Transcribed by Michael Hill from a photocopy made by Robert Hill in 1992 at the Pittsylvania Court House in Chatham, Virginia of Will Book 1, pages 258-260.
My comments are in square brackets. A question mark in square brackets means that I was unsure of the preceding word. The scanned images are below; let me know if you can provide any corrections to my transcription.
In the Name of God Amen, I James Fowlkes Sen. of the County of Pittsylvania and Sate of Virginia being in perfect health of body, and perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God, calling into mind the mortality of by body
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and knowing that it is appointed for all men [can't read word] to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say,
First, I give and bequeath to my two sons, John and Anderson Fowlkes, all my lands and Tenements lying in the County of Nottoway, State of Virginia to be equally divided amongst the two...Also I give unto my son John Fowlkes, two negroes, namely, Harry & Fountain and to my son, Anderson Fowlkes, I give two negroes, ([can't read word]) Bob and Bethenia, all of which they have received. I also give and bequeath unto my son James Fowlkes three negroes namely, Lewis, Jack, and Dilsey [beginning of inserted writing]all of which he has received. My will and wish is that the said three negroes namely Lewis, Jack, and Dilsey [end of inserted writing]should go to the only use of my said son James and his two children he has now my will is that if my said son James should hereafter have another heir by his wife Sarah Fowlkes that it inherit no part of said negroes, neather to inherit any part of my estate in any way or manner whatever, for certain reasons known to me Jas. Fowlkes Senr. I give an bequeath to my Daughter Sally Holt two negroes namely, Dodor[?] and Rachel, all of which she has rec'd. Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elitha Smith four negroes namely, Joseph, Tiller, Nancy, and Usly, all of which she has received. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Soyars four negroes namely, Rutha[?], Sekia[?], Rachel, and Nancy, all of which she has received. I give and bequeath unto my son George Fowlkes all and singular my lands and tenements including all my slaves and horses, household and kitchen furniture and stock of every description, Plantation utencils C&C[?] after my just debts be paid. Lastly, I do hereby constitute make and ordain my two sons George and James Fowlkes the sole executors of this my last will and testament and I hereby utterly disallow revoke, and disannull all and every other testements, wills legacies by me in any wise before named, rathfying and confiring this, and no other, to be my will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto Sct[?] my hand & seal this 17th day of august 18hundred & thirty.
James Fowlkes (seal)
*
Griffith Dickenson Jun.
James H. Lancer
Hutchings K. Price
John K. Roberts[Sideways in the left margin:]* signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said James Fowlkes hereas[?] his last will & testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses to the same.
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At a Court held for Pittsylvania County the 20th day of January 1834. This last will and testament of James Fowlkes sen. was presented in court and proven by four subsenting[?] witnesses and ordered to be recorded. And on the motion of George Fowlkes and James Fowlkes who made oath thereto according to Law and with George May, Miles Holt, James Soyars Jr., Wm. Newton, and George Harfour, their securities entered into & acknowledged bond in the penalty of Ten Thousand dollars conditioned as the Law directs certification granted them for obtaining a probat of said Will in due form.
Teste[?]
Will Tunstall[?] el[?]