In the Name of God,
Amen. I, John Wayles of Charles City County, make this my last
Will and Testament.
Imprimis, I give
unto my dear wife Elizabeth all and singular the slaves with their offspring
that were devised unto her by the last will and testament of Reuben
Skelton, deceased, to her and her Heirs forever she paying all my just debts
out of the same.
Item, I give unto my
said wife the Land and Plantation whereon I now dwell and twenty slaves also
the Stocks of Horses, Hogs &c the Eqipage, and Household Furniture to her,
during her natural life, in lieu of her dower, and after her decese to my
children as underneath Directed.
Whereas my Daughter
is amply Provided for by a Settlement made by myself and her mother, and the
Slaves contained in the Settlement have been devised to me by her mother, Now I
hereby give and confirm unto my said Daughter Martha all and singular the
slaves mentioned in the said settlement to her and her heirs forever, except
Betty Hennings and Jenney the cook, which I desire may be part of Twenty-five
slaves Devised as above to my Dear wife, to continue with her during her
Natural life, and after her death to my said Daughter Martha.
Item, I give and
bequeath unto my three Daughters Elizabeth, Tabitha and Anne all & singular
my Lands Tenements & Hereditaments, and also all my slaves and all other my
Estate both real and personal unto them and their Heirs forever, to be equally
devided among them.
Item. It is my
desire that, if my Daughter Martha thinks her portion not Equal to her Sisters,
that her Portion may be thrown into Hotchpotch with her three sisters above and
the same Equally Divided among them. And lastly I do hereby appoint and request
it as a favour that Francis Eppes and my children as they respectively attain
to Lawful age would be Executors to this my last will and Guardians to my
Children under age; this I declare to be my last will wholly written with my
own hand this 15th day of April, 1760.
J. Wayles. (Seal)
Published and
Executors altered this 5th March, 1772. I appoint Thomas Jefferson, my
son-in-law, likewise to be a joint Executor hereof.
