I, Thomas Rowland of Botetourt County & State of Virginia taking into serious
consideration my mortality, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die:
do make this my last will and testament in manner & form following, to wit: 

First of all I render my soul to God - Who gave me the same and in confident hope
that through the merits of my blessed Savior, he will accept my humble offering and my
body I desire may be buried in a Christian-like manner trusting that my glorious Savior,
at his own appointed time will redeem it from the grave.

2ndly...as touching my worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to bless me with  -
 It ismy desire & I direct that all my Personal Estate shall be kept together on my farm
where I live as it is at present. For the term of six years to commence the first day of
January one thousand eight hundred and fourteen; in order to have it improved to the
best advantage, and for this purpose I do hereby appoint my Sons Jesse, Silas and Joel
Rowland as managers & agents of my estate.

3rdly I give to my Son George Rowland  & his heirs one thousand acres of my land in
the State of Kentucky, Jessamine County, waters of Kentucky & elsewhere a part of
which he now lives on.

4thly I give to my daughter Milly Gilmore & her heirs two negro women named Jude
& ____ which negros she has received.

5thly I give to my Son William Rowland a tract of land, 350 acres of land which he has
sold for one thousand dollars which he has received.

6thly I give to my Son David Rowland & his heirs, all my claim and right in and to my
lands on the waters of [Kentucky] in Jessamine County, State of Kentucky, which I have
lately recovered.

7thly I give to my well beloved wife Mary Rowland one sixth part of all my lands in
Botetourt County during her widowhood-

8thly I give to my three Sons Jesse, Silas and Joel Rowland, & their respective heirs,
all my lands in Botetourt County including the one sixth part thereof which I have devised
 to my wife. The said one sixth part to go into their possession at her decease; to be equally
divided amongst them, with due respect to the improvements and the quality of the
lands-the said division to be made at the expiration of the aforesaid six years, which will
be on the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and twenty.

9thly at the expiration of the aforesaid six years I desire all my Personal Property to be
appraised and sold to the best advantage and the money arising from the sales thereof to
be equally divided amongst my well beloved wife and children, to wit, Milly Gilmore,
William, David, Jesse, Silas and Joel Rowland, or their heirs--But I wish it always to be
understood that at the expiration of the aforesaid six years if the one sixth part of my land
in Botetourt County & Mrs. Rowland's interest in my Personal Property aforsd should be
found not sufficient to support her comfortably, my Executors hereafter named shall over
& above her dividends already made mentioned, apply as much of the money arising
from the said sales as will give her an independent and comfortable support. It is also to
be understood that from the proceeds of the said sales, all just debts and necessary
expenses that my Estate may then be owing, are to be paid before the legatees receive
their respective shares. 

10thly- After my suits at law, which are now pending in the state of Kentucky for land
are determined; if I should own more land in that state than is already divided, my
Executors are to sell the same to the best advantage and make title for the same to the
purchaser or purchasers and divide the proceeds of such sales equally amongst all my
aforsd children. And it is at all times to be understood, that if at any time, any difficulty
should arise about the true division of any part of my Estate or about the true intent and
meaning of this Will--the parties therein concerned shall bear such difficulty to the
direction of three disinterested men of respectable character & their award shall be a
final decision.

And lastly, I do hereby appoint my Sons Jesse, Silas and Joel Rowland my Executors of
this my last Will & Testament hereby revoking all former wills or testaments by me
heretofore made.
In witness whereof I have here onto set my hand & Seal this 23d day of December 1813

Signed Sealed Published & declared to be the last Will & Testament of the above named
Thomas Rowland in the presence of us:  Robert Logan, Margaret Rowland, Wm.
Anderson.
                             

At Botetourt August Court 1814
This Instrument of writing was Produced in Court purporting to be the last Will &
testament of Thomas Rowland, decd by and proven by the oath of the Revd Robert Logan
& Peggy Rowland two of the Witnesses within Subscribed and thereupon ordered to be
recorded .

[Addendum on page 399]
This is to certify that I do receive & accept of the provisions made for me in the Within
Will in full Estate faction of my claim that I have or may have to the within mentioned
property or Estate.  Given under my hand & seal this 22d day of May 1814.
                                                          Her
                                                      Mary M. Rowland  (Seal)
                                                          Mark
Attest:  Jacob Wolly
            Her                                              
         Mary S. Young               This certificate of Mrs. Rowland was recorded
            Mark                            by mistake, not being proven.   Wm Bowyer, Clerk