Will of John DODSON (1734): Charles County, MD Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Carol Limmer ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Will Book #21, Page 341, Maryland In the name of God Amen this Twenty Six Day of January, anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty four five I John Dodson of Charles County being weak in body but of good and perfect memory thanks to Almighty God for it do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner & form following I commend my Soul to Almighty God my Saviour & Redeemer and for the setting of my Temporal Estate and such goods and Chattles Debts as it hath pleased God to bestow on me I do ordain give and dispose the same in manner and form following that is to say Imprimis -- I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Leaticia Dodson one Negro Man named Henry to remain hers during her life and then to return to my Dearly & well beloved son John Dodson to remain his life & then to my son Walter Dodson. I likewise give unto my dearly beloved Wife Leaticia Dodson the bed and furniture as I and my Wife lies on and also I give Two Thousand Pounds of good Tobacco to buy her a Woman Servant with and one Horse to her liking to remain hers forever. Item -- I give and bequeath unto my Dearly and well beloved Son Walter Dodson one Negro Man named Peter to remain his & his heirs lawfully begotton of his body forever. Item -- I give unto my Dearly and well beloved Son John Dodson a parcel of Land containing fifty acres to run as the Branch Runs and takes in the young orchard with it being part of Dodsons Courage to remain his during his life and after the said John Deceases (to my dearly and well beloved Son Walter Dodson, to remain his and his heirs lawfully begotton of his body forever Item -- I give and bequeath unto my Dearly & Well beloved Daughter Frances Hewton part of all my moveable Estate excepting any part that is mentioned in this Will Item --It is my last Will and desire that the remaining part of my Personal Estate after my just debt being paid shall be equally divided between Wife and two Sons & Daughter Walter Dodson and John Dodson and Frances Hewton Item -- And I hereby appoint my said Son Walter Dodson full & Sole Executor of my last Will & Testament I hereby provoking Disanulling making Void all Will or Wills by me made this only my last Will & Testament as Witnefs whereof I hereunto set my hand and affect my Seal the Day and Year above written. Jn Dodson (seal) Signed & Sealed in the presence of us Fran Goodrick Charles Godrick Mary Goodrick At the foot of the aforegoing Will was the following Probate thus written Charles County. On the 16th Day of April 1735 Fran Goodrick Charles Goodrick and Mary Goodrick subscribing Witnefses to the foregoing Will & being duly and solemnly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God do depose and say that they saw John Dodson the Testator Sign the said will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last Will & Testament that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehensions of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they Subscribed their Respective names and witnefses to the said Will in the presence of the Testator and at his request which oath was taken by the said Witnefss in the presence of Walter Dodson heir at Law to the Testator which same Walter Dodson did not object to the Probate of said Will. Sworn before S Hanson, D Com Eq