In the name of God Amen. I Peter Epes of the county of Prince George and Parish of Martins Brandon being in good health and of sound diposing mind and memory, thanks be to Almighty God for his mercies, do make and ordain this writing to be my last will and testament in manner and form following.
Imptimis I give and bequeath unto my son William Epes all the money or monies that I paid for him, for the tract of land he at present lives on, called and known by the name of Nobles or for any other thing or purpose whatever, also all the negroes that I let him have that he hath in possession & their increase, also all that tract of land lying in Dinwiddie county on Namozeen creek with this proviso that his three unmarried sisters, to wit, Martha Epes, Sarah Epes and Susanna Epes, have a right which I do hereby give them and every of them to work any part of their negroes with his on the said tract of land, until they are married, and finish the crop they or either of them may have begun that they or either of them shall have no further right to work their negroes on the said land without the consent of their Brother William. I also give to my said son William one half of the crop of corn & fodder and one half the plantation utensils and one half of the stock of cattle, horses and hogs that may be on the plantation, and one gold watch to him & his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Francis Epes all the money I paid for him for the tract of land he now hath possession of, in Lunenburg county, also all the negroes and their increase that he has in possession, also all that tract of land in Prince George County, also all the negroes and their increase that he has in possession, also all that tract of land in Prince George County, which I purchased of Freeman Epes called and known by the name of Causons, also one half of my household and kitchen furniture, that may be on the plantation whereon I at present reside also one bed & furniture half a dozen silver table spoons, one large soup spoon half a dozen silver tea spoons, two silver salts and one silver tankard with proviso that he pay his Brother Richard Epes, one sixth part of the value of the said household and kitchen furniture and plate, and one gold neck buckle to him and his heirs and assigns forever
Item I give and bequeath to my son Peter Epes all the money I paid for him for the tract of land he is in possession of in Lunenburg County and the negroes and their increase which he is in possession of, also the tract of land and plantation whereon I at present reside in Prince George County, also one other tract or parcel of land lying and being in the said county which I purchased of Edward Doswell and Richard Harrison with this proviso, that he suffer his three unmarried sisters to live with him and take care of them if they think proper until they are married, I also give unto my said son Peter all the stock of cattle, sheep, horses hogs and the crop of corn fodder and wheat and all the plantation utensils that may be on my home plantation, one feather bed and furniture, one dozen silver table spoons, one dozen silver tea spoons, one silver soup spoon, one pair silver sugar tongs, two silver salts, two silver waiters one silver punch table one silver cross with this proviso that he pay his Brother Richard Epes the value of one sixth part of the household and kitchen furniture, also one pair of gold buttons to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my son Richard Epes all that tract of land in Nottaway county on the Cellar Creek and all the negroes and their increase on the said land all the stock of horse cattle and hogs and all the plantation utensils and the money his Brothers Francis & Peter are to pay him for his proportion of the household & kitchen furniture and plate, one feather bed and furniture, one walnut desk, one pair of gold buttons and two thousand pounds specie to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Epes the following negroes to with, Abba, Leander, Letty, Daniel, Viney, Clary, Frederick, Charles, Henry and Almind, one feather bed and furniture one dressing table & drawers and one thousand pounds specie to her and her heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Doswell all the negroes and their increase that she hath now in her possession, one feather bed and furniture and one thousand pounds specie to her and her heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann Conner all the negroes and their increase that she hath now in her possession one feather bed & furniture and one thousand pounds specie to her and her heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Epes the following negroes to wit Lilly, Phoeby, Robin, Charles and Maria and their increase one feather bed & furniture and one thousand pounds specie to her & her heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Susanna Epes the following negroes to wit [------?], Cato?, Fanny, George, Joham and Minor, Ben and Harriett with their increase one feather bed & furniture and one thousand pounds in specie to her & her heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my grandson William Morison Epes the following negroes to wit Annica, [------?], Sam, Davie, Olive, York and Dolly and their increase and one thousand pounds in specie to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Mary Elizabeth Poythress Doswell and grand son Peter Epes Doswell the following negroes viz. Charlotte and Mille and their increase and their present children & increase to them and their heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my son Francis Epes one thousand pounds specie to him his heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my son Peter Epes one thousand pounds specie to him his heirs & assigns forever.
Item All the rest and residue of my negroes not heretofore devised I leave to be equally divided between my three daughters to wit, Martha Epes, Sarah Epes, and Susanna Epes. The division to be made by their four Brothers to wit William Epes Francis Epes Peter Epes & Richard Epes each dividend I give them respectively and their heirs forever.
Lastly all the rest and residue of my Estate both real and personal I leave to be sold and equally divided between all my sons and daughters to wit, William Epes, Francis Epes Peter Epes Richard Epes, Martha Epes Mary Doswell Ann Conner Susanna Epes and Sarah Epes to them & their heirs forever.
My will and desire is that my Estate be not appraised. I do hereby nominate and appoint my four sons William Epes, Francis Epes, Peter Epes, and Richard Epes Executors to this my last (will) and testament hereby revoking all wills heretofore by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 17th day of November 1803. Signed sealed published & declared in presence of Wm. Cole, Drury A. Proctor. Peter Epes (sealed with a wafer)
At a court held for Prince George County at the courthouse on Tuesday the 8th day of December 1807. This last will and testament of Peter Epes (Colo.) Dec’d. was exhibited into court and proved by the oath of Drury A. Proctor a witness thereto who also made oath that he saw William Cole now deceased subscribe his name as a witness thereto and ordered by order of the court it is truly recorded. Teste Jno. Jas. Thweatt, Clk. Acknowledged teste N. B. Sturdivant C. C.
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