In the name of God Amen. I, James Oliver, of Charles 
County in the state of Maryland bring sick and weak 
body, but of sound mind, memory and understanding, 
and considering the certainty of death and the un-
certainty of the time thereof and bring to settle 
my worldly affairs and thereby be the better prepared 
to leave this world when it shall please God to call
me hence do therefore make and publish this my last 
will and testament in manner and form following. 
That is to say, first and principally I commit my 
soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to 
the earth to be decently buried at the discretion 
of my Executrix herein after named and after my 
death and funeral charges are paid I devise and 
bequeath as follows:
	Item, it is my will and desire that the whole 
of my property that I now have or may die possessed 
of I give and bequeath to my wife Susana Oliver and 
my young children not married, that is to say, Matildus,
Adaline, James Otho, Laty Ann, Sarah Ann, Amelia and 
Lambert Valentine to be and remain for them and their 
use during their single lives, but if any of my above-
named children marry and my executrix should give them 
any part of my property, it is to be deducted from their 
part after the whole is married or dead. It is further 
my will and desire that my daughter Dorothy Ann Colley 
should have a proportion of my property after deducting
what she has already received. It is further my will 
and desire that the part that she is to receive may be 
paid to in such a manner that no person can destroy or
make away with it and further it is my will and desire 
that my two sons, James Otho and Lambert Valentine, may 
have the whole of my real property that I now have or 
may die possessed of and my mature daughters to have 
all of my personal property wishing the whole both real
and personal to remain in my wife's possession during
her natural life for the support of her and my young  
children. It is further my will and desire that my grand-
daughter, Elizabeth Ann Ware is to receive her proportion 
of my personal property with the rest of my daughters 
provided her parent has not already received it before 
my death.
	And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint 
my dear wife Susana Oliver to be my sole Executrix of 
this my last will and testament, revoking all former 
wills by me made, ratifying this and none other to be 
my last will and testament.
	In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 
and seal this 27th day of December 1834.

Will executed January 3, 1837.

Source:  Last Will and Testament of James Oliver (1836): 
Charles County, Maryland 
Transcribed and contributed by Rick Vaeth, vaethfam@hotmail.com