THE WILL OF BALDWIN MATHEWS BUCKNER

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. I, BALDWIN MATHEWS BUCKNER OF THE PARISH WARE AND COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER, BEING WEAK IN BODY BUT OF PERFECT AND SOUND MIND AND MEMORY DO MAKE AND PUBLISH THIS AS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN MANNER FOLLOWING: FIRST, IT IS MY WILL AND DESIRE THAT IF MY EXECUTORS CAN'T RAISE AS MUCH MONEY FROM MY ESTATE AS WILL PURCHASE EACH OF MY YOUNGER SONS A TRACT OF LAND AS THEY SHALL COME OF AGE, THAT THEN THEY EITHER SWAP OR SELL MY LAND AND THE LAND SWAPPED FOR OR BOUGHT WITH THE MONEY THAT THEY SELL MY LAND FOR BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AMONG MY FOUR SONS, THEM AND THEIR HEIRS FOREVER. ALSO IT IS MY WILL AND DESIRE THAT AFTER ALL ARE PAID, THE REMAINDER OF MY PERSONAL ESTATE AND SLAVES BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AMONG MY SONS AS THEY SHALL COME OF AGE, ALSO IF MY EXECUTORS CAN PROVIDE A TRACT OF LAND FOR EACH OF MY YOUNGER SONS AS THEY MY EXECUTORS THINK IS SUFFICIENT. ITEM. I GIVE MY LAND WHEREIN I LIVE TO MY SON THOMAS BUCKNER TO HIM AND HIS HEIRS FOREVER, ALSO IF MY SON SAMUEL SHALL CHOOSE TO BE A SHIP CARPENTER THAT THEN MY EXECUTORS CHOOSE FIVE NEGRO BOYS OUT OF MY ESTATE AND BIND WITH HIM TO SUCH A MASTER AS THEY SHALL THINK PROPER...I GIVE MY SON SAMUEL, HE BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE APPRAISED VALUE AS THEY WERE APPRAISED TAKEN OF THE INVENTORY WHEN HE RECEIVES HIS PROPORTION OF MY ESTATE, ALSO IT IS MY WILL AND DESIRE THAT EACH OF MY SONS PAY SARAH LEMMON TWENTY-FIVE SHILLINGS ANNUALLY FOR HER MAINTENANCE AND THAT SHE BE AT LIBERTY TO LIVE WITH WHICH OF MY SONS SHE CHOOSES.

LASTLY, I CONSTITUTE AND APPOINT MY BROTHER JOHN AND MORDECAI BUCKNER, MY FRIENDS JOHN CARY AND JOHN CHISMAN, MY SONS THOMAS, SAMUEL, ROBERT AND JOHN BUCKNER MY EXECUTORS OF THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, AND THAT MY BROTHERS JOHN AND MORDECAI BE GUARDIANS TO MY SONS AND HAVE FULL POWER TO ACT FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY CHILDREN IN THE SAME MANNER AS IF I MYSELF WAS PRESENT, AND THAT THEY GIVE NO SECURITY FOR THEIR ADMINISTRATION. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND FIXED MY SEAL THIS 5TH DAY OF APRIL, 1774.
(SEAL) BALDWIN M. BUCKNER

WITNESSES: JOHN ELLIOT, JOHN TOMPKINS, GEO. BOOTH, JR., JOHN BUCKNER

The will of Baldwin M. Buckner indicates that at least two sons were minor children. One of these was probably Samuel whose date of birth has been given by some researchers as about 1778 (This date is impossible as Samuel was named in the will made in 1774) If Samuel was a son of Dorothy, his date of birth was closer to 1757. If that Baldwin Buckner did not remarry or take a companion, all four of his sons were born before the date of Dorothy's death.