Will

In the name of God amen, I William Carpenter Senr of Kent County in the Delaware State, being in perfect health of body, and of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs, and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me home, do therefore make and publish this my last Will & Testament in manner and form following, that is to say.

   First and principally I commit my Soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the Earth, to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor & Executrix herein after named, and, after my Just debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows.

   I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Sarah Carpenter the one third of the Plantation whereon I now dwell, with the new Roome and Loft of the Dwelling House, one of the Kitchens and necessary out houses, and one third of the Orchard, during the time of her natural Life; I also give unto her the following four Negroes Viz. One Fellow named Jacob, one Wench (being His Wife) named Dark, one boy named Charles, and one Girl named Cate; likewise I give unto her three Cows and Calves, six head of young dry Cattle, one dozen of sheep, one Horse for her Chaise, two plow Horses and one third of the plowing & farming utensils, two beds & furniture with Curtains, two Tables, one half a dozen of Chairs, one looking Glass, which articles it is my desire she shall have the liberty of chosing, and also all my earthin china, and glass Wares, the corner Cupboard in the Afsd. new roome, one large brass Kettle & warming pann; all which several Negroes & articles aforesaid I give to her my beloved Wife during her natural life, likewise I give and bequeath to her and her Heirs my Chaise, and all the swine or hogs that I may have at the time of my decease, together with the Cusp of all kind of Grain &c that may then be growing on said place, as well as all the wheat, Corn & Fodder, that may be saved and then on the premises, I considering these last mentioned articles to be for the support of her family; and it is my will and desire that my said Wife shall have the full free and uninterupted use and benefit of all my said dwelling Plantation & Houses, during the term of one year after my death. And whereas in consiquence of my intermarriage with my present wife,  her Dower of the Estate of her former Husband William Douglass deceased has fell to me, which I do not desire to hold any part of, except as is hereafter excepted, therefore I do by these presents renounce and disclaim any part of her said Dower of either the Real or Personal Estate beforementioned, except five hundred Pounds cash & what other personal property she hath brought with her to me (as the Inventory thereof sheweth) which I claim the use of only during my natural LIfe, then to be returned that is the Cash and other property in like kind as was received, to her my Wife Sarah and her heirs forever; and it is further my will & desire that no part or parcel of her Dower of said Estate shall be esteemed, Inventoried, taken in, or receved as any part of my Estate at the settlement thereof after my decease unless it should so happen that I may lay out the above five hundred pounds cash ^ or any part thereof ^ towards the improvement of my estate or otherwise, then and in such case said sum must be paid out of my Estate as other Debts ^that may be ^ due from me.

   Item. I give and devise unto my Grand Daughter Mary Hartihorn (married woman) eldest daughter of John Dill a Tract or Parcel of Land lying in the welch settlement on main T. D. River in South Carolina, containing about three hundred & fifty five acres as by Pattent, more or less, to her & her heirs or assigns in fee simple.

   Item. I give an bequeath unto my Grand Daughter Eamy Dill (single woman) one hundred pounds current Lawfull money to be paid her by my Executor or Executrix in two years after my death; and one Bed & furniture, and a horse or mair of the value of twelve pounds, to be delivered her after appraisement of my Estate is made;  and in case she should die before marriage, then I give the Legacy left her unto my Grand Daughter Mary Hartihorn.

   Item, I give and bequeath unto my Grandson William Carpenter (son of Samuel Carpenter Deceased) one Silver Tankard, one half a Dozen of Silver Table Spoones, and one large looking Glass.

   Item, I give and devise unto my Daughter Martha Brown (married woman) two Tracts of Land, lying in Kent County, Delaware State, in Murderkill Hundred, nigh the black swamp, one containing one hundred & fifty acres, the other one hundred & eight acres, more or less, being the Land which my son in Law Thomas Brown now occupies;  to her the said Martha Brown during her natural Life, and from and after her decease, I give & devise the same two hundred & fifty acres of Land, unto her two eldest sons by Thomas Brown, in fee simple, to be equally divided between them in equal portion, share and share alike; also I give unto my said Daughter Martha, two Negro fellows Viz. Nero, and Peter, and one half Dozen of Silver Table Spoons.

   Item, I give and devise unto my Grandson Samuel Carpenter (son of William Carpenter deceased) my Plantation whereon I now dwell, containing about Eight hundred & fifty acres, high Land and Cripple, more or less, lying on Murderkill Creek in Kent County afsd., when he arrives to the age of Twenty one years, to him the said Samuel Carpenter and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten; untill which time, the profits arising from my said Plantation shall be applyed in the most proper and advantagious manner that my Executor & Executrix shall deem meet or best towards the maintainance and Education of said Samuel Carpenter, and the whole of the six Children which my Daughter Martha now has living: And in case my said Grandson should die before he arives to the age afsd., or if he should die without Lawfull Issue, then the said Land must be sold to the best advantage, and the money arising therefrom to be equally divided among my Daughter Martha & all her Children that may then be living by what Husband soever, share & share alike.

   Item, As to all the rest and residue of my Estate, it is my will and desire shall be sold to the best advantage and the monies arising therefrom put out to Interest or Bond with good Securities by my Executor & Executrix, which I give & bequeath to my daughter Martha Brown and all her  Children as before mentioned, to be equally divided among them, share & share alike, to be paid to them and each other of them respectively, when they arrive to their Lawfull ages or days of Marriage, which shall first happen.

   Item, It is my will and desire, that all the property that may remain free from death or other unavoidable accidents, at the Death of my wife Sarah Carpenter which I have by this Will & Testament given to her during her Life shall be sold by my surviving Executor to the best advantage and the monies arising therefrom to be equally Divided among my Daughter Martha & her Children in the same manner as is directed in the next preceding Clause to this.

   And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my dear Wife Sarah Carpenter to be  my Executrix, and John Cook Esquire to be my Executor, of this my last Will and Testament; Revoking and annulling all former Wills by me heretofore made, ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last Will and Testament

   In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this fifth day of March in the Year of our Lord Seventeen hundred & Eighty five. William Carpenter his mark {seal}

Signed, Sealed, published & declared by William Carpenter the above named testator, as & for his last Will & Testament, in the presence of us, who at his request, and in his presence, have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto. Thomas William his mark Paris Griffith James Lowry

Proved by the oath of Griffith and Lowry in witness fourth January A.D. 1786 T.R.

Delaware State Ss. Personally appeared before Thomas Rodney Esq Register for the Probate of Wills and Granting Letters of Administration [???] and for the County of Kent Paris Griffith and and James Lowry two of the Subscribers Witnesses to the within and foregoing Instrument of Writing who being Sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, do say, that they saw William Carpenter (by way of making his mark) 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 doing and saying he was to the Best of their Belief of sound and Disposing mind and Memory. That they at his Instance and Request and in his Presence Signed and saw each Other Sign their names as witnesses to the Same, and at the same time, and at the like, Instance and Request, and in his presence also they saw Thomas Williams (by way of making his mark) Sign his name, as one Other witnesses to the Same. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand at Dover, the 18th day of January Anno Dom. 1786. Thomas Rodney Register

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Inventory  William Carpenter Jan. [23 & 24] 1786

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Negroes

one Negro woman aged 47 years called Maria 15..0..0

one Negro woman aged 35 years called Rachel 40..0..0

one Negro woman aged 23 years called Cloe 50..0..0

one negro boy aged 12 years called Joseph 45—

one negro boy aged 10 years Called Cator 40 —

one negro woman aged 26 years called Tamer 45 —

one negro Girl aged 7 called minto 25 —

one negro Girl aged 5 years called Poll 15 —

one negro Girl aged 3 years called Ruth 12..10 —

one negro Girl aged 6 years called Tamer 20 —

one negro Girl aged 3 years called Rebecca 12..10 —

one negro Girl aged 2 years called Nancy 7..10 —

one negro Girl aged 3 years called Susannah 12..10 —

one negro Boy aged 19 years Called Toney 65 —

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Legacies left to Mrs Sarah Carpenter

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one Negro man aged 40 years called Jacob 50 —

one negro woman aged 45 years called darcus 25 —

one negro Girl aged 8 years Called Cate 35 —

one negro Boy aged 14 years Called Charles 60 —

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Legacies Left to Martha Brown

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1 negro man Aged 31 years called Peter 75 —

one negro man aged 25 years called Nero 75 —

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Appraised by us William Meridith Simon W. Wilson

Kent County Delaware State Sst. I do certify that on the 26th Day of April 1787 the above Named William Meridith and Simon W. Wilson were sworn the appraisers of the above and Foregoing Inventory According to Law. Before William Molleston

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“Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS55-L36F-9?view=explore : Dec 10, 2025), image 425 of 1018; Delaware Public Archives (Dover).

Image Group Number: 104399916

Transcribed 10 Dec 2025 by Nancy Maliwesky