Be it Remembered that I Jonathan Emerson of Kent County upon Delaware being Weak in body but through Mercy of sound disposing mind and memory, for the better ordering of what Estate I have been favored with in this world do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following Vizt. Imprimis. My will is that my beloved friends Ezekiel Cowgill John Cowgill and Warner Mifflin do appraise my Personal Estate, empowering them together with my wife Ruth Emerson with full Authority to make a conclusive settlement of all my Estate, both real and Personal in that manner which they may deem most equitable and consistent with the Principles of and Testimony of the ever blessed truth as held by the people called Quakers. Item my will is that my beloved wife have and enjoy the one third part of the rents and Profits of all my Lands or real Estate during her natural life not including the Personal, And whereas in times of former Ignorance I became so far a captive to corrupt custom as influenced thereby to sell a Negro Woman called Phillis for a Slave whose release I have been since much concerned about Now I do hereby authorise my Trustees above named to pay such sum or sums of money as shall be absolutely necessary to redeem her with her offspring Children & GrandChildren that are now subjugate to a state of thralldom, unto her and their just Liberty, & to make such restitution after to her them or either of them as shall appear on Principles of true Equity to be their rights  for injury sustained, likewise to make the like just resolution to a certain negro man called Andrew, by me manumitted at an advanced age, for the time he was detained after the age of twenty one years: also to make just restitution to a certain Negro Woman named Sidney born and raised in my fathers family of the fruits of whose Labour by inheritance of my Fathers Estate I am in part possessed, and to pay and appropriate to the the use of the descendants of a certain Negro man called Weymouth who was raised in my fathers family, & now deceas’d what shall by my Trustees above said be deemed his sd. Weymouths right. And whereas my wife’s father John Bowers in his time, held a certain Negro Woman called Catherine till her decease, & she having a surviving brother now a slave to  a certain Thomas Jackson my will is that what may appear justly due sd. Catherine be paid as appropriate to his (her sd. Brother is Called Richard) use for his relief from Bondage or otherwise as to them my sd. Trustees may seem best, Investing my sd. Trustees with a right to call in to their  assistance in judgment in all the above cases of restitution, such right spirited qualified friends as they may think needful & requisite, and in case of the decease of any of my Trustees afsd. the Power of the whole shall exist in the survivors of those added to their Assistace all which payments shall be made out of my Estate & profits thereof and their certificates under hand of my’s Trustees (and assistants if any) shall be a legal discharge on settlement for the same, Item My will is that my several Children  male & female be brought up to business, Trades Employments of real use not in vanity or any occupation the device thereof, and that the and that  the distribution of my whole Estate among them be as nearly equal as may be without regard to sexes and would desire rather that a final distribution or division be not made untill they all arrive at mature age, that they may all alike enjoy the benefit of their raising and Education clear of any diminution of any of their respective shares  but that they individually arrive to legal age the be administered to in part as necessity may require: yet if any of my Children by ill conduct or otherwis render themselves unworthy of an equal share as abovesaid I do authorise my Trustees or their survivors to make such difference for demerit as they with the concurring judgment of the Monthly meeting of Duck or little Creek of the people called Quakers shall approve any aforesaid to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding… Lastly I appoint my beloved wife and my esteemed friends Ezekiel Cowgill John Cowgill & Warner Mifflin my true and legal representatives and Trustees to see this my will agreeable to the Tenor and true meaning hereof Executed and complied with ratifying this only to be my last will and Testament witness my hand and seal this 3 day of the 4 Month Anno Domini 1784. Jonathan Emerson {seal}

Signed sealed pronounced and acknowledged by the Testator in the presence of us

Seal’d and acknowledged also by the Testator as his last will and Testament the day & date above said in presence of us John Bowers. Govey Emerson John Dickinson Joseph Jenkins

Codicil to the within Will

Item I give and bequeath to James Chipman (the son of Stephen Chipman deceased) he being an impotent Boy in one of his knees the sum of fifty Pounds cash when he shall arrive at lawfull age viz to twenty one years or part sooner if my Trustees think best or necessary… Also I do further direct and impower my Trustees within mentioned to make what restitution they may judge justly due from my Estate to a Negro Woman called Themar held by my father, and a Negro Man named Mingo manumitted by me after Legal Age which payments agreeable to their judgment Certifyed under their or two of their hands shall be deemed legal & not called in Question by any of my Heirs given under my hand this 3 day of the 4 Month within written 1784 Also to Administer to a certain Negro Man formerly held by me called Absalom what maybe reasonable for his support he being non compos Mendes, yearly or otherwis as my Trustees may think best. Jonathan Emerson {seal}

The above codicil was signed sealed and acknowledged, as the true intent & meaning of the Testator & additional anexed to the within will in the presence of us… John Dickinson John Bowers Joseph Jenkins

Delaware State Ss Personally appeared before me Thomas Rodney Esqr Register for the Probate of wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the County of Kent John Bowers John Dickinson and Joseph Jenkins and being sworn duly Affirmed say that they saw Jonathan Emerson the Testator sign and seal the within Instrument of writing and heard him publish and declare the same as and for his last will and Testament that at the time of him so doing and saying he was to the best of their belief of sound disposing mind and memory, that they signed the same as witnesses at his request and in his presence – and at the same time upon their affirmations aforesaid declared that they saw the said Jonathan Emerson sign and seal and foregoing Instrument of writing and heard him publish and declare the same as a Codicil to 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 disposing mind and memory that they signed as Witnesses to the same at his request and in his presence and further saith not Witness my hand July 11th 1784. Thomas Rodney Register

Be it Remembered that on the eleventh day of July one thousand seven hundred and eighty four the last will and Testament of Jonathan Emerson was proved and approved in due form and Letters Testamentary granted to 

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“Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-QQJN?view=explore : Feb 7, 2026), image 31 of 566; .

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Transcribed 7 Feb 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky