I Thomas Nock of Kent County on Delaware Being weak in Body but favored through mercy with a sound disposing mind and memory, and not knowing how soon it may please the great Disposer of all Events to call me home out of this life; and Being desirous to order my temporal concerns and Estate in the Best manner I am capable of and to provide for the Educating of my Grandson Daniel Nock junior, do for these purposes make this my last Will and Testament in Manner following viz. Imprimis I give and Bequeath unto my Grandson Daniel Nock my clock and Silver Watch. Item I give and Bequeath unto Eileanor Bostic my Riding mare with saddle and Bridle one Feather Bed with Rug a pair of Blankets and Sheets, her choice, also a cow and calf her Choice; A two year Old Heifer; also a Ewe which I heretofore have her and the two sheep since sd gift issued or increased therefor in Consideration for her care and service in my family. Item I give and Bequeath to my nephew Thomas Jenkins thirty pounds. Item  I give and Bequeath unto Grandson Daniel Nock the plantation whereon I now live Containing 250 acres of land to him and his Heirs forever, But in case he should died without heirs or Before he Arrives to lawfull age, then my will is that my Brother Ezekiel Nock’s son Danl Nock and Brother Jabez Jenkins son Thomas Jenkins shall possess and Enjoy the said land in Equal moieties they and their Heirs forever and in case of such decease afsd the Clock and Watch above Bequeathed to be sold with the Residuary of my Estate as hereafter directed by my Executor Item my Will is that my Executor hereinafter named shall dispose of all the Residue of my personal Estate and that out such moneys together with the Rents and profits of my Lands abovesaid Remaining Over and Above the raising and Educating of my said grandson Daniel Nock for his the said Daniel Nocks use unto Whom, after my Just Debts and contracts be paid & performed I give said Monies And I do hereby authorize my Executore hereafter named to pay all such monies as may be adjudged the Rights of the several Negroes by me in time Back held as Slaves agreeable to a Bond Which prior to date hereof I gave for that purpose as Restitution to them Which shall be considered and deemed as one of my Just debts aforesaid. Item my will and Desire is that my Grandson Daniel Nock shall Be Educated among & agreeable to the Rules of the society of the people called Quakers and if anything should appear to be contrary in my Executor who I now appoint Guardian to my said grandson, what then and in such case my Will and desire is that the monthly meeting of the people called Quakers of duck creek may Nominate a suitable Friend out of their Judgement and discretion to act as Guardian to my said grand Son in his Room and Place which Friend producing a Certificate from said Meeting signed by the clerk thereof showing that he is so Nominated and I do authorize such person with full Power to act in said Station as the aforenamed might or could viz with the care of my said Grandsons Education and the management of his Estate as afsd AND in such manner from time to time under discretion of said Monthly meeting who shall and may have the sole power of Judging when a change of Guardians may be Nessary Lastly I do nominate constitute and appoint my Beloved Kinsman Jacob Jenkins my whole and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and disannulling all others by me heretofore made as Witness I have hereunto set my hand and AFFIXED my Seal this twenty sixth day of the second month one Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty two. Thomas Nock {seal}

Testes Joseph Nock.. David Beauchamp James Muncy.. Samual Morris..    

Codicil, as Touching the Residue of the sale of my Personal Estate in case my Grandson Daniel Nock should die under Age or without Issue after all my debts Funeral charges and Expenses of his Raising and Education during his life & Legacies be paid then said Balance I will and Divise to Josep Jenkins Thomas Jenkins & Daniel Nock son of Ezekiel in Equal parts, the Rents of land after such Decease to Become With the land the Property of Daniel Nock son of Ezekiel and Thomas Jenkins as aforesaid. Witness in The Rents during his my said Grandsons life to be accounted with the personall Estate sold by my Executor Willed as afsd; Witness my hand & seal the Day and Year first Written. The 26th of second mo. 1782. Thomas Nock {seal}

Joseph Nock. David Beauchamp..James Muncy Samuel Morris. 

Personally appeared before me Thomas Rodney Esqr D Register for the probate of Wills and Granting letters of Administration in and for Kent County David Beauchamp and Joseph Nock two of the Witnesses to the foregoing Will & Codicil and Being Solemnly sworn and Affirmed say that They saw Thomas Nock the Testator sign and seal the said Will and Codicil 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 their knowledge and Belief of sound mind and memory that they signed as Witnesses to the said Will & Codicil at his instance and Request in his presence, and at the same time saw James Muncy and Saml Morris sign as Witnesses to the same In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my name the tenth Day of Jun 1783 Thomas Rodney DRegstr

Be it Remembered that on the Tenth day of June one thousand seven hundred and Eighty three the last will and Testament ^of Thomas Nock decd. with the Codicil was proved and Approved in due Form and Letters Testamentary at the same time granted to Joseph Jenkins Executor Therein named Who was sworn to Execute the same Agreeable to Law Whereas I Thomas Nock of Murderkill Hundred and County of Kent on Delaware  from a compunction in my own mind released and emancipated from a State of Slavery all the negroes I was by Inheritance and their issue in my familly, possessed of, Which however equal, and a Debt due to Justice and Humanity yet inasmuch as being Influenced by the corrupt usage of the land I had held several of them longer than when arrived to lawfull age for Whitemen to act for themselves and be at their own Disposal whereby I made a partial Disemination not Warranted by the laws of him, who of one Blood made all nations of men I do therefore for the Remydeing as much as in Power now lies, said wrong and Injustice to said Negroes by me done by such inequitable Detainance and incompliance with the will Desire and concern of my dear son James Nock decreased When near the conclusion of his Time, That some atonement or Satisfaction Should be made the Injured for the same submit this my case to the monthly meeting of the people called QUAKERS, or to the Judgment of a Committee thereof to be by them set apart and appointed at this my instance and Request for to Judge and Determine for and Between me and them and To award them compensation, Restitution Sum or Sums of Money Which to said NEGROES and each of them respectively may in Equity be due and ought to be Restored or paid. When Determination the said NEGROES agreeing to shall be on my part decisive and final and to the true payment of said money or monies, as awwarded by them, given to me or my Heirs in Writing at or before after any ensuing monthly meeting of said People, I bind myself my heirs Executors Administrators and every of them in the just sum of Three hundred pounds in specee by said NEGROES or their Heirs to be Recovered of me or my Heirs Exec or admirs Pursuing Compliance therewith. In Testimony I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 12th Day of the second Month A Domini 1762. Thomas Nock {seal}

Sealed & Delivered in Presence of us Joseph Jenkins Thomas Jenkins

The monthly meeting of Duck creek of within committee appointed by the society of the People Called Quakers in the case of free negroes. Wherein particularly set apart from the Whole for the consideration of what Restitution in Equity may be due to Negroes formerly held as Slaves by Thomas Nock deceased and Manumitted by him agreeable to a Bond of said Thomas Nock authorizing us t so to do Binding his Estate to pay such monies as may be awarded by us in Compliance also with Request made in his last Will and Testament further Binding his Estate and Concerning said bond having met together for that purpose this twenty-ninth day of the seventh month 1782 and having all the negroes Assembled and Heard their alligations and Demands they Expressing their Full Freedom and acquiescence With what might be our Judgment Touching this case do give it in as our award and Determination and Judgement that Sarah an old NEGRO Woman ought to Receive and Shall be paid from said Estate the sum of Six pounds in Specie or the Value Thereof Annually and Every Year during her life, and that a negro man called George Shall be paid out of the sum the sum of thirty Pounds and a man called Morgan twenty pounds a negro man called Jonathan Eighteen Pounds a man called Denbigh three Pounds a negro woman called Elisabeth six pounds two other women decd called Alie & Lydia named in manumission of all his said Thomas Nock Negroes under Ever Circumstance and Consideration adgust Nothing by their having children in his Family and and the cases and considerations to us known notorous and evident it being our Opinion that his Estate was not by their Services advanced augmented or Profitted We do therefore hereby award and Direct that the said several sums shall be paid to the sevral negroes above Respectively named Agreeable to said Bond and Will and the power and Authority thereby in us Vested and on Settlement of said Estate shall be Deemed and allowed of the Executor or any other Just demand or debt against said Estate as Witness our hands the day and Date Abovesaid 

Elisabeth Sipple… Ezekiel Cowgill John Cowgill Elisabeth Cowgill Daniel Mifflin Jabis Jenkins

A True copy Test

“Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C95D-KSWM-1?view=fullText : Mar 23, 2025), image 641 of 666; . 007652920

Transcribed 23 Mar 2025 by Nancy Maliwesky