John Voshall Will 1817

I John Voshell of Little Creek hundred Kent County in the State of Delaware being weak in body but of sound disposing mind memory and understanding do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say:

First – I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Anna my negro girl Martha to her my said wife Anna and her heirs and  assigns forever.

Second I give and bequeath to my son Obadiah Voshell my negro boy Daniel to him my said son Obadiah Voshell and his heirs and assigns forever.

Third I give and devise to my son James M. Voshell my negro boy William to him my said son James M. Voshell and His heirs and assigns forever.

Fourth I give and devise to my son John Voshell my two negro boys Jacob and George to him my said son John Voshell and his heirs and assigns forever.

Fifth I give and devise to my daughter Elizabeth Voshell my negro girl Mary to her my said daughter Elizabeth Voshell and her heirs and assigns forever.

Sixth I give and devise to Sarah King daughter of my wife Anna the Bed furniture and Bedstead that I got by my said wife Anna to her the said Sarah King and her heirs and Assigns forever.

Seventh I do hereby further have my two negro women named Bine & Esther to be free at my decease.

Eighth I do hereby further will that all my Estate both real and personal shall be sold by my Executors herein named except so much of my moveable Estate as has been heretofore by me willed and my two negro women named Bine and Esther that I have set  Free and after all my just debts and Funereal expenses should be paid out of the same I hereby give devise and bequeath to my said Wife Anna one third part of all the clear estate that shall arise from said sale after all just debts and Funeral expenses shall be paid to her my said Wife Anna and her heirs and assigns forever. The remaining two thirds to be equally divided amongst all my children to wit Daniel Voshell Obadiah Voshell James M. Voshell John Voshell and Elizabeth Voshell share and share alike to be their & their heirs and assigns forever.

Ninth I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my two son’s Obadiah Voshell and James M. Voshell of the County aforesaid Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all other and former wills by me made. In witness whereof I the said John Voshell have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the twenty first day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventeen. John Voshell {seal}

Signed Sealed published and declared by the above named John Voshell the Testator to be his last will and Testament in the presence of us Henry Taylor Vincent Nickles

State of Delaware Kent County Sst.  Personally came Henry Taylor one of the subscribing Witness to the Within Instrument of Writing before Me John Clarke Register for Kent County for the Probate of Wills and Granting Letters of administration, and being Solemnly Sworn on the Holy Evangels of almighty God, did declare and Say, that he Saw John Voshell the within named Testator, Sign and Seal and heard him Publish Pronounce and declare the Same, as and for his Last Will and Testament, that at the time of his so saying and Doing he was to the Best of his Belief of a Sound Disposing Mind Memory and understanding, that he Subscribed the same as a witness in his Presence and at his Request and at the Same time, Saw Vincent Nickles the other witness Subscribe his name to the Same in Like Manner. In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand, this Seventeenth Day of March one thousand Eight Hundred and Seventeen 1817; John Clarke Regr.

Recorded in Book P folio 102 &c J Clarke Regr.

An Inventory of the Goods and Chattles of John Voshell Deceased. Made and Concluded upon the Eighteenth day Of March 1817 by us the Subscribers

[Slave inventory only transcribed here – nkm]

one Negro Girl name Martha left to Ann Voshell by will Aged fifteen years old – $50.00

one Negro boy named Daniel left by will to Obadiah Voshell Aged about nine years old $75

one Negro boy name William left by will to James M. Voshell Aged about nine years old $75.00

two Negro boys Name Jacob & George left by will to  John Voshell Aged about Eleven and five years old Jacob 75.00 George 50.00

one Negro Girl name Mary left by will Elizabeth Voshell Aged about five years old $40.00 … 

Appraised by us William Collins John Cowgill State of Delaware Kent County on this Thirteenth Day of August one thousand Eight Hundred and eighteen personally appeared William Collins and John Cowgill both of Duck Creek Hundred before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the peace in and for said County and upon their solemn oath & affirmation Declared that the above and foregoing Inventory of appraisements & valuations of the effects of John Voshall deceased is a fair and Concionable one taken & affirmed to before me this day Wm Ruth

“Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR9-HTNX?view=fullText : Feb 26, 2025), image 40 of 716; Delaware Public Archives (Dover). 104429239

Transcribed 26 Feb 2025 by Nancy Maliwesky