Will Lewis Vandegrift Deceased October 23d 1857 Recorded in Book X, page 22 &c
In the name of God, Amen I Lewis Vandegrift of St Georges Hundred New Castle County and State of Delaware; feeling the weight of Declining years, being somewhat weak in body and of sound and disposing mind and memory; thanks to Almighty God for the same, do hereby make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form Following, to wit:
First it is my Will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid by my hereinafter named Executors out of my personal Estate as soon after my decease as circumstances will permit, and that my Executors cause my body to be interred at the St Anns Episcopal church yard near Middletown by the side of my beloved wife; and that a head and foot stone be placed there at as similar I size and device to that by hers, as is practicable and proper.
Item I devise and bequeath unto my nephew Isaac H Vandegrift my mansion farm on which I now reside in the Hundred & County aforesaid bounded on the North and East by St Augustine creek, Southerly by lands of Joseph Cleaves & others and by a road and line running from Boyds corner towards the said St Augustine Creek and Westerly by my farm now in the tenantcy and occupancy of George Rice, supposed to contain about three hundred and fifty acres be the same more or less; to him the said Isaac H Vandegrift his heirs and assigns forever; with the Proviso that he the said Isaac H Vandegrift shall pay out of the same any defisioncy in the legacies hereinafter bequeathed, which my personal estate or other means may be in sufficient to meet, or which is not otherwise Provided for.
Item I devise and bequeath unto my Grand Nephew Isaac Ward Vandegrift my plantation or farm on which my tenant George Rice now resides including the field of about thirty acres on the south side of the Road and line leading from Boyds corner to St Augustine creek aforesaid; the said land being bounded easterly by my mansion farm herein devise to my said nephew Isaac H Vandegrift; Southerly by land of Captain David S Craven: Westerly by lands of the heirs of James McVay and the heirs of John Boyd and Northerly by the stream of the said St Augustine Creek, containing about one hundred and eighty acres be the same more or less; to him the said Isaac Ward Vandegrift his heirs and assigns forever: with the Proviso that he the said Isaac Ward Vandegrift shall pay out of the same the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000) hereinafter bequeathed to my tenant George Rice
Item I give and bequeath to my nephew Joseph V Eccles the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000) to be paid or allowed by my Executors to him out of the Mortgage held by me against him the said Joseph V Eccles
Item I give and bequeath unto my niece Rebecca Ocheltree (wife of Major Robert Ocheltree) the sum of One thousand dollars ($1000-)
Item I give and bequeath unto my relative Leonard George Vandegrift the son of my old friend Major Christopher Vandegrift the sum of eight hundred dollars ($800.)
Item I give and bequeath unto Andrew Jackson Vandegrift, son of Major C Vandegrift aforesaid) the sum of eight hundred Dollars ($800-)
Item I give and bequeath unto Christopher Vandegrift, (son of Major C Vandegrift aforesaid) the sum of nine hundred dollars ($900-)
Item I give and bequeath unto Lewis Cross[?} Vandegrift (the youngest son of Leonard George Vandegrift herein before named) the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000-) to be held in trust for him by his said father until he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years
Item I give and bequeath unto Lewis Cross Dilworth, (the son of my friend John D. Dilworth) the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000-) to be be held in trust for him by his said Father untill he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years
Item, I give and bequeath unto my friend and Tenant George Rice the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000- to be paid to him out of the estate herein devised to Isaac Ward Vandegrift as here- in before provided and to be paid to him within four years after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto the St Anns Episcopal Church near Middletown the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1500-) for the use and benefit of said church, and to be held by my Executors for such use, until it can be transferred to Trustees, legally and properly authorized to receive and apply the same.
Item I give and bequeath unto my Slave Harry Dublin his freedom, and also a tenant house and about one acre of land lying on the Southeaster part of my mansion farm herein devised to my nephew Isaac H Vandegrift; and it is my will wish and request that my nephews Isaac H Vandegrift and Isaac Ward Vandegrift herein named shall have a kindly care over my old slave Harry, and make his declining years as comfortable as circumstances will permit
Item It is my Will and bequest that my slave Tom Wright now living with my nephew Joseph V Eccles and my two young slaves now living with me Viz Richard __ __ and Sarah __ __ be set free and have and enjoy their freedom immediately after my decease; but my two slaves Henry and Perry who ran away from me, it is my will and wish that if they can be caught my Executors shall dispose of them to the best advantage and apply the proceeds in the settlement of my estate
Item I devise and bequeath unto my two young negro slaves in addition to their freedom the House and about three acres of the land on the upper or westerly end of the land bought by me of John Fleming; the said House and land to be laid off by my nephew Isaac H Vandegrift or his heirs at the time the Girl Sarah who is the youngest shall arrive at the age of twenty one years at which time the said Richard and Sarah are to be put in possession of the said House and land, to be held equally between them and to their Heirs and assigns forever: and it is my Will that the residue of the land purchased of the said John Fleming shall go with my mansion farm to which it is now attached to the said Isaa[c] H Vandegrift his heirs and assigns forever
Item it is my Will that my marsh and property on both sides of Silver run creek or canal, shall be sold by my Executors either at public or private sale to the best advantage as also my lots of marsh or Cripple on the St Augustine Creek which is not attached to or adjoining my Mansion farm and the proceeds to go into and be considered as part of my personal estate and applied as is herein provided
Item, It is my Will that the legacies bequeathed in this my last Will and Testament shall be paid by my Executors to the respective legatees within four hears after my decease and the Executors to have and exercise the discretion as to which of the said legacies shall be first paid out of the funds of my estate as it shall come into their hands
Item and lastly I do hereby nominate Constitute and appoint my nephew Isaac H Vandegrift and my friend and neighbor John D Dilworth the Executors of this my last will and Testament and hereby revoking any and all other Will or Wills by me heretofore made: In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and authorized the writing of my name this sixteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven (A.D. 1857). Lewis Vandegrift his mark
We the subscribers witnesses to the foregoing Will and Testament, written on two sheets of paper do certify that the said Will and Testament was carefully read over to the Testator Lewis Vandegrift in our presence and that the contents thereof was fully known to him and that he the Testator expressly desired his name to be subscribed thereto, and made his own mark thereon; and that this Will was published and declared by him the said Lewis Vandegrift as and for his last Will and Testament, and at his request we have signed our names as Witnesses to the same. Sam’l Carpenter. James R Towns
NewCastle County ss: Personally came before me Peter B. Vandever, Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for NewCastle County Samuel Carpenter and James R Towns the two subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Instrument of writing, and being solemnly sworn on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God did say that they saw Lewis Vandegrift the Testator sign said Instrument of writing by making and affixing his mark to his name thereto written by John D Dilworth at the express wish and direction of the said Testator, That they heard the said Testator publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will & Testament The same having been read aloud by the said John D. Dilworth in their presence to the said Testator, That at the time of his so doing he the said Testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory, that it was at his request, in his presence and in the presence of each other that they respectively subscribed their naming thereto as witnesses, In testimony whereof I have Hereunto subscribed my Name at NewCastle the twenty third day of October A.D. 1857. Peter B Vandever Register.
An Inventory and Appraisment of the goods and Chattels belonging to the Estate of Lewis Vandegrift deceased late of St. Georges Hundred made by us the subscribers this 10th day of November A.D. 1857
[No slaves cited]
Probate Records: New Castle. [Delaware] Probate Records 1810-1814
Transcribed 19 Oct 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky
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