The Will of John Read of Culpeper County, Virginia, 1765

John Read was born before 1692, and he died in the decade before the American Revolution started. His will was written 17 August 1765, proven 19 September 1765. He mentioned slaves Tom, Jeny or Jenny,  Peter, Cato, Great Cato, Little Moll, Moll, Judy, Adam, Hanah, Nann, and Lilley.
In the Name of God Amen I John Read of the County of Culpeper being Sick and Weak of body But of perfect minde and Memory prase God but knowing the Uncertainty of this Mortel Life Do in the firstplace Bequeath my Sole unto Almighty God who gave it Trusting thro the Merits and Intercession of my blessed Saviour to Recive pardon and remission of all my Sins and as touching all my Worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with I Give an Dispose of the Same in Manner Following Viz: my will and Desire is that my Just Debts & funeral Charges be first paid.
Item. I lend unto beloved Wife Winifred During her natural life, the Following slaves to wit Tom & Jeny and after her Decease I Give the said Nigroe Tom unto my beloved Son Theophilus and his heirs forever and the s.d Negroe Jenny I Give after the Decease of my Said Wife unto My Son John Read and his heirs forever.7
Item I leave and bequeath unto my daughter Mary (now Dec.d who was the wife of Joseph Norman) & to her heirs one shilling Current Money.8
Item I lend unto my beloved Son John Read one negro Boy Peter in trust upon this Special proviso that after the Said Slave arrives to the age of Sixteen Years my Said son John Shall allow and pay unto my daughter Winifred the wife of John Shackeford in Nessray Clothing and Apparel the Sum of Six pounds Current Money (to be laid out the best advantage yearly and every year during both the lives of the said Winifred & Negro Peter aforesaid)[.] Nevertheless if the said Winifred Winifred [sic] Should out live her said husband then I Give the said Negro Peter, to her and her heirs but if She Should die before her said husband, then I Give the said Negro Peter to My said son John Read & his heirs forevers.
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth the wife of Stephen Jett one Gold Ring.
Item I Give and bequeath unto my beloved Son John Read one Negro Boy Cato to him and heirs forever. Also I Give my Said John by Great Black Walnut Chest.
Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Hankerson and to his heirs forever the Land Whereon he now lives with all the Stocks tools thereon also the Following Slaves to wit Great Cato & Little Moll.
Item I Give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Theophilus one Negro Woman Moll & one negro Girl Judy to him & his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son James one negro Man Adam one negro Woman Hanah & one Child Nann to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath unto the Children of my daughter Ann (the wife of Hugh Freeman) which she hath or may have to be equally divided between them at the Death of my Said Daughter Ann One negro Girl Lilley and her Increase One Feather bed and furniture and one Cow & calf the whole being now in the possession of the said Hugh Freeman.
Item I give and bequeath unto my Granddaughter Mary Norman and Feather bed & furniture & Cow and Calf.
Item I give and bequeath unto my Sons John and Hankerson my Cart wheals and whip Saw reserving to my wife the use of the Wheels During her life.
Item I lend the use of the plantation & lott whereon I now live with all the house hold furniture Stocks & Tools of all kinds (not before bequeathed) unto Beloved wife Winifred During her Natural life and After her Dec.d I Give the Same to be equally divided between my two Sons Theophilus and James & their heirs forever.
Item It is my Desire that if in Case any thing Should be Recovered of William Eastham & others at the General Court Concerning a Debt my Self and Mr. Jett paid for Stephen Jett, I give my proportion of what Shall be Recovered to be equally divided between the Children of Stephen Jett by my Daughter Elizabeth.
Lastly I do appoint my beloved Sons John Read & Hankerson Read Exors of my Last will & Testament hereby Revoking all other and former Will or Wills By me made In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Seventeenth day of August One Thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty five.
John Read (L. S.)
Signed Sealed Published & Declared by
the said John Read to be his last Will
and Testament in present of
James Pendleton
Humphay Spareks
Peter Bohmer. (Culpeper County, Will Book A, 1749-70, Reel 31, 402-405).

The Will of Mary Lilly Read of York County, Virginia, 1722

Mary Lilly was the wife of Robert Read. Her will was proven 20 November 1722, in York County, Virginia. The copy was later damaged. She willed slaves to her heirs: an unnamed Molatto Boy, Will, and Hill, Sarah, ______lina, and others whose names are lost.

The following is a transcription of what remained legible:
In the name . . . parish in ye County of York . . . Sense and memory do make my . . . her and form following Imprs I give . . . y body to ye earth from whence it came to be . . . discretion of my Exr hereafter to be named . . . large silver Tankard to my loving son . . . and bequeath my small silver tankard and to . . . loving son Samuel Read Item I give . . . silver poringer one silver tumbler and 6 six silver spoons . . . son Francis Read Item I give and bequeath my . . . Tweedlum and 20 shillings to buy a Ring to my loving daught . . . th. Item I give and bequeath one Molatto Boy . . . ks to my loving son Samuel Read Item I give . . . negro boy named Will and one negro boy named Hill to . . . Francis Read to him and his heirs Item I give a . . . Granddaughter Mary Nelson one negro man named . . . and one negro woman named Sarah and one negro . . . lina to her and her heirs in case she// dies without he . . . ll is that her brother John and his heirs have ye said t . . . I give and bequeath to my grandson Wm. Nelson one T . . . n after my first debts and funeral expenses are . . . rden part of my estate which is not already given and bequ . . . ally divided among my three sons viz: John . . . Francis but in case either of them die without heirs . . . dying be equally divided among ye surviving Item I nominate . . . point my loving son John Read my whole and sol exr of this . . . and testament revoking all other wills heretofore by me made . . . ppoint and desire Mr Benj and Mr. Thomas Reade to be Trustees . . . will; in witness whereof I have set my hand 26 Nov 1722. Mary Reade. (York County Deeds, Orders, Wills etc., 16, 1720-1729, Reel 8, 165)