Will of Hatch Dent, Planter, 1781

Date: 19 May 1781 to 10 Sep 1781
Location: Charles, Maryland, United States
Surnames/tags: Dent Will Maryland

Transcribed will of Hatch Dent Senior, Planter of Charles County, Maryland. Will was written on 19 May 1781. It was probated on 10 September 1781.^[1]

Persons Listed:

• Hatch Dent Senior, Testator
• Hezekiah Dent, Testator's son, Executor
• Hatch Dent, Testator's son
• Alce, enslaved person
• Esther, enslaved person
• Ann, enslaved person
• Jacob, enslaved person
• John Dent, Testator's son, deceased
• Harry, enslaved boy
• Ann Dyson, Testator's granddaughter
• Margaret Dyson, Testator's granddaughter
• Bess, enslaved girl
• Rody Turner, Testator's daughter
• Coffee, enslaved boy
• Bennett Dyson, witness
• Michael Dent, witness
• Thomas Dent, witness
• Dan Jenifer, Register of Wills

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In the name of God Amen. This nineteenth day of May in the year of our Lord
one Thousand seven hundred and Eighty one I, Hatch Dent Senior of Charles County
of the state of Maryland, Planter, Enjoying my wonted understanding by God
Blessing, tho' weak of body, but considering the uncertainty of human life, think
proper to committ to writing & constitute this to be my last Will & Testament
retracting and making void all Wills of my making prior to the date hereof

Imprimus I most humbly bequeath my soul to God who gave it, and my body
to the ground to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Executor
hereafter nominated in hopes of a resurrections this the mercy of God and the
merits of my blessed savior to a happy immortality and as to what worldly
Estate it hath pleased God to allot me I bequeath in the following manner

I give and bequeath unto my son Hezekiah the plantation whereon I now
live called Dents Pallace to him and his heirs forever; but upon the proviso
that my beloved wife shall enjoy the use of said plantation during her natural
life

I give and bequeath unto my son Hatch Dent ^four Slaves named Alce, Esther, Ann,
& Jacob, also a bed and furniture & a desk to him and his heirs forever

I give and bequeath unto the Heirs of my son John a negro boy called Harry
to them and their Heirs forever

I give and bequeath unto my Granddaughter Ann Dyson a Roan horse
two years old and a Chest a bed with furniture & a cow & calf to her and her
heirs forever

I give and bequeath unto my Granddaughter Margaret Dyson a Negro
Girl called Bess a bed and furniture and a cow and calf but if she should depart
this life without and heir of her body the said negro to belong to my Grand
Daughter Ann Dyson to her and her heirs forever

I give and bequeath unto my other Children not already mentioned all my
other moveable effects Goods and Chattels not already bequeathed or aforesaid to
be equally shared amongst them (excepting a negro boy called Coffee to be given
and bequeathed as hereafter mentioned) but with the proviso that my wife
shall have the use of all my ^said moveable effects goods and Chattel during her
natural life

I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rody Turner the aforesaid excepted
negro boy called Coffee to her and her heirs forever

My Will is that the Mill shall go with my plantation as already bequeathed
I hereby appoint my son Hezakiah sole Executor of this my last will and
Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the
day and year aforesaid.

Hatch Dent Senior

Bennett Dyson
Michael Dent
Thomas Dent

On the back of the foregoing will it is then written

Charles County 10^th Sept^ember 1781. Then came Hezekiah Dent Executor
of Hatch Dent Snr and made oath on the holy evangels that the
within Instrument of writing contain the whole last will and
Testament of the deceased and that he doth not know of any other

Dan Jenifer Reg^r

Charles County 10^th Sept^ember 1781. Then came Bennet Dyson Michael
Dent & Thomas Dent the three subscribing witnesses to the within last
will and testament of Hatch Dent late of Charles County deceased and
made oath on the holy Evangels that they did see the testator therein
named sign and seal the said Will and that at the time of his so doing
he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind
memory and understanding and that they respectively subscribed
their names as witnesses to this will in the presences of the Testator
at his request and in the presence of each other.

Cert by Dan Jenifer Reg^r of Wills

I also certify that Thomas Hatch Dent the Heir at Law was present
at the taking the above probate who did not object to the same

Cert by Dan Jenifer Reg^r

Sources

1. ↑ "Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYMN-KXV?cc=1803986&wc=SNY8-6TL%3A146535701%2C148438301 : 20 May 2014), Charles > Wills 1777-1782 vol 7 > image 352 of 371; Hall of Records, Annapolis.