THE WILL OF MARY NORWOOD
Baltimore Maryland, 1822

In the Name of God, Amen. I, Mary Norwood, of the City of Baltimore and State of Maryland, being sick and weak in body but of a sound disposing mind, memory, and understanding, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, do make and publish this, my Last Will and Testament in manner following. That is to say: I order and direct all my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid out of my Estate as herein after mentioned.

ITEM: I do hereby manumit and set free my Negro girl named Harriet at the expiration of eighteen years from this date, and also my Negro Boy, David Jones, at the expiration of fifteen years from this date.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my daughter, Nancy Norwood, the feather bed, bedstead, and furniture upon which I usually sleep. Also, a Table set of dinner blue and white china and a tea set of image china.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son John Norwood one spice mortar and one mahogany chest.

ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son Robert Norwood one feather bed and furniture.

ITEM: I order and direct my executor to forward all my plate to my daughter Maria Stansbury, wife of William Stansbury, of Louisiana, for her own use and benefit.

ITEM: I give and devise all the rest and residue of my household and kitchen furniture to my son Thomas, and daughter Nancy to be equally divided between them, share and share alike.

ITEM: I give and devise to my son, Nicholas Norwood, and his assigns, my Negro Boy Charles Jones until he, the said Charles, attains the age of 31 years, at which period I do hereby manumit and declare him to be absolutely free.

ITEM: Whereas I heretofore loaned to my son-in-law William Stansbury, for Maria, his wife, the sum of two thousand eight hundred dollars current money, which has been secured to me by them by a mortgage upon certain landed estate situated and lying in the State of Louisiana, now I do hereby give and devise the said mortgage debt and all interest thereon accrued and all my estate and interest in the said mortgage property, together with ten shares of my stock in the Bank of the United States unto my friend, Henry Brice, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns in trust. Nevertheless, for the exclusive use and benefit of my daughter, Maria Stansbury, above named during the term of her natural life, the interest, dividends alone arising from which is to be paid over to my said daughter, or her order, for her own separate use and benefit during that period without being subject to the control of her present or any future husband, or in any manner liable for the payment of this debts, contracts, or engagements, and from and immediately after the decease of my said daughter, Maria, then in trust as to the said principal estate and I do hereby give devise the same to all and every ... child or children which the said Maria now hath or may hereafter have, and to their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to be equally divided between them, share and share alike. And in case either of the children of my said daughter Maria should die under age and without lawful issue, the share or proportion of him, her or them so dying shall descend to and become the estate and property of the survivors or survivor of said children.

ITEM: I give and devise to my grandchildren Mary, Samuel, and Robert Norwood, children of my son Thomas, twenty one shares of my stock in the Bank of the United States and to their executors, administrators, and assigns, to be equally divided between them as they respectively attain lawful age until when the said Thomas Norwood, my son, is to receive the dividends thereof if he shall so long live.

ITEM: I give and devise to my grandson, Lambert Norwood, son of John, his executors, administrators, and assigns, one share of stock in the Bank of the United States, the dividends of which during his minority is to be received by his father and vested for the use and benefit of him, the said Lambert.

ITEM: I give and devise to grandson, Norwood Stansbury, son of William, his executors, administrators, and assigns, two shares of stock in the Bank of the United States, the dividends of which during his minority is to be received by his father and vested for the benefit of him, the said Norwood Stansbury.

ITEM: I give and devise to my Daughter Nancy Norwood, her executors, administrators, and assigns, forty shares of stock in the Bank of the United States.

ITEM: I give and devise to my son Thomas Norwood, his heirs and assigns, a house and lot owned by me on John street in Ridgely's addition. To the City of Baltimore and in the tenure and Jacob Howard, a colored man, I also give to my said son Thomas and his assigns six shares of stock in the Bank of the United States.

ITEM: I do also order and direct that any issue of my said Negro Harriet may have during her term of servitude, shall, if males, be free at the age of twenty-five years, and if females, at the age of twenty-one years.

ITEM: All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate Real, Personal and Mixed of every kind, wherever situated or being, I order and direct and do hereby fully authorize and empower my executor hereinafter named, his heirs, executors, or administrators, to sell, dispose of, and convey the same and the proceeds arising therefrom receive and thereout to pay and satisfy all my just debts and funeral expenses, and as to the amount of the balance or surplus (after deducting) the necessary expenses attending said sale, and the settlement of my estate, I give and devise to my three sons, John, Robert, and Nicholas, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, forever to be equally divided between them, share and share alike.

Lastly, I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my said Henry Brice to be the executor of this, my last will and testament, hereby vesting in him full power to execute all deeds and conveyances incident and necessary to the settlement of my estate and revoking all former wills by me made and declaring this to be my only one.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal this eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord, 1822.



Submitted by Kitty Crowley


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