The Name of God Amen. The twentyeth day of April in year of our lord one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty two, I James Cochran of St Georges Hundred and New Castle County in the state of Delaware being now in perfect Health ??? And sound Understanding both in Mind and Memory, well knowing that frailty of all human Nature and the Various and Sudden Transitions from health to Sickness from Life to death and therefore thinking it most Wise and prudent while my health is Contained with me to Will order and dispose of those Goods and Chattels to wherewithal it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life in the following manner and form and when it shall please alight God to put a period to this present Life. I humbly recommend my Soul into the Mercy of Jesus Christ my Saviour who put that immortal spark of Existence in me, and as to my Body I recommend it to the Earth… be Buried decently by my Executors hereafter Mentioned.

[Pri]mis my Will and desire is, that all my Just debts and funeral Charges be full paid and [sa]tisfied by my Exrs. [page cut off] I give and bequeath unto my Son Moses Cochran the plantation he Now lives on w… all and singular the premises and appurtenances thereunto belonging with all the stock of  Every kind thereon, the farming Utensils Household Stuff furniture and lumber als… Negro Man named Simon one Negroe Man named Quachker, a Negro Boy named Ned, [line illegible] after mentioned and [line illegible] Mary [line illegible]

I give and bequeath unto my son John Cochran as a Legacy over and above his Equal portion or half part of my Estate, one Bead Bedstead Curtains and furniture thereto belonging, one Eight day Clock one mahogany Desk, and Walnut Corner Cupboard four Winsor Chai[rs] and one Walnut Tea Table, I also give and bequeathe unto my son John Cochran Esclusive of ye afd.Legacy the Plantation on which he now lives with all and singular the premises and appurtenances thereto belonging with all the stock of every kind thereon the farming ^utensils of every hoi?d as also the Household Stuff furniture and Lumber, also a Negro Man Named Willa… a Negro Man named Ben and one Negro Wench named Candace a Negro Woman named Jin and her Child Charles, and one negro Woman named Nancy and an old Negro man named Tobe, p[ro]vided that he my son John will pay one Moiety or half part of the Legacies hereafter Mentioned and bequeathed unto my three Daughters namely Elizabeth, Mary and Rebecca, and agreeable to the appraisement already Made (which I will that none Other be made after my Decease) there appears that my Son John hath now of my Estate in his hands and posseshon my son Moses, Exclusive of the Legacy first bequeathed to him, I do will and order that my son John accounts with his Brother Moses for the sum he holds in overplus, or that he p????es a greater part of these Legacies which I hereafter mention and bequeathe to my Daughters afd untill both my sons hold an Equal share of my Estate, Excepting the Legacy bequeathed to my son John.

Item I Will and order that my two Sons Moses and John Cochran, do purchase three ^ Negro Woman of the Value of seventy pounds in Gold and silver as it passed in the Year Seventeen Hundred and seventy three ready to be Delivered to my Daughters by the first of May next Ensuing this Date, that is one to my Daughter Elisabeth and one to my Daughter Mary and one to my Daughter [line illegible] [page cut off] as afd to my ? Negroes ? ??? ghters. And it is my farther W[ill] and I do order that my two Sons afd do purchase three Negro Men of the Value of one Hundred pounds Each in gold and silver as it passed in the year Seventy three afsd ready to be deliver’d by the first day of May Seventeen Hundred and Eighty three one to Each of my afore mentioned daughters, and fi so be that these negros are purchas’d and delivered as afore directed, then shall my two sons pay the Interest of the Sums to be given for these Negroes To such of my daughters, for whom they a?? Purchased and Deliver’d as before Directed, for the term of one year Ensuing the time afsd were to be deliver’d, and after the year Expires and these afd negros be not purchased and delivered as afd then shall y two sons pay the Hire of Such Negros per year, to my Daughter or Daughters for whom the Negro is not purchased, And I do further Will and order that my two Sons do purchase and deliver unto Each one of my Daughters aforesaid, one young Negro Girl of the Value of fifty pounds in Gold and Silver as it passed in the Year Seventy three as Afd at or upon the first day of May [words crossed out] happen in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty Six, and if not purchase’d and deliver’d as afd then shall my two sons pay the yearly Hire of Such Negro or Negros Not purchas’d and deliver’d, to my Daughter or Daughters as afd untill they are purchase’d and Deliver’d all which slaves I bequeathe to my Daughters in the Manner and form that each of my Daughters shall have one Negro from Each of the afd purchases, which I devise to them during their natural Lives, and after their Deaths to Desend to their offspring to be Equally Divided between their Children as well those that was born before Wedlock, as those that were born in Wedlock, which shall be all these my Daughters shall have of my Estate And [page cut off] Daughters nor any other person Shall not sell, Transfer, swap, nor give away in any Manner whatsoever part with or from these afd negroes devised to them But to Keep and use them well in all Cases, for Labour food and Rament, as slaves are Not to be used, but if bad treatment or usage be given to these Slaves afd or any one of them I Will and order my Sons Moses and John or Either of them to take away Such Slave or slaves Evilly Treated and hire them out paying the yearly Hire of such slaves for sha??? to Such of my Daughters from whom such slave was taken, And if it should so happen that Either my Daughters Should die without issue or that if their Issue should die before they arrive at full age, by Law then these Negros already divided to Descend to the surviving Brethren and sisters, And I do further Will and Bequeathe unto my Grandson Joseph the Son of my Son John Cochran a Black Mair which did belong to my son Joseph, before his decease, And farther I do with and that if Either of the Leases of those plantations which I have devised to my two sons, Moses and John, should be defective and voids in Law, by Reason of, the lives in the Leases becoming Extinct, that then the Loss of such Plantation (agreeable to the present appraisement) be Equally Divided between these my two sons, bearing an Equal proportion in the Loss. And Lastly I do Constitute and appoint my two Sons afd my whole and sole Exrs of this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and disanulling all other Former Will or Wills by or for me made, pronouncing this present Instrument of Writing and this only to be my last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal this day and Year first above Written. Jaes Cochran [seal}

4th Novbr 1782

Sign’d Seal’d publish’d & pronounced to be His last Will and Testament In presence of us, Jacob Vanhorn Ser William Rice Rud Gonce Jur

Personally appeared Jacob Vanhorn and Rudolph Gonce two of the Subscribing Evidences to the above and foregoing Will, and being Sworn do declare they did see and hear John ^James Cochran, sign, seal publish, pronounce and declare the above and foregoing Instrument of writing as his Last Will and Testament, that at the time of so doing and saying he was (to the best of their belief) of sound & disposing mind & memory, that they did sign their names as Evidences thereunto at his request, in his presence, in the presence of each other and in the presence of William Rice who they sa[w] sign as one other Evidence at the same time. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at NewCastle Novr. 4th 1782. V Hinman D Regr

Delaware, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1676-1971

New Castle, Register of Wills, Cody, Mary-Cochran, Victor

Transcribed 11 Sep 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky