Peele/Poole-1782-Will

POOLE Re: Quakers & Slavery

Extracted from Will of Quaker Robert Peele:

I do have one will that my ancestor put in it that he wanted his slaves freed "if ever the laws of the land would permit" and I think (without looking it up) that it was written in 1782 ( I had to look).  Odd but this same Quaker Robert Peelle (1709-1782), one of the three founders of Rich Square, is listed as a Patriot.

The extract from the will...

Item.  It is my will and desire that all my Negroes to wit, James, Pen and Kader, Dinah and her four Children, Viz., Heather, Molly, Ginny and Teressa and all the increase of said Dinah and four children if any, shall have their freedom if ever the Laws of the Land should admit of their having that priviledge freely, clearly and absolutely untill which time it is my will and desire and I do hereby give and bequeath unto my five children above named my two Negroes James and Ben so that the profits arriving from their labour be equally divided among them, provided they do not sell, hire or remove them remote from their wives or contrary to their choice.
  Robert Peele
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Contributed by: bobert@panacom.com