[Will]

In the name of God Amen

      I Levi Haughey of Little Creek hundred and county of Kent and State of Delaware, Being very sick and weak of body though of perfect mind and  memory thanks be to God therefor calling to mind the mortality of the body and knowing that it is appointed for all men one to die, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following: that is to say first of all and principally I do recommend my should into the hands of God that gave it and as for my body I recommend it to the dust to be buried in a christian like and decent manner at the descretion of my Friends nothing doubting but I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God who gave it. And as touching such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I do will and bequeath of them in the manner and form following that is to say

In the first place it is my will and I do allow that all my Just debts and funeral expenses be  paid and satisfied and I do will and bequeath all my real & personal property to be equally divided between my dear wife and two children that is to say one third of all my Estate real & personal to my dear & loving wife Rebecca Haughey and one third to my dear Daughter Pricilla Haughey and the other third to my dear son Lewis Haughey but in case of the death of either of my two afsd. children in their minority it is my will that the surviving child  should become the heir of the deceased childs legacy and provided further that both my two said children should die in their minority it is  then my will that my dear wife and her children should Heire my two sd. childrens property and to have & to hold the same forever and as touching a certain House & Lot in the Village of Duck Creek Crossroads which lies now in an unsettled condition it is my will that it be sold and the net proceeds thereof equally divided between my sd. Wife & two children_ and I hereby enjoin it upon my loving wife to keepe my two sd. children and raise them up to maturity and do further enjoin it upon my dear neighbor and friend Andrew Naudain to be my two sd. childrens Guardian.

And finally I leave my will beloved wife Rebecca Haughey and my dear friend Andrew Naudain the disposal and settlement of all my worldly affairs whom likewise I constitute and appoint and ordain sole executors of this my last will and Testament and do hereby revoke, recall, reclaim, disannul, disapprove and disallow any former will or wills Testament or codicils to wills by me in any wise done or acted before the present date hereof allowing and approveing of this instrument to be my last will and Testament in Testimony Whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this fourth day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & four_ 1804. Levi Haughey his mark {seal}

witness present Henry Hoffecker Jr William Collins

KNOW all Men by these Presents, THAT WE Rebecca Haughy and John Bell of the County of Kent, are held and firmly bound unto the State of Delaware in the Sum of Fifteen Hundred Pounds, current money of the said State: unto which Payment well and truly to be made unto the said State. We do bind ourselves, our Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these Presents. Sealed with our Seals and dated at Dover, in Kent aforesaid, this Thirty first Day of December in the Year of our  Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and four.

THE CONDITION of this OBLIGATION is Such, that if the above bounded Rebecca Haughey Administratrix of all and singular the Goods and Chattels, Rights and Credits of Levi Haughey deceased, do make or cause to be made, a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the said Goods and Chattels, Rights and Credits of the said deceased, which have or shall come to the Hands, Possession, or Knowledge of the said Rebecca Haughey or unto the Hands or possession of any Person or Persons, for her and the same so made, do exhibit, or cause to be exhibited, unto the Register’s Office of the County of Kent aforesaid, at or before the Thirty first Day of June next ensuing the Date hereof, and the same Goods and Chattels, Rights and Credits of the said deceased, at the Time of his Death, or which at any Time after all come to the Hands or Possession of the aforesaid Rebecca Haughey or into the hands or the possession of any other Person or Persons for her use do well and truly administer according to Law; and further do make, or cause to be made, a true and just Account of her Administration, at or before the Thirty first Day of December which shall fall in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and five and all the Rest and Residue of the said Goods and Chattels, Rights and Credits, which shall be found remaining upon the said Administration Account, the same being first examined and allowed of by the Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration of Kent County aforesaid, shall deliver and pay unto such Person or Persons, respectively, as the said Register, by his Decree or Sentence, pursuant to the true Intent and Meaning of the Laws of said State, shall limit and appoint. And if it shall hereafter rapper that any last Will and Testament was made by the deceased, and the Executor or Executors therein named, do exhibit the same in the Register’s Office, making Request to have it allowed and approved accordingly; if the said within bounden, Rebecca Haughey being thereunto required, do surrender and deliver up the said Letters of Administration (Approbation of such Testament being first had an made in the Register’s Office) then this obligation to be void, and of none effect; or else to remain in full Force and Virtue Sealed and Delivered in Rebecah Haughey {seal}

the Presence of Thos. Comerford John Bell {seal}

Inventory Levi Haughley Decd 17th May 1805

[Slave Inventory only transcribed here]

…one Negro man Name Daniel £30.00

one Negro man Name Peter for a term £40.00

one Negro woman Rachel 7/6…

“Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS55-G3T2-V?view=fullText : Mar 4, 2025), image 39 of 763; Delaware Public Archives (Dover). 104399985

Transcribed 4 Mar 2025 by Nancy Maliwesky