IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I Joseph Powell of Southampton County and Parish of St. Lukes, being weak in body but of sound sense and memory and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and publish this my last will and testament this twenty fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Powel one feather bed & furniture, one black walnut table, one gray mare called Tan, six head of cattle, one chest, one woman's saddle, one pewter dish, one do bason &c, six do plates, also one large iron pott, to her & her heirs forever.

Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter, Ann Deloach, one bay horse called Jack (or if I should sell the said horse), I give the sum I get for the said horse to my said daughter Ann Deloach, also one cow & calf, to her & her heirs forever.

Item: I give & bequeath to my son James Powell all the land that I am possessed of, with this exception, that my daughters have the privilege of liveing on & enjoying the houses on one (of) the two plantations I now possess just as they & my son James Powell may agree on (until my daughter Sally Powell shall arive to the years of twenty one), also three head of cattle & one gun to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son Nathan Powell the sum of fifty pounds Virginia currency which is now in the hands of my son James Powell, also one sorrell mare called Lightfoot, one feather bed & furniture & one cow & calf to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give & bequeath to my daughter Lucy Powell & Sally Powell all the residue of my estate of what nature or kind soever to be equally divided between them (Lucy & Sally Powell) to them & their heirs forever.

Item: My further will and desire is that the negroes not free at my decease, to be hired but untill they are free and the money arising to be equally divided amongst my sons James Powell & Nathan Powell & my daughters Martha Powell & Ann Deloach to them & their heirs forever.

Lastly, I constitute and appoint my son James Powell Executor to this my Last Will & Testament.

Joseph Powell (seal)

Signed & published in presence of:

Edward Fisher
Jacob Porter
Drewry Powell

At a Court held for the County of Southampton
the 20th day of July 1801

This Will was proved by the oaths of Drewry Powell & Jacob Porter, two of the witnessses thereto & ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of James Powell, the Executor therein named, who made oath according to law, Probat is granted him in due form giving security, Whereupon &c.

Samuel Kello, Cl. (clerk)

Source: Library of Virginia,
Will Book 5, 1797-1804
Southampton Co, VA
Reel 17, page 278