Copy of the Will of William Shankland Executed Sept 14, 1730 Recorded - book A98 - p. 62 - Delaware State Archives "In the name of God Amen the Fourteenth day of September One Thousand and Seven Hundred and Thirty I william Shankland in the County of Sussex upon Delaware Gentman being sickly and weak condition of body but of perfect mind and Memory thanks be Given unto God Therefore and calling to mind the mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye do make and Ordain this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and making void all other wills or Testaments by me formerly made that is to say principally and in the first place I commit and recommend my soul unto the hands of God who give it and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a decent and Christian Like manner at the discreation of my Executors hereafter nominated and Constituted nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive The same again by the power of God as Touching such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I give and bequeath the same in the following manner and form. Imprs - I leave and Bequeath unto my Gran Son William Shankland Son to my Son Robt Shankland One feather bed bolster and pillows a pare of sheets a Blanket and Coverled and a horse of five or six pounds price to be Given to him when he shall at the age of Twenty One Years as also four head od Cattle which are now accounted as his and if he shall dye before he be the age that is to say of Twenty One Years then the cattle and horse shall be Given to his brother Robert and his sister Elizabeth to be Equally Devided Between them but the bead to return and belong to ye Executr. Item - I leave and bequeath unto my Grand Son Robert and my Grand Daughter Elizabeth by my son Robert to each of them a young Heffer to them and Theirs Heirs forever. Item - I leave and bequeath unto my son William Shankland all the plantation in Angola Neck upon which he now dwells with all the Improvements and appurtinances Thereunto belonging as also the cattle belonging to me upon the said plantation to him and his Heirs forever. Item - I leave and bequeath unto my Son Robert a horse cut of the stock to be sadle horse to ride upon. Item - I leave and bequeath unto my Son John Shankland all that part of this Tract of Land whereon I now dwell which Lyeth on the South side of the Country road as it runs or is open at this Time of the writing of this will with all the appurtinances Thereunto belonging to him and his Heirs forever as also to his Daughter Sarah and Esther and his son John to each of them a Young Heffer to them and There Heirs forever and lastly I leave and bequeath unto my said son John a horse cut out of the stock for a sadle horse to ride upon. Item - I leave and bequeath unto my son Joseph Shankland all this Tract of Land whereon I now dwell together with all the Improvements and appurtinances thereunto belonging to him and his Heirs forever Excepting what I have above bequeathed to my son John Together with all the stock and moveables now in my possession he paying and giving Out of the same the severall Bequeathments and Legacies before mentioned as also all my debts which now I have contracted or stand obliged for. The Will of William Shankland continued Item - I leave and bequeath unto my Grand Children by my Daughter Elizabeth Thomas decesed as Followeth (viz) to my Grand son Andrew Thirty pounds and to my Grand Daughter Margret One good feather bed with Bolster Pillow a pare of Sheets a Blanket and a coverled and to my Grand Daughter Elizabeth a midling feather bed with a Bolster pillow a pare of sheets and a Blanket and coverled and to each of my five Grand Daughters by my said Daughter Elizabeth Thomas I give a Young heffer unto each of them and if any of my said Grand Daughters should dye before the age of Twenty One years or have Issue Lawfully begotten that the said Thirty pounds to be Equally devided among the his sisters my Grand Daughters and further by reason of my son in laws removal That is Mr. Thomson with my said grand Children into the province of Philadelphia of my said five Grand Daughters my will is that my Executor hereafter appointed is Thereby at this Time and hereafter stands aquitted and Discharged of any Demand from my said Grand Children or Daughters on the acct. of the said Cattle or Heffers. Item - I leave and bequeath unto my Three sons (towit) Robert John and Joseph Shankland my Island of Marsh situate in the County of Sussex Lying and being in Lewis Creek to them an Their Heirs forever. Item - I Leave and bequeath unto all the rest of my horses and mares to my two sons William and Joseph Shankland to Equally devided between them. And Lastly I constitute my son Joseph Shankland to be the whole and sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament and I appoint my sons Robert William and John Shankland Overseers advisers or Councellers to my son Joseph to assist and advise him in the Execution of the same (if need be) of all and Severally the above mentioned premisses according to the True Intent and meaning of this my Last will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow Revoke and Disannull all and Every other former Testaments wills Lagacies and Executors by me in any ways before this and no other to be my Last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by the said William Shankland as his Last will and Testaments in the presence of us the subscribers as his Last will and Testament Viz. William W. Shankland, Senr (seal) Thos. Gear her Mary X Gear mark Joshua Fisher (*JNS* This is a copy of a typed transcript. The original hand written will is no longer available. The middle initial (W) appears in no other documents of William Shankland and could be a typographical error.)