTH POYNTER the use of my negro man named YORK during her widowhood, but if my said wife should marry or die I give and bequeath the said negro man unto the child she is now being with. Likewise I give to my said wife one feather bed and Furniture, one cow and calf, one old white horse, three head of sheep and five head of hogs also the use and benefit of one third part of the plantation whereon I now dwell during her widowhood but if she marry the said one third part of the land aforesaid to be rented for the use and benefit of the child she now is big with until my son WILLIAM arrives to the age of 21 years. ITEM I give devise and bequeath unto my two sons WILLIAM POYNTER and JOHN POYNTER all the tract of land and Plantation whereon I now dwell containing 288 Acres together with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging to be equally divided between them their heirs and assigns forever only reserving the one-third part thereof for the use as above directed. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my daughter ESTHER POYNTER one negro boy named WILL, one feather bed and Furniture, one cow big with calf, five head of sheep, six head of hogs to her and her heirs and assigns forever ITEM I give and bequeath unto my daughter EUNICEY POYNTER one negro girl named NANCE, one feather bed and Furniture, one cow big with calf, three head of sheep and six head of hogs to her her heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my son WILLIAM POYNTER one feather bed and Furniture, one cow and calf, one great horse, one Bridle and saddle but if my son LEVIN [POYNTER] should return I will and order that he shall have the set horse bridle and saddle also I give unto my son WILLIAM one desk to him and his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my son JOHN POYNTER one negro man named JOB, one feather bed and Furniture, one cow and calf, four head of sheep and six head of hogs to him, his heirs and assigns forever ITEM I give devise and bequeath to my two sons NATHANIEL POYNTER and LEVIN POYNTER seven a tract of land my said son NATHANIEL now lives on together with adjacent tract of land that I bought of MARGARET FISHER to be equally divided in quantity so that NATHANIEL POYNTER show have the improved part where she now dwells and my son LEVIN the part I bought of said MARGARET FISHER to them their heirs and assigns forever, but if my said son level should not return to enjoy his part or dividend of the aforesaid land then I will and order that the part will to him shall be Page 1 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, DE, Sussex, William Poynter 1781 equally divided between my two sons WILLIAM POYNTER and JOHN POYNTER to them their heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my daughter [SOPHIA] SOPHIAH [POYNTER] COAL wife of COVERDALE COAL one ewe and lamb to her her heirs and assigns forever. And further I will and order that all the rest and residue of my estate not before bequeathed be equally divided among my wife and several children, namely NATHANIEL, EASTER, EUNICEY, LEVIN, WILLIAM, JOHN and the infant my wife is big with, if live born, but if not live born no notice to the taken of it in this dividend, to them their heirs and assigns forever. And lastly I do hereby authorize, constitute and appoint my son NATHANIEL POYNTER my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written . WILLIAM POYNTER {seal, his W mark} Sealed, signed, published, and pronounced in the presence of us WILLIAM HAZZARD RATLIFF [RATCLIFF] POYNTER SHADRACK STURGIS Page 2 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, DE, Sussex, William Poynter 1781 Memorandum On the 21st day of April 1781 personally appeared before me the subscriber register appointed for the probate of wills and granting letters of administration for the county of Sussex in the Delaware state [names not given] two of the subscribing witnesses to the above and within will and being so solemnly sworn on the holy evangelists of almighty God did severally depose and say that within their sight, presence and hearing the testator WILLIAM POYNTER did sign seal, publish, pronounce and declare the foregoing instrument of writing to be his last will and testament and that after doing their of the said testator was of a sound and perfect mind, memory and judgment to the best of their knowledge and belief and that they and each of them together with subscribed their names evidences at the request in the presence of the testator. PHILLIPS KOLLOCK, register. Page 3 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, DE, Sussex, William Poynter 1781 ###### # # ##### ####### # # ##### ####### # # # # ## ## # # # ## # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # #### ##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## ### # # # # # # ###### # # ##### ####### # # ### ##### ####### # # Transcribed from original documents by Brent R. Brian & Martha M. Brian. This document and others can be found on our website: BMGEN We claim COPYLEFT on the documents that we publish that are our original work. COPYLEFT “rules” can be reviewed on the web site: GNU Free Documentation License In short, use what you like. But if you use our stuff, mention us as the source. Brent R. Brian Martha M. Brian BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com Page 4 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK **