In the name of God Amen. I john Sheppard of Reddies River Wilkes County North Carolina State being weak in body, but of sound mind & perfect memory & considering the uncertainity of this present life, do make & ordain this this my last will & Testament in manner & form following. Viz in the first place I commend my soul to God who gave it & my body to be duelly buried at my decease at the descretion of my wife and Executor hereafter named. The expenses whereof & all my just debts to be discharged as soon as may be expedient. Secondly as to all the worldly goods it hath pleased God to bless me with, I leave them wholly in the possession of my beloved Pheba until our children may arrive at the following ages Sons Twenty one, & Daughters Eighteen, provided she continues my widow & manages herself Children & Estate prudently at which time it is my will that they have the following legates put into their possession in the first place I except Elizabeth my Eldest Daughter the wife of John Pumphrey as I have already given them three Hundred & fifty two Dollars and twenty five cents. Secondly I give & bequeath unto Larkin & Wiley all the lands I Purchased of W. McQuerry on the East side of a Dividing Ridge that is between where I now live & where said W. Querry formerly did live only I except two thirds of a Peach Orchard that is on said land for the use of my Wife & family for fifteen years. I also leave the said Larkin & Wiley a good horse Bridle & Saddle to each of them to be worth Seventy-five Dollars cash & the aforementioned Land to be Equally Divided by judges of their own Choosing & that they draw lots fairly for choice. Thirdly, I give & bequeath unto Presley & Pleasant all the land that I hold which did belong to my father at his Decease whether by legates or that I have purchased of seven other legates whose parts were Anna Viars, James Sheppard, Lucy Pumphrey, Stephen Sheppard, Lewis Sheppard, Sarah Ginnings & Andrew Sheppard. I also leave the said Presley & Pleasant a Yellow Negro Boy named Jim if he lives until Pleasant comes of age & if not the value of him in as Valuable Property Provided he has a liv'd. I also leave the said Presley & Pleasant a good Horse Saddle & Bridle to each of them to be worth Seventy-five Dollars cash. Fourthly & as to my four Younger Sons to wit John, George, Allen & Lewis I give & bequeath unto them the Tract of Land wheron I now live & all the ballance of the tract that excepted from Larkin & Wiley which I purchased of W. McQuerry to be Equally Divided between them in the Month of October & in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred & Twenty-seven & lots fairly drawn for choice by those who are under age making use of some friend or guardian also it is my will that John & George shall have as they come of age a __?__ of the aforesaid Tract of Land which is good to cultivate until teh afore Mentioned Division shall take place. Also I leave to the four sons a good Horse Bridle & Saddle to each of them to be worth Seventy-five Dollars cash. Fifthly, I return to make mention of my daughters, & to Sarah I give & bequeath first choice of all the Negroes under the age of Yellow Jim one Mare Bridle & Saddle they to be valued at cash Price & all they lack of being valued to be worth thre Hundred & fifty two Dollars to be valued up to her in small Stock such as cattle & house hold furniture. Sixthly & unto Lucy I give and bequeath second choice of all the Negros under the age of the aforementioned Jim also on Mare Bridle & Saddle they to be valued at cash price & all they lack of being Valued up to her in small Stock such as cattle & household furniture. 7th and unto Mary I give & bequeath third choice of all the Negroes under the age of the aforementioned Jim one Mare bridle & Saddle they to be Valued at cas price & all they lack of being Valued to be worth three hundred & fifty two Dollars to be valued up to her in small Stock such as cattle & household furniture. 8th & unto Lotte I give & bequeath fourth choice of all the Negroes under the age of the aforementioned Jim one Mare bridle & saddle they to be valued at cash price & all they lack of being valued up to her in small Stock such as cattle & household furniture. And it is my Will that if either of the aforementioned Daughters Negroes, Mare Bridle & Saddle is Valued to be worth more than the three hundred & fifty two Dollars afore Named, that the Overplus, they pay back into the said Estate. 9th & to an expected unborn Heir it is my Will that if it should be a Daughter that it may be called by the Name of Pheba & Receive a a portion or legacy of my Estate in every Respect equal with the Rest of my afore Named Daughters, & if a Son that it be called by the Name of Benjamin & Receive a Portion or Legacy of my Estate equal to the Rest of the afore Named Sons in every Respect. 10th I also leave it in the power of my Executors to make Sale of all the Lands I have in Ashe County & Receive the pay in any valuable property. 11th & unto my beloved Wife Pheba I leave Five Hundred Dollars to be given her in her choice of the Negroes that is then left & when Valued all it lacks of being worth five Hundred Dollars is to be Valued up to her in any part of the Estate that she may choose provided she continues my Widow & for her to Receive it at the time of the last Division of my Estate which time it is my Will & pleasure that all the clear Estate that shall then be left after paying up all the several legacies that has heretofore been Named be sold & no ther Person be allowed to bid but the Legates of said Estate or some friend or Guardian of those of my Children who are under Age & the profits or money that shall arise from said Sale it is my Will & pleasure that it shall be Equally divided among all my Children that is then a living it is also my Will that None of the Negroes shall be Sold out of the family except it be for their own Disobedience. I also leave my beloved Wife Pheba Executrix & my Eldest Son Larkin Sheppard & Elijah Ginnins of Ashe County Executors to this my last Will & Testament Revokiung all other Wills by me heretofore been made. In Witness whereof I the said John Sheppard hereunto set my hand & Seal this seventh day of May & in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & twelve & in the presents of these Subscribing Witnesses.

John Sheppard (seal)

John Judd
Nathaniel Judd
Delpha (her x mark) Judd

North Carolina
Wilkes County - Augt Term. 1872

The forgoing Will was duly proven in Open court by the oaths of John Judd & Nathaniel Judd

R. Martin, clk

(NOTE: Some of the following inventory items were not legible in the original copy and I have recorded them as closely as possible)

North Carolina
Wilkes County
Nov. Term 1872
Elijah Jinnings, Larkin Sheppard, Phebe Sheppard, Executors

The above Inventory Returned on oath by the Executors.

Test. R. Martin, clk.