This will was extremely hard to read.  It was yellowed with age and the small print on the will itself and bleed-thru from the probate information on the backside, which completely obliterated some words in the will, made it even more difficult...and I simply did not understand some of the words even though I could see them.  This is the best transcription I could give you.

In The Name of God Amen I Thomas SHEPARD of ye Prec^t of Coretuck in the County of Albemarle and in y^e Province of North Carolina Being Sick and Weak of Body But of Perfect mind and Memory Blessed Be God for itt and Calling to Mind y^e uncertainty of This life and Knowing that its appoynted once for all men to Die Doe Constitute? This my Last Will and Testem^t Revoakeing all other wills by me formerly made and Doe acknowldge y^e Same to be my Last Will and Testem^t in manner and forme following that is to say I Recommend my Soul to y^e hands of almighty God who Gave it Hopeing Through The? pasion? and merits of my Blessed Saviour Jeses Chriss to Receive forgiveness of all my Sins Which I have Comitted in this Wicked World Secondly my Body to Be Buried in ___ Decent manner as My Excutrix hereafter named Shall think fitt.

Item I Give to my Daughter Elezebeth SHEPARD one Cow and her Calfe and all her Increase Being y^e Cow of Dan^l? AMBROSS?/ANCROF? his marke to be [crease & bleed-thru] and possessed of y^e Same and to ____ and Remain on her Rest? from y^e Proveing of this my will.

Item I Give to my Daughter Gwinefred SHEPARD ____ Cow and Calfe that I Bought of ____ PERKINS and to be Possessed of the Same and to Remain on her Rest? from y^e Proveing of this my will Both y^e Cow and Calfe and all Her increase.

Item I Give to my Son Samson SHEPARD one three Year old? Heafer runing on y^e Pudion Ridge Two? Cows of that Cow which I Gave to my Daughter [bleed-thru] to my Said Son with all the? Increase to be Personally? Possessed With Said Heafer and all her Increase be to Him? on his Rest? from y^e Proveing [bleed-thru].

I Give one Young mare to my Daughter Eliz^a only [bleed-thru] gave? that y^e Said mare Brings to my Daughter Gwinefred and y^e Second? [bleed-thru] Brings to my Son Samson [crease] mare and her Increase [crease & bleed-thru] Eliz^a.

and as for y^e Rest of my Movable Estate I ____ [bleed-thru] and possess y^e Same Dureing her widohood and after her marrage [bleed-thru] but y^e Said Part of that which is in her hands ___ and thats Given [bleed-thru] to my Children by This? my full? will.

I Give to my Son Samson SHEPARD my Plantation whereon I Now [bleed-thru] to him and y^e heirs of his Body Lawfully Begotten for ever withe all y^e Said [bleed-thru] belonging but if he Die With out Lawful Isue __ _____ _____ then my [bleed-thru] y^e Said Plantation and tract of Land to my Daughter Elizabeth SHIPARD [bleed-thru] of her body Lawfully for ever But if my Said Daughter Die also with out heirs a fore Said then y^e Plantation and Tract of Land to Defer and Be to my Daughter Gwinefred SHEPARD and y^e heirs of her Body Lawfully Begotten for ever But if [bleed-thru] _____ing ___ Die with out Isue ___ afore Said then? I Give [crease] Plantation and Tract of Land to my Brother John SHIPARD and his heirs for ever.

___ I make ordain Con____ and appoynt my Loveing wife Ruth SHIPARD my whole and Sole Executrix of this my Last will and Testam^t as witnis my hand and Seal this 22^th Day of March Anno Don 1721/2.
    /s/ Thom. SHEPARD        Seal

Sign^d Seal^d in Pres^t}
    Jo^s WICKER
    Hump^y [his H mark] VINCE

 North Carolina }
Corotuck Court}
    This will was proved in Open Court in Lawful Manner the 10^th Day of July anno Dom 1722 By the Oaths of Joseph WICKER and humph^y VINCE.
    Test Joseph WICKER Clk Court

[Source: North Carolina State Archives - MARS ID: 12.96.1.2014 (folder)]

This will was contributed by Kay Midgett Sheppard. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research. If you find anything in these records that pertains to your families, it is strongly suggested that you look at the original record on your own to check for errors or possibly other additional and helpful information. Thank you!

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© 2006 Kay Midgett Sheppard