Be it Remembered That I John Bowers of the County of Kent upon Delaware Calling to mind the uncertainty of time here in the world and being but weak in Body yet through Divine favor of Sound mind and memory in order to Settle my outward affairs whilst in this Situation of mind I do hereby make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the following manner to witt. First my will is that my Body be Decently Intered at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter to be Names; and by them all my Just Debt and Charges occurring at my Death and burial be Well an Truly Satisfied and Paid as Speedy as may be. Item, I give and Divise unto my son John Bowers all my Now Dwelling Plantation including all the up Land and all the Marsh which I now hold in murderkiln Hundred together with my now Dwelling House out Houses and all other Profits prevelidges and appurtenances Whatsoever thereunto belonging to have and to hold unto my said Son John Bowers to him and his Issue Lawfully Begotten of his Body forever, But if it Should So happen that my said Son Should Dye without Such Issue or heir of his Body Lawfully Begotten, that then the within Said Premises Shall be Equally Divided Between my three Daughters to wit Elizabeth Corse Mary Lowber and Ruth Bowers To them their Heirs and Assigns forever, Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Rachel Bowers the use and Benefit of one third part of my Dwelling house and Plantation  with a third part of all the profits prevelidges and appurtenances Whatsoever thereunto belonging During her Natural Life Item I further give and Bequeath unto my wife Rachel Bowers one Negroe man Named Charles Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Course five Shillings (She having been Proportionably Advanced by me since her marriage Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Lowber one Negro Girl Named bett. Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Bowers one Negro Girl Named Alce when when of Lawful age or married. Item I give and bequeath unto my son John Bowers one Hundred and fifty pounds Current money of this Government to be Paid to him when of Lawfull age or married and I further do Bequeath unto my son John Bowers one Negro Boy Named Anthony when of Lawfull or married. Item my will is that after all my Just Debts and Legacies are paid and Satisfied that then the Remaining part of my Estate Both Real and Personal Shall be equally Divided Between my wife Rachel Bowers and my Two Daughters to wit Mary Lowber and Ruth Bowers to each of them Shear and Shear alike. Item my will is that my Executor shall have Sucht Care that no waste of Timber be made nor no more Land be Cleared untill my Son John Bowers be the Lawfull age to take share of the same Neither Shall my Wife nor any under her have any Priviledge of Clearing Land And Lastly I do Nominate Constitute and appoint my beloved Wife Rachel Bowers and my Trusty friend Samuel Hanson and Thomas Hanson Executors of this my Last Will and Testament making Null and Void all other Will or Wills by me at any Time hereto fore made Declaring this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Affix’d my Seal this thirteenth Day of the Eight month in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty five. John Bowers {seal}

Signed Sealed and Acknowledged By the Said John Bowers to be his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us John Gray  Prudence Gray. Agness A M elhenny

Personally Came before Casar Rodney Register for the probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration John Gray, Prudence Gray and agnes M elhenny the three subscribing Evidences to the foregoing Will of John Bowers Decd: and being Sworn on the Holy Evangelits of almighty God declared that they saw and heard John Bowers Sign, Seal, Publish pronounce and Declare the Said foregoing Testament of Writing as and for his Last Will and Testament that at the Time of Doing and Saying he was (to the best of their Belief of Sound and Disposing mind and memory, that they Signed their Names as evidences thereto at his Instance and Request and in his presence In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Twenty fifth Day of June Anno Domini 1766.

Be it Remembered that on the Twenty fifth Day of June Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Six the Last Will and Testament of John Bowers Decd in Due form of Law and Probate and Letters Testamentary thereof, were granted to Rachel Bowers Executrix in the Same Will Named being well and Truly to administer the Estate of the Said Deceased and to Exhibit an Inventory into the Registers Office at Dover on or before the Twenty fifth Day of December next and Render a True and Just account of her Administration when thereunto Legally Required Given under the Seal of the Said Office.

“Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C95D-KSWC-C?view=explore : Feb 6, 2026), image 392 of 666; .

Image Group Number: 007652920

Transcribed 6 Feb 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky