Sussex County, DE - Wills: James Pettyjohn - Probate Records Submitted by: Brad Davidson - davidso1@ix.netcom.com Aug 28 2001 ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter,and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ************************************************************************ The following is a transcription of James Pettyjohn's Probate records: (Note - <....> indicates unreadable or questionable text). Last Will & Testament ofJames Pettyjohn ============ with letters granted unto Rhoads Shankland ============ Recorded in Book F Folio (55) <.. Dec 3th 1801 <....> Sussex County State of Delaware In the name of God Amen the Third Day of May one thousand Seven Hundred and ninety Four I James Pettyjohn of the county of Sussex in the State of Delaware <..> Yoeman being of perfect mind and memory and calling to mind That it is appointed for all men once to die, <...> make and ordain this my present Last Will and Testament in mannor and form following that is to say that I commend my soul unto the hand of almighty God who gave it me and my body I commend to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executor hereafter named and <..> touching what worldly estate hath pleased almighty God to bestow upon me I given and Dispose thereof in the following mannor First I will that all my just debts and foreverall charges be paid and discharged Item I give and divise to my well beloved life Easter Pettyjohn one horse bridle & saddle of her choice one bed and one yoke of oxen two cows six head of sheep ten head of hogg on plow harrow and ox chain six puter plater two <.......> & two puter bason one loom one Dutch oven one iron pot. One looking glass. I also give to my loving wife Easter Pettyjohn Third part of the cleared land whereon I now dwell with the and half of the orchard with a reasonable quantity of timber land adjoining during her widowhood & no longer. Item I give and divise to my well beloved daughter Hanah Carey the Wife of William Carey all the land lying on north side of Ditch containing about fifty acres of land whereon they now dwell with abut five acres on the south side of the Ditch including the orchard to her the said Hanah Cary during her natural life and then to her son Wyngate Carey and his heirs forever Item I give and divise to my well beloved daughter Unicey Coulter one bed and one cow and four sheep Item I give and divise to my grandson James all that parcel of land lying on the south side of the county road leading from Lewis Town to George Town whereon myy son Ebenezer Pettyjohn now dwells containing about fifty acres more or less being all the land I hold on the south side of this road to him and his heirs forever. Item I give and divise to my well beloved daughter Ruth Wilson one cow and calf one yew & lamb. Item I give and divise to my three grandchildren to witt Bridget Reynolds wife of William Dickson Unicey Reynolds wife of Jacob and agnes Reynolds <...> sum of thirty shillings cash. Item I give and divise to my Grand Daughter Hanah Reynolds the sum of ten shillings cash. Item I give and divise to my Grand Son Zachariah Reynolds two hundred acres of land whereon he now dwells being a part of Tract he <...>Reynolds paying to my executor the residue or remainder of the money which is about twenty pounds Which <...>land is already land of <.....> friend Rhoads Shankland to himthe said Zachariah Reynolds his heirs and asigns Item I give and divise to my Grand Daughter one cow and calf Item I give and divise sixty acres of land apart of Tract adjoining on the westernmost side of Zachariah Reynolds two hundred to be <...> of <...> my executor as he may think best for the use and benefit to my three negros to witt my negro man Rachal his wife and my negro woman Hanah the Elder during there natural life my will and desire is that these same negros be free at my death and I do hereby declare them all free that is mentioned in a signed by me this day & lodged in the hand of my executor and desire that he may have that <.....> Item I give and divise to my three Grand Children Bridget Reynolds Unicy Reynolds and Reynolds all the remainder of my land lying on the drain caled Cord Tract that is not already given away to them and their heirs. Item I give to my well beloved son Ebenezer Pettyjohn all them Two Parcels of land that I have already given him deed for <...> al the remainder of my Mannor Plantation which is not already given away to him and his heirs and asigns after all my just debts are paid and discharges. Lastly I ordain constitute and appoint my loving friend Rhoads Shankland of the County of Sussex my only and sole executor of thtis my Last Will and Testament hereby Renouncing and Disanulling all former Wills and Testament before those Present by my < > or appoint only confirming this my Last Will and Testament In witness Whereof I the said James Pettyjohn do hereby unto put my name and affix my seal the day and year first before mentioned. Published Pronounced and Declared by the afo'd James Pettyjohn to be his Last Will & Testament in the Presence of Us The enter<......> <....> before signing Jonathan Downing his David Downing James {Mark} Pettyjohn His Marke {Mark} Elizabeth {Mark} Fleetwood Marke Sussex County Memorandum this 3th day of December 1801 Before me Phillips Reg. appointed for the probate of Wills and granting letters fo Administration for the County appears Elizabeth Fleetwood who being duly sworn on the Holy evangles of Almighty God did depose <.....> that in her sight presence and hearing the Testator James Pettyjohn did sign seal publish pronounce & declare the above to be his last will and testament and that at the doing there he was of a sound <......> mind < > & judgement and that she together with Jonathan Downing & David Downing subscribed the same as a witness in presence of Testator & at his request. Phillip Reg.