In the name of God Amen I Thomas Cooper of Caroline County in the
province of Maryland being of sound and disposing mind memory and
understanding, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of
the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and
thereby be better prepared to leave this world when it shall please
God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this my last will
and testament in manner and form following, that is to say.-

First, and principally I admit my soul to the hands of Almighty
God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion
of my executrix herein after named and after my funeral charges are paid
and my wife's thirds taken out I devise and bequeath as follows: Item
I give and devise unto my bloved wife Tahpenes Cooper one negro fellow
called Sampson during her natural life, and from and after her dece-
ase I give the same fellow Sampson to my son Thomas Cooper, my daugh-
ter Margrett Cooper and my son Samuel Cooper, equally divided between the
three last mentioned viz. Thomas, Margrett, and Samuel Coopers. but if
either of them Thomas Cooper, Margret Cooper or Samuel Cooper should die
without issue, the deceased ones part to them that are living. Item I
give and bequeath to my son John Cooper one young grey mare called
Gift to him and his disposal and after my just debts is paid all
the remaining part of my estate to be equally divided among all my
children viz. Risdon Cooper, Betsey Cooper, John Cooper, Lovey White Cooper,
Thomas Cooper, Margret Cooper, and Samuel Cooper, equally divided
amongst the seven last named in equal portion share and share alike.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my dear wife Tahpenes
Cooper to be my sole executrix of this my last will and testament, revo-
king and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made, ratifying and
confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament -- In
testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal
this twelfth day of August Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred

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and eighty nine                         Thomas Cooper (Seal)
signed, sealed, published and declared by Thomas
Cooper, the above named testator as and for his last will
and testament in the presence of us, who at his request
and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses
thereto. Mitchell Rulsum(?), Matthew Gray,
Caroline Cooper to wit      Richard Willcut(?)
The 20th October 1789 } Then came Tappenes Cooper the executrix named
and appointed in and this will and made oath on the Holy Evangels
of Almighty God, that the within and aforegoing is the true and whole
will and testament of Thomas Cooper late of Caroline County, deceased,
that have come to her hands or possession and that she doth know of
any others of a later date.     Cert by J. Richardson. Regr

[The witnesses also made oath about the nature of the will.]