[In the left margin] Beale Benja Will I Benjamin Beale junior of Southampton County Virginia being weak of body but of sound mind & memory knowing the uncertainty of this transitory life do think proper to make this my last will & testament in manner & form following (to wit) First: I leave to my loving wife Elizabeth Beale the use profits & emoluments of the plan tation and lands whereon I now live, also my land known by the name of the Roger Neck tract together with all my Personal Estate of every kind (except 800 lb of bacon) for and during the term of her natural life or widowhood and this I leave her in lieu & satisfac tion of any dower she may hereafter claim in my estate. And I request & do hereby au thorize my friend Jordan Denson to sell the above 800 w. of bacon & the money arising from the sale thereof to pay the debt I owe to Jordan Denson & Co & to Pritlow & Randolph if Sufficient and the overplus if any to my wife Also: I give devise and bequeath to my son Jeremiah Beale after the death or marriage of my wife and upon the Special condition that he shall within one year after her death or marriage pay unto my son in law Solomon Cobb the sum of fifty pounds current money of Virginia. The plantation & lands whereon I now live include and comprise all the lands which I have lying on the North side of the line that plan tation and part of my lands whereon my son Shadrack Beale now lives also all my lands known by the name of Roger Neck tract & supposed to contain 97 acres to him & to his heirs & assigns forever provided always & it is my will that the neg lect or refusal of my said son Jeremiah Beale, his heirs or assigns to pay the above men tion'd fifty pounds as aforesaid shall not be construed to Vacate or effect his title to the said tracts of lands before he shall attain to Twenty two years of Age Also: Whereas my son Shadrack Beale is justly indebted to different persons in certain sums which debts I am doubtful he will not be careful to pay It is my will & desire and I do hereby authorise and direct my Executrix hereafter named or in case of her death refusal or inability to act my administrator or administrators as the case may be do sell for the best price they can get all that plantation & part of my lands whereon my son Shadrack Beale now lives containing by estimation 75 acres & bounded as follows To wit being divided from the lands whereon I now live by Turners branch & a small branch that makes into the same on the south side thereof & a line of markd trees extending from the head of the small branch to Joseph Scotts line & the known & reputed bounds thereof to the aforesd Turners branch And I do hereby give my said Exors adm or admors As the case may be full power right & authority to make Execute and deliver any deed or other writing that may be necessary for securing to the purchase thereof as full ample sure and perfect a right & title in and to the said lands & premises as I might or could have done also it is my will and I do hereby direct that the money arising from the sale of the said lands shall first be applied to the payments of such debts of my said son Shadrack Beale as he actually owed prior to Nov 1791 and for which it shall appear he hath receiv'd reasonable satisfaction of which my Exors adm or admors As the case may be shall sole and Competent judge and also to the payment of such sum or sums as I myself or others have advanced toward the discharge of his debts Provided always that no claim or demand against my said son shall be paid as aforesd unless the same shall be presented & made known to the person or persons who shall represent me either as an Exor or Admors within six months after they he or she shall be legally qualifyed [sic] to act. And it is my will and I do hereby give to my son Shadrack Beale his heirs or assigns the remainder of surplus of the money/ if any/ that the said lands shall sell [page break] for Also what I have already possess'd him with Also: I give and bequeath all the rest residue & remainder of my estate after the death or marriage of my wife to be divided between my son Jeremiah Beale my daughters Elizabeth Williams Charlotte Carr Polly Williams Sylvia Beale Peggy Beale and the children of my wife by her former husband in such manner & proportion tions as shall make each ones separate part Equal in Value including in the division & settlement all the monies or other things which my wifes Children have a right to claim and receive from their fathers Estate & likewise what I have already possess'd some of my Children with the Value whereof I estimate Twenty Seven pounds Vitz To Elizabeth ten pounds, To Polly five pounds, & to Charlotte twelve pounds Also: I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my loving wife Eliza Beale my whole & sole Extrx to this my last Will & testament with full Power & Authority to sell any part of my Personal Estate either at Private or Publick [sic] sale as she shall think best for the payment of my debts and also with full Power to Emancipate & set free any slave or slaves which now does or hereafter may belon or appertain to my estate And I do hereby revoke & disanul [sic] all other wills by me heretofore made ra tifying and confirming this & no other to be my last will & testament Anna Domini 1796 Sign'd, seal'd & declar'd by the said Benja Benjamin Beale (seal) Beale to be his last Will & Testament In pre sense of us. Jos Scott } Jas Scott } J Denson } At a Court held for the County of Southampton on friday the 15th day of April 1796 This Will was presented in court by Elizabeth Beale the Exrix therein named provd by the oath of J Scott & solemn affirmation of Jas Scott (being one of the people call'd Quakers) two of the witnesses thereto And ordered to be recorded And on the motion of the said Extrx who made oath according to law Certificate is granted her for obtaining a Probat thereof in due form giving security. whereupon &c. Sam Kello Clk -----O----- ========================================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the left margin] Harris John Will In the name of God Amen I John Dawson Harris of Soton County & state of Virga are at present very sick & weak of body but of sound mind & memory thanks be to God therefor do make this my last will & testament in manner & form following to wit Imprimis: I give unto John Edmunds Dawson one Negro man known by the name of William to him & his heirs forever. Item: I give unto Edmund Turner one Neg. man known by the name of Joe, to him & his heirs forever Item: I give unto Polly Dawson one Neg. boy known by the name of Jacob, to her & her heirs forever. The above legacies I give to John E Dawson, Edmund Turner & Polly Dawson I mean as full compensation for what Negros I had from my father Etate but if legatees will not receive them as such, I do hereby revoke the gifts and for the my above given be sold & satisfac tion to be made with cash. Item: I give unto William Philips my Grinding Stone & all my saws of all kinds [page break]