Imprimis, I most humbly bequeath my soul to God my maker beseeching his most gracious acceptance of it through the all-sufficient merits & mediation of my Most-Compassionate Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to be an atonement for my sins and is able to save to the

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utmost all that come unto God by Him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them & Who I trust will not reject me, a returning penitent sinner, when I come to Him for mercy. In this hope & confidence I render my soul with comfort, humbly beseeching the most Blessed and Glorious Trinity, one God most holy, most merciful & gracious to prepare me for the time of my dissolution & there to take me to Himself unto that peace & rest and incomparable felicity which he has prepared for those that love & fear His Holy Name, Amen. Blessed be God.

Imprimis, I give my body to the earth from whence it was taken in full assurance of its resurrection from thence at the last day. As for my burial, I desire it may be decent, at the discretion of my dear wife & my executors hereafter named, who I doubt not will manage it with all prudence. As to my worldly estate, I will positively order that all my debts be paid.

Item I give to my dear & loving wife a third of the land & on which I now live and also a third of the mill & her benefits during her life. I give to my eldest son Robert Stephenson one hundred & ten acres of land on which he now liveth that was laid off out of this tract that I now live upon to him & his heirs forever. Also, I give to my son John Stephenson one hundred & twenty three acres of land which he now liveth on to him & his heir forever. Also, I give to my son Edward Stephenson the plantation on which I now live to him & his heirs forever. Also, I give to my son William Stephenson one hundred & one acres of land, it being the

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remainder of the tract which John Stephenson now lives to him & his heirs forever. Also, I give unto my son James Stephenson my wife�s third, at her decease, to him and his heirs forever. Also, it is my desire that all my moveable estate be sold and, after paying my lawful debts, that the remainder be equally divided between my daughters Margaret Stephenson, Jane Stephenson, Elizabeth Stephenson & Mary Stephenson. It is also my will that my four daughters above mentioned live with their mother & my son Edward until they marry or as long as they please, if unmarried. I appoint my sons Robert Stephenson, John Stephenson & Edward Stephenson my whole & sole executors of this, my last will & testament, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the 17th day of September, in the Year of Our Lord 1766.

Edward {his �6� mark} Stephenson {seal}

Witness:
Fran.^s Meriwether
William Simpson
Jn.^o Thomson

This last will and testament of Edward Stephenson deceased was presented in court by Edward Stephenson and John Stephenson two of the executors therein named Robert Stephenson the other executor renouncing the executorship and proved by the oath of William Simpson one of the witnesses thereto and ordered to lie for further proof and at a court held for the said county at the court house the first day of December