LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF CHARLES PARKER
Written 07 June 1787: Filed 16 February 1788

Contributor: Howard Blair

Nov. 2005

Before John Wise Registrar of Wills for Worcester County
In the name of God Amen: the seventh day of June Anno thousand seven hundred and eighty and seven. I Charles Parker of Worcester County Being in perfect sound sense and memory with Thanks be Given unto God therefore calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that

it is appointed for all manner to die peacefully that is to say and first of all I leave my Soul unto the God that Gave it and for my Body I leave it to the earth to be buried in a Christian-like and Devout Manner according to the Decision of my Executors and for all the worldly Goods that it hath pleased God to Dispense with I Give and Dispose of the same in the following manner and Imprimis it is my only and sole Executors of this my last will and testament.
Item I give unto my wife Ann my two Negroes named Rhoda and Jacob and after my wife s Decease my Negro Jacob I give unto my son Charles.
Item I give unto my son John my Grey Horse called Squirrel.
Item I give unto my son Charles my Young Horse called Chatham.
Item I give unto my daughter Winnifred four Pounds in Cash to buy her a Cow and Calf one Ewe and Lamb.
Item I give unto my son Selby one Shilling Sterling and no more of my Estate.
Item I give my unto son Thomas one Shilling Sterling and no more of my Estate.
Item I give unto my Daughter Polly's Heirs one Shilling Sterling and no more of my Estate.
Item I give unto my Daughter Lisse one Shilling Sterling and no more of my Estate.
Item I give unto my daughter Peggy one Shilling Sterling and no more of my Estate.
Item I give my Negro Girl called Esther Between my two daughters Winnifred and Sophia.
Item I give my Negro Girl called Jenny Between my two daughters named Sarah and Ann.
And as for all the rest of my Estate not yet ______ I give the whole thereof unto my wife Ann and to her own Disposal. And I Do hereby Revoke and Disannul all and any other Will or Wills by me theretofore made or named and Does Strengthen and Confirm this to be my last will and testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto set both my hand and affixed my seal the Day and Year above written.

Signed Sealed Published and Schoolfield Parker
his
pronounced in the presents of William White
Charles + Parker
us. Custis
Henderson mark

Worcester County Sit: the 16th day of February Anno Dom 1788 then came John Parker and Ann Parker and made Oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that the forgoing Instrument of Writting is the true and whole Will and Testament of Charles Parker late of Worcester County deceased that have come to their hands and Possession and that they do not know of any other.
Before John Wise Register of Wills for Worcester County
Worcester County Sit: The 16th day of February Anno Dom 1788 then came Schoolfield Parker, William White and Custis Henderson the three subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last Will and Testament of Charles Parker late of Worcester County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the Testator herein named sign and seal this Will and that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last Will and Testament that at the time of his so doing he was to be the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they respectively affixed their names as Witnesses to this Will in the presence and at the Testator and in the presence of each other.
Before John Wise Register of Will for Worcester County
The following is from a book called, "Selby Families of Colonial America", by Donna Valley Russell, Middletown, Maryland, Catoctin Press - 1990: (pages 19 & 20).. Ann Selby m. Charles Parker, the son of John. He was so-called on 21 December 1771 when he and wife Ann sold 400 acres of ARMENIA to John Rousby Whittington. This land had come from John Parker, reversionary legatee of his cousin Charles Parker of Accomack County, by his 1718 will. The land on the Pocomoke River in Indian Town. Apparently
he did not sell the full tract, as he paid tax on 210 acres in 1783, as did his son Selby Parker.*15 Charles also owned a tract called America, of which he sold 20 acres each to his sons Selby and John Parker in 1776. To Ann had been bequeathed by her father one spice mortar and pestle at her mother's decease; her father's inventory states that a brass mortar and pestle were delivered to Ann Parker; her brother Henry's will bequeathed to Charles Parker the Negro Rhoda on 11 January 1766.*16 Charles Parker made his will 7 June 1787, naming son John and wife Ann executors. To wife and children were bequeathed livestock and Negroes,and 1sh. sterling to youngest daughters. Children: John, Winnifred, Selby, Thomas, Polly (deceased in 1787,but left heirs), Lesse, Peggy, Sophia, Sarah, and Ann Parker.*17 Bonds were taken out 16 February 1788 by Selby Parker and Schoolfield Parker; the first inventory
was taken the same day. Because the executors refused to act, administration was taken out by Jon Selby of Ezekiel 1 March 1788, with Schoolfield Parker and James Selby as sureties. The first inventory, taken the same day, named Thomas Selby, John and Ann Parker as next to kin; Selby Parker was administrator.*18

Notes of References:
*15..Dryden, "Land Records", page 23.
*16..Ibid., page 21.
*17..Worcester County Wills, JW 13:198-9 Charles Parker signed with an
"X". Witnesses were Schoolfield Parker, William White, Curtis Henderson.
Will proved 16 February 1788 by executors and all witnesses. Ann Parker and John Parker refuses to act as executors (no date). Also Worcester County Inventories, JW 11: 391.
*18..Dryden, "Administrations and Bonds", page 18.
Thanks! Howard