[Will]

In the Name of God, Amen I Sylvester Deputy of Sussex County in the Delaware State, being in perfect Health 7 of sound Mind & Memory, do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, & desire it may be Received as such.

My Soul, I bequeath to the Almighty God who gave it, hopeing for his gracious acceptance thereof, thro the monts? Of my dear Redeemer Jesus Christ.

My Body I bequeath to the Earth from whence it was taken, decently to be deposited therein, at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter mentioned. As for the Worldly Estate with which it hath pleased God to bless me,  I give & bequeath it in manner & form following.

Imprimis. I give & bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Esther Deputy, the Farm whereon I now reside, for & during her Widowhood. I also give & bequeath to my said Wife twenty Pounds Delaware Money – also my best Bed & Furniture & her choice of my cows & calves. Also, a Spinning Wheel, a chest, a Sow & Pigs & four head of Sheep one half Dozen of Windsor Chairs & thirty pounds Delaware Money to be paid out of my Estate.

Item, I give & bequeath to my Son Henry Deputy a Tract of Land I purchased of  Ephraim Polk To him & his Heirs for ever Sundry Articles that he has received of me I freely give him, my desire is that no account shall be brought again him for the same;

Item I freely give to my Daughter Mary what she has already received from me & fifty pounds Delaware Money to be paid her out of my Estate.

Item I give to my Son Solomon a Tract of Land called the Guy Place to him & his Heirs forever. Also one Bed & furniture, one Cow & Calf & fifty Pounds Delaware Money to be paid him out of my Estate. Sundry Articles that he has already received of me my desire is that no account shall ever come against him for the same.

Item I give to my Son Joshua Deputy one hundred Pounds Delaware Money & no more. 

Item, I give to my Daughter Nancy two hundred Pounds Delaware Money to be paid Out of my Estate also one good Bed compleatly furnished,

Item I give to my son William Deputy my black Walnut Desk & fifty pounds Cash out of my Estate & one Bed & Furniture; 

Item, I give to my Daughter Elizabeth two hundred Pounds Delaware Money, &  one good Bed with compleat furniture

My further Will & desire is that my Negro Man Peter shall serve my Heirs twelve years ??????? [from this date?] & then shall be fully  emancipated & free.

My ego Girl named Gum is to serve my Heirs twenty years from this date and then to be free. I hereby direct that my Aforesaid Wife shall enjoy the Labour of the aforementioned ??? during the space of five years from this Date, after the expiration of that time I Desire that my said Wife and my three youngest children shall Jointly share the labour of the aforesaid two negros. My Will is that on my Wifes second Marriage (should it ever take place) or after her decease My Son William shall then inherit the Land whereon I now live; to him & his Heirs forever.

All the rest of my Estate both real & Personal (after my Just Debts are paid) I give to be divided equally between my aforesaid Wife, & my three youngest Children. Should my Estate prove defficient to convey? the full of the bequests & Legacies heretofore given, I then direct that my aforesaid Wife & my three youngest children shall out of their part answered & make up the said defficiency. 

I hereby make [&] Appoint my said Wife & my Son Hen[ry] Jointly my Executors to fullfil this my [Last] Will & Testament In Witness whe[re]of I have hereunto set my hand & affix my Seal this second day of April, in the y[ear] of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & fo[ur] & the twenty eighth of  American Independance. Sylvester dep[u]ty

Signed Sealed, & Delivered In presence of Nathaniel Hays Joseph Hudson William Clifton

[Notes on Distribution of Estate]

Recevd March 20 1818 from William Deputy Administrator of Esther Deputy Decest twelve dolars and ten Cents it being a balance Said to be Due from East of Easter Deputy to Mary Townsend formley Mary deputy Reced by Zadock Townsend

Recd Feby 16th 1818 of Henry Hudson Atorny in fact for Esther Deputy who was Executrix of Silvester Deputy decd fifty Six Dollars & Twelve Cents in full of a Legacy and all Legacies Bequeath to My wife Nancy Late Nancy Deputy by the Will of his father Silvester Deputy decd $56..12 Benjamin Eckles

“Sussex, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5X-QSN7-F?view=fullText : Mar 8, 2025), image 3 of 860; Delaware Public Archives (Dover). 104348245

Transcribed 8 Mar 2025