In the Name of God Amen. I John Edwards of the Isle of Wight County ~ being very Sick and weak of Body but of Perfect Memory thanks be to God for the same; Remembering the Mortality of my Body do give and Bequeath in this manner following First I Bequeath my Soul to God who gave it and my ~ Body to be Buried in decent manner according to the ~ Discretion of my Executors. And with what worldly Goods ~ God hath been pleased to Endow me with I give and Dispose of in manner and Terms following ~ Item. I Give and Bequeath to my Son John Edwards all the Land that I hold on the lower side of the little Swamp, I ~ say to my Son John Edwards and his Heirs forever. ~ Item. I give to my Daughter Ann Edwards the Use of all ~ the Land that I hold on the upper Side of the little Swamp during her Natural Life ~ Item. I likewise give my Land on Deep Creek to be Sold for Money for the Use of my Daughter Ann ~ Item. I give to my Son John Eight Stears that I bought at the Widow Hart's ------, and Eight Stears more at the Widow Cullpeper's, and all my Debts, except the Debt that Peter Johnson owes, which I give to my Daughter Ann to repair her Houses/ the abovesd. Stears and Debts I Give to pay my Debts with all ~ Item. I Give to my Daughter Ann four Stears at fishing Creek for her Famiy's Use ~ Item. I Give to my Daughter Ann all the Stock of Cattle and Hoggs that belongeth to the plantation whereon I now dwell. Item. I Give to my Daughter Ann my Riding Horse, and my large Bay mare ~ Item. I give the Use of my Negro Girl called Cate to my ~ Daughter Ann during the Life of my Daughter Ann, and after my Daughter Ann's Decease, the Negro Girl and her Increase to be Equally divided between my Son John & my Daughter Mary ~ Item. I give to my Son John the Grey - Horse which he has now in possession ~ Item. I Give and Bequeath all my Stock of Cattle & Horses which I have not already will'd away to be equally divided between my son John and my Daughter Mary ~ I Give to my Wife Ann Edwards my Negro fellow ~ called Mingo to be Delivered the last of December ensuing the Date ~ Item. I give to my Wife Ann one large Iron Pott. ~ Item. I likewise give to my Wife Ann all the Money and ~ Goods which she has already carried away from me & disposed of. I do hereby Constitute and Appoint my son John Edwards and Henry Harris my whole and Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament ~ I do hereby Nominate and Appoint my Brother Nathaniel Edwards Trustee to see this my Will performed. Witness my Hand and Seal this 27th day of April 1748 ~
Test. Chaplin Williams} JEdwards {Seal}
Thos. Taylor, Harris his X mark Taylor}
NOTE: Circumstantial evidence suggests that this John Edwards was the 2nd husband of Ann Braswell, widow of Matthew Strickland Jr, however there is no proof.