Will of Thomas Adams (transcribed by Holly Cochran)
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I Thomas Adams of the Calfpasture and County of Augusta being about
to undertake a perilous journey to the Ohio River and being in my
perfect senses do make and ordain this my last will and testament
hereby revoking all others heretofore made.

In primus my will and desire it that all my just debts be paid.

I give to my dear Wife Elizabeth the use of all my slaves not
hereafter particularly disposed of, with all my Lands in Augusta and
Amherst and the use of the stocks thereon for and during her natural
life in full satisfaction for her Dower and every claim she may have
against my Estate.

I give and bequeath to my dear and only Brother Richard Adams after
the death of my Wife, all my Lands devised to my Wife, in the
Counties of Augusta & Amherst, subject to the payment of my debts in
exoneration of my slaves.

I give and bequeath all my Locations of Lands on the Western Waters
to my Nephew William Adams Fry and William Smith, a son of my highly
esteem'd and much lamented Nephew William Smith of the County of
Essex dec'd, to be equally divided between them to hold to them and
their heirs as Tenants in common and not as joint Tenants. Also,
after the death of my Wife, I give to each of them one third of my
slaves, the other third I give to my Nephew William Adams, to them
respectively and their heirs and hope and trust they will ever treat
them with that kindness and humanity to which they have been hitherto
accustomed and not sell or barter them away as cattle.

I give and bequeath unto my honorable friend John Blair Esqr
Chancellor all the lands he purchased of me in Albemarle County known
by the name of the Mountain Plains and for which he has long since
honestly paid me, to him and his heirs forever.

I give to Ralph Wanlass and his heirs the lands and plantation
whereon he now lives, subject to a House and home for his Mother
during her life, in case her necessity should hereafter require it.

After the death of my dear Wife, I give to my dear Niece Tabitha
Eppes my Negro Cooper Lemon(?).

As there is no man to whom I consider myself under greater Obligation
than to my slave Joe, I hereby declare Joe a freeman and give him
full and compleat emancipation.

Lastly, I constitute and appoint my worthy friend Maj. Thomas Massie
of Frederick and my Nephew William Adams and William Adams Fry
Executors of this my last Will and Testament. Written with my own
hand and signed and sealed with my own hand on this the fourth(?) day
of October in the year of our Lord 1785.

                                                     Thos. Adams
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