Will of James May

Amelia County Will Book 2, page 75

In the Name of God Amen I James May of the Parish of Nottoway & County of Amelia being Weak in body but of sound Memory & Tranquility of mind for which I thankfully adore the divine goodness but not knowing how soon my Change may come do make this my Last Will and Testament in manner & form Following to Wt. I will first that all my Just Debts be Honourably paid & Funeral Expences discharged.

Itim I give and bequeath to my son William May son of Susanna Porter two Negroes by Name John a boy & Lucy a girl I also give the said William May one Feather bed & Furniture one Gun known by the Name of his gun together with all my Shoe Making Tools to him the sd. William & to his Heirs forever Itim I give and bequeath to my Son James May son of Susanna Porter two Negroes, by Name Ben a boy and Patt a girl also one Feather Bed & Furniture one Gun also all my Carpenters & Coopers Tools all which Estate I give to him the Said James May & to his Heirs forever Itim I give & bequeath to Molly Porter daughter of Susanna Porter two Negros, by Name Sipio a boy and Jane a girl also one Feather Bed & Furniture all Which Estate I give to her the Sd. Molly and to her Heirs forever Itim I give & bequeath to Patsey Porter daughter of Susanna Porter two Negroes Namely Charles a negro Man & Hannah A woman one Feather Bed & Furniture all Which Estate I give to her the said Patsey & to her Heirs forever Itim I will & desire that Susannah Porter have the use of all my Estate the better to Enable her to Educate & bring up her Children until her said Children above mentioned Comes of Age or Marries & at that Period they shall take their Estates as Above except the two Slaves given Patsey Porter which two Negroes I lend to Susanna Porter for & During her Natural life but that the said Patsey take all the increase of Hannah as soon as she shall come to age or Marries Itim I will & Desire my Executors hereafter to be named shall lay Out in Land two Hundred Pounds Current money to be Equally divided between William May & James May sons of Susanna Porter which Land and Estate I give to them & their Heirs forever I also Desire my Executors to buy two mares not to Exceed twelve pounds Value Each for the use of Susanna Porter & Her Children I also Will that all my Stocks Of Horses Cattle Hogs &c be for the use of Susanna Porter and Children till her said Children William May James May Molley & Patsy comes of Age or Marries then they or Either of them shall receive their Equal share of all the Stocks aforesaid Except the two Mares & their Increase that my Executors are Desired to buy for the use of Susanna Porter Which Mares & Increase I give to the aforesaid William & James May Equally to them & their Heirs forever Now my Will is that after the Land Above Directed are purchased that all Expences that Susanna Porter may be at in moving herself and Family & Necessary Building that may be wanting shall be paid Out of my Estate then all the Remainder of My Estate be it of what Remd soever be equally divided Between William May James May Molley & Patsy Children of Susanna Porter to them and their Heirs forever I do hereby Appoint Susanna Porter Executrix & my Friends Richard Jones Jun & Nathaniel Robertson Executors of this my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my Seal this fourteenth day of February One thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Three. Signed: James May

Sealed & Signd in the Presence of us: John Gooch, John Howson, Robert Munford Sr

At a Court held for Amelia County the 25^th Day of Feb 1786 (This last line is written in a different hand and is clearly an addition. It just ends without mentioning the will has been ordered to be Recorded. The date is out of sequence.)