In the Name of God Amen. I Peter Lowber (senior of Murderkill hundred, Kent County in the Delaware State being weak of Body, But 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 wordley affairs, and thereby to be the better prepared to leave this world, when it shall please God to Call me hence, Do therefore make and publish this my Last Will and testament in manner and form following. Viz, 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 Executors herein after named and after my debts and funeral charges are paid I desire and Bequeath my wordly Estate [as] follows.

Item I give and Devise unto my Grandaughter Catharine Cooper (Daughter of Peter Lowber Decesed) all that Tract or parcel of lan[d] whereon her Farther Lived: together with the West side of my home dwelling plantation and all my ajoining lands which lies on the west side of the following lines (Excepting ten acres which is after mentioned and devised unto my son Daniel Lowber) Beginning at a marked maple Standing on the south side of the run of Cowmarsh branch and runs thence down the said run of Cowmarsh thirty five perches, to a Corner maple Standing on the north side of the said run, thence North seven degrees East, forty four perches; to a Pocemeon [Persimmon?] thence North fifty six degrees East four perches to the mouth of the Ditch which runs through my home dwelling plantation. Then up and with the said Ditch to a gale. And thence Continaing with said Ditch through my said home dwelling plantation to the County road, thence westardly and with the said County road fifty one and an half perches, to a marked sweet Gum by and on the North side of the said road thence North one hundred an eight perches to a marked Black och, (Standing in the line of Thomas Thomas, Now William Morris’s) thence Southerly and with the westermost Metes and Bounds of my ajoining Lands, and round the same to the place of Beginning (Excepting six acres Conditionally hereafter mentioned to be laid off ajoining to the Land hereafter Devised to my son Daniel Lowber I do also Give and devise unto my Grandaughter Catharine Cooper ten acres of Land on the Locust ridge to be laid off ajoining the Line of Thomas Muncies Land and to run with said line Fifty perches, if so much can be had on said ridge; But if fifty perches Cannot be had on said ridge, to run with the said line of Muncies Land as far as it Continues on said Ridge and thence to Extend on an oblong, or true square untill the lines shall include the said ten acres which land above mentioned to the said Catharine Cooper and the heirs of her Body Lawfully Begotten forever. and for Default of such heirs the said ^Land to the use and behoof of my two groundsons Benjamin Caton and John Caton sons of Benjamin Caton Esqr Dec’d) to be equally Divided Between them share and share alike as tenants in Common and not as Joint tennants, and to the several and respective heirs of the Body and Bodies of Each of them Lawfully Begotten forever.

Item I give and devise unto my daughter Catharine Duhadaway all that pice or parcel of Land Lying on the East side of the Main road Leading from Dover to Canterbury, ajoining the Lands of Christopher Green now in possession of sarah Meredith and joining the Lands of Thomas Buch for and During her Natural Life and after her Deceas I give and Devise the said Land unto Jacob Duhadaway, ^Son of the Said Catheron and the heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten Forever. Item I give and Devise unto my son Daniel Lowber my home dwelling plantation with all the Lands thereunto ajoinining (Except the lines of fifty acres Deeded to Michael Lowber, son of Michael Lowber, and the above Devised Land unto Catharine Cooper) together with a small piece of meadow which lies ajoining the aforesaid Land Deeded to Michael Lowber as afsd. And Joining the Lines of the above Devised Land unto Catharine Cooper. Binding with the Lines of Wilson Betto Deceased and with the Lines of Michael Reynolds senior, also Including about Eleven Acres on the south side of the Cowmarsh Branch now in Disput Between myself and Abraham Harris, and in case the said Eleven Acres be not Confirmed unto the said Daniel Lowber by Law, that then he the said Daniel Lowber to have the six acres above excepted out of the Bounds of Catharine Cooper, But if the said Eleven Acres be Confirmed by Law in favor of said Daniel Lowber ^then the aforesaid six acres to return back to said Catharine Cooper: also I give unto the said Daniel Lowber the house and houses where he now lives with ten acres of land ajoining or most Convenient to the same, within the lines of the land Devised unto Catharine Cooper; to be laid off in an oblong square that is to say) fifty perches ^in Length on the Side next ajoining the Said Daniel Lowbers other Land and thirty Two perches) west and to Begin at same fixed place, at the Election of the said Daniel Lowber. Unto his use and Behoof During his Natural Life and if said Daniel Lowber should die Before his present wife Mary Lowber then I give and Grant unto the said Mary Lowber one third part of the said land for and During her natural Life. And after the Deceas of my son Daniel Lowber and his present wife Mary Lowber then I give and Devise the Remained of in and unto, the said Land and every ^part thereof unto Peter Lowber son of Daniel Lowber afsd. and to the heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten forever.

Item I give and devise unto Benjamin Caton (son of Benjamin Caton Esqr. Decd.) part of two Tracts of land in Murderkill forrest (Ajoining the Lands late of Benedict Brice Dec’d) agreeable to the metes and Bounds heretofore made, Between the said Land, and the Land of Catharine Duhadaway Viz) Beginning at a Corner Marked live oak by a small pond and runining thence south seventy one degrees East, twenty perches, to a marked Black oak sapling on a ridge. Thence North Twenty one Degrees East twenty ??? perches, to a marked Black oak sapling. Thence North sixty one degrees East, sixty perches to a White oak sapling thence south sixty degrees East sixty perches to a marked White oak thence North fifty two degrees East, fourteen perches to the Northenmost lines of the original Tract of land: together with all the ajoining Land on the West of the said Lines: to be ^to the use of said Benjamin Caton and the Lawful heirs of his Body forever By his paying to John Hatfield (son of William Hatfield) the sum of Twenty pounds when the said John Hatfield (son of William Hatfield) the sum of Twenty pounds when the said John Hatfield Arives to the age of twenty one years: or otherwise the said Benjamin Caton to yield up one half of the afore Devised land to the said John Hatfield at the aforesaid time and if the said John Hatfield should die Before he has any issue then the said money or land (at said Catons Choice) to go to sarah Hatfield sister of the said John Hatfield, and to the lawful heirs of her Body for Ever, and if said John Hatfield and Sarah Hatfield should Both die not Leaving a Lawful Issue of Either of their Bodies: then the Money or Land as aforesaid to to revert Back to said Benjamin Caton ^and the heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten forever. Item I give and Devise unto my Daughter Eunity Gilder and her husband John Gilder all that part of a “Tract” of Land Called Quiet Entry which lieth on the west side of the main road Leading from  Dover to Canterbury and ajoining the Lands of James Green Dec’d unto them the said John Gilder and Eunity Gilder and their heirs in fee Provided they or Either of them pay to William and Peter Berry sons of the said Eunity Gilder upon the term of one year after my Deceas the sum of thirty pounds Each.

Item I give and devise unto my Grandson John Lowber (son of Mathew Lowber Dec’d all that Lot of ground now conveyed By Haddock Warring Lying on the on the North side of the County road also ten Acres of Medowland lying on the south side of said road, and opposite said Haddock Warring present Dwelling, also forty acres of Land on the North side of the afsd. road and ajoining to the same road and Including the house and Ground where my Negro Will Died. Unto him the said John Lowber and the heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten Forever. Item I give and Devise unto Peter Caton (son of Benjamin Caton Esqr Dec’d; all the undivided part of the Tract of Land Whereon My Negro Will Lived and died and ajoining the forty acres of land divised to my Grandson John Lowber, and Lying Between the Land of Levi Muncy and Wife and the Land of William Jackson & Wife and the Land of William Morris unto him the said Peter Caton and the heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten Forever. Also the Best Horse I have and Father Bed and furniture to said Peter Caton.

Item I give and Devise unto my two old negroes Tom and his wife Nan the house and Lot Whereon they now Live During their Natural Lives. Item I give and  Bequeath unto my son Daniel Lowber my Clock and still and a large Bible as a Legace also a Negro Boy Named James to the age of twenty three she giving the said James six months schooling and then to be free.

Item. I give and Bequeath to Catharine Duhadaway the Best Feather Bed and furniture I have and a Negro girl named Ruth summers till she arives till twenty one, then to be free. Item I give and Bequeath to Peter Lowber son of Daniel Lowber, a Negro Girl named Rachel forever. also the sum of fifteen pound. Good and Lawful money: to be levied out of my personal Estate.

Item. I further will and direct that all the rest of my real and personal Estate (after the aforesaid Devises and Legaces) be taken out, and my funeral Charges and Just Debts be paid, that the same be appraised and sold, or otherwise Divided By my Execution in manner following (Viz) Catharine Duhadaway, Eunity Gilder or Each to have one third of the overplus, and Benjamin Caton and John Caton afsd. to have the other third of the overplus Divided Equally Between them share and share alike to them as afsd. and their Heirs Forever. Item I give at my Deceas to Nan and Judea their Freedom forever. Item And Lastly I do hereby Constitute and appoint my son Daniel Lowber, sole Executor of this my Last Will and testament hereby revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and Confirming this and non other to be my Last will and Testament. Which Contains four sheets of paper. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this second day of April in the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand seven hundred and Ninety four. Peter Lowber Sener {seal}

Signed sealed published and Declared by Peter Lowber senior the  above Named Testator, as and for his Last Will and testament in the Presence of us, who at his request, and in his presence have subscribed our names as Witness thereto. ?? N. William Shinner his mark ???????? H??? ???????hard

State of Delaware Ss. Personally appeared before me Thomas White Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for Kent County James Shaw and Joseph Flood Two of the subscribing Witnesses to the within Instrument of writing who being sworn of the Holy Evengelists of almighty God do say that they saw Peter Lower Sen. Sign and seal the same 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 & doing he was to the best of their belief of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding, at his request and in his presence they signed their names as Witnesses and at the like instance and request, and in his presence saw William Shinner Sign the same by making his mark as Witness thereto. In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my had at Dover this 4th day of December 1794. Thos. White R[e]giste[r]

Delaware, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1676-1971, Kent County, Register of Wills, Book M-N, 1783-1800

Transcribed 7 Apr 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky