In the name of god amen the 28th of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighty four
I William Fossett of the County of Orange in the State of North Carolina farmer, being sick and very weak in body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be to God for it, and calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that its appointed for all men to die, do make & ordain this my last will and testament,
that is to say,
princaply, and first of all, I give and recommend my soul the God that gave it and for my body, I recommend to the Earth, to be buried in a Christian and decent manner at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general resurrection it shall receive the same again; by the might power of God, and
as touching such worldly estate, wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, deliver, & dispose of the same in manner and form following that is to say,
in the first place, I give and bequeath to Margrete my beloved wife my whole estate her lifetime; at her death, also
I give my son William the place he now lives on in paying to the estate 70 pounds and finding my daughter Elen one horse & saddle out of what he oweth me the remaining part to be equally divide among my children; only William to have twenty pounds more than any of the rest, this and no other to be my last will and testament in Witness whereunto I have set my hand and seal this 28 day of September.
William [X] Fossett
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced, and do by these
David Fossett
Ricd Fossett
Jno Umstead