Will, DE, Kent, Bolitha Laws 1781

And the name of God Amen.

The 15th day of September in the year of Our Lord 1781, I, BOLITHA [BELITHA] LAWS
of Kent County and the Delaware state, being very sick and weak in body but have
perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind the
mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, I do
make & ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say:

I PRINCIPALLY AND FIRST OF ALL I give and recommend my soul unto God that gave it
me. And for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like
and decent manner at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting, but at the
general Resurrection I shall receive the Same Again by The Mighty power of God.

And is touching such worldly estate wear with it has pleased God to bless me with
in this life I give and devise and dispose of the same in Manner and form of
following, that is to say:

IN THE FIRST PLACE I give and bequeath to my well-beloved wife LEAH LAWS, besides
the one third of all estate real and personal, one negro woman named NANCE, and one
negro girl named ANNA to her proper use and advantage during her natural life, and
at my wife's, decease the said Negroes together with their increase from this time
to my daughters CHARLOTTE [LAWS] and ANNE LAWS to be equally divided between them.

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my son JOSHUA LAWS, whom with my wife I constitute,
make, and ordain my only lawful executors and executrix of this my last will and
testament, all that plantation tract or parcel of land rain and being in Mispillion
hundred and County aforesaid and adjoining my home Plantation called and known by
the name of BEN TURNER's together with all profits and benefits arising therefrom
from this day forward to him and the lawful heirs of his own constituting.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my son JOHN LAWS £10 gold and silver or the value
thereof to be paid out of my personal estate by my executor and executrix at my
decease or within 12 months after.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my son WILLIAM LAWS the sum of £10 of gold and silver
money to be paid out of my estate by my executor and executrix in 12 months after
my decease.

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my well-beloved son OUTTEN LAWS all that tract or
parcel of land lying and being on the head of the main branch of Mispillion Creek
in the county aforesaid adjoining the land of WILLIAM FLEMING and others called and
known by the name of BOWMAN's containing 150 acres or thereabouts together with all
and singular the improvements and advantages whatsoever to him and his heirs
forever.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my daughter ELIZABETH [LAWS] ANDERSON one negro named
TIB together with all her increase from this day to her and the lawful issue of her
body forever.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my daughter SARAH [LAWS] MANLOVE one negro girl named
EALSE and her increase to her and her lawful heirs of her body, her oldest child
accepted.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my daughters ESTHER LAWS and LEAH LAWS my Negro man
called JACOB the said fellow to be held by the first of my two said daughters she

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                         Will, DE, Kent, Bolitha Laws 1781

paying to the other the half value of said Negro in money or otherwise well secured
so be paid the set of my said daughters when each and either shall arrive to the
age of 18 years.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my well-beloved grandson BOLITHA ANDERSON son of ELIJAH
[ANDERSEN] and ELIZABETH [LAWS] ANDERSEN the full sum of £5 gold or silver money or
a cow and calf at the option of my said executor and executrix to be paid and 12
months after my decease.

ITEM to my grandson BOLITHA LAW's son of JOHN LAWS aforesaid the sum of £5 in gold
or silver money or a cow and the calf to be paid out of my estate in 12 months
after my decease by my said executor or executrix.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my grandchild WILLIAM MCGONAGALL to ewes and two lambs
to be paid at my deceased by my said executors as aforesaid.

I don't know how I give and bequeath to my grandchild ZIPORAH LAWS one two year old
heifer to be paid out of my estate by my said executors as aforesaid.

I give and bequeath to my sons MAJOR [LAWS] and TRUSTAN LAWS all my home
Plantation, that is to say an equal number of acres to each but that my son TRUSTAN
shall have the part where on the buildings now stand, and further, if both or
either of my two said sons MAJOR and TRUSTAN shall die without lawful issue the
survivor of the said two boys shall inherit the whole of said Plantation, only
paying the sum of £100 lawful money at the time of one year after the decease of
either of said boys to my son JOHN LAWS and the like sum to my son WILLIAM LAWS.

And if both said MAJOR and TRUSTAN should die without lawful issue then my said
home Plantation shall be, and is hereby bequeathed to, my said sons JOHN [LAWS] and
WILLIAM LAWS, aforesaid, to be equally divided between them to them their heirs
lawfully begotten forever.

And after my lawful debts being paid out of my estate by by executor and executrix
aforesaid if the remains and reversions should be sufficient to, or would admit, I
require and hereby bequeath to each of my unmarried children a horse and saddle,
both to the value of £25, but in a more special manner to my daughters and HESSE
[ESTHER] & LEAH aforesaid.

And I do hereby disallow, revoke, and disannul all and every other former
testaments, wills, legacies, bequests heretofore by me in any wise before this time
named, willed, bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my will
and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the day and your
first above written.

BOLITHA LAWS {seal, his L mark}

Signed, Sealed, published and declared in the presence of

NATHAN FLEMING
LYDA FLEMING
JOHN RALSTON




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                          Will, DE, Kent, Bolitha Laws 1781

Delaware state

Personally appeared before me, THOMAS RODNEY, Esquire, register for the probate and
wills and granting letters of administration in and for the county of Kent, JOHN
RALSTON and NATHAN FLEMING and being sworn say that they saw and heard the testator
BOLITHA LAWS sign, seal, publish, pronounce, and declare the foregoing instrument
of writing instance and request and in his presence and at the same time saw LYDA
FLEMING sign as a witness to the same.

In testimony where I have I have hereunto subscribed my name April 26th 1783.

THOMAS RODNEY, register




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                            Will, DE, Kent, Bolitha Laws 1781




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Transcribed from original documents by Brent R. Brian & Martha M. Brian.

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Brent R. Brian
Martha M. Brian
BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com




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