I, George B. Hopson, do make, ordain and declare this my last will and testament revoking all previous wills and testaments at any time made by me.

        Item 1st, I wish all my just debts be paid and to this end I will to my executors all my land in the State of Mississippi and all my Negroes and personal estate of every kind wheresoever situated.  I desire them to carry on my farm in the State of Mississippi for the term of five years and to apply the proceeds to the payment of my debts and to support my family
herein after directed.
        2nd  If the income of my estate for the term of five years shall not be sufficient for the payment of my debts, my executors, if they think it best for my estate, may keep all the property together and carry on the farm until all my debts shall be paid.
        3rd After the payments of my debts I give to my wife Eliza during her natural life for the support of herself and our two children, Sally Ann and George the tract of land upon which we not live near Port Royal in Tennessee and the following Negroes (to wit) Armistead and his wife Nancy and their five children Betsey, Sukey, Kiziah, Juddah and Dennis, my two
men Hunne and John the carpenter and also Milley, Harriet, Warrick, and old Harry.  This property is given to my wife for the support of herself and our two children Sally Ann and George who are to be supported out of it and their mother if they may live single.
        4th During the time my executors may keep my property together and carry on my farm in the South for the payments of my debts, I wish them to permit my wife to reside where she does now and to keep in her possessions all the servants she had now with her and to see that she and her family are supported out of the increase of the property in the same way and manner
they have heretofore been accustomed to live.
        5th I give to my daughter Elvira Norfleet during her natural life and for her sole and separate use Martha, the daughter of Armistead and Nancy, Sally the daughter of Peter, Sylvia, Sukey, Hannah's child and at her death to be equally divided amongst the daughters. These Negroes are given to my daughter, Elvira, in consequence of her having a large family and
I wish her to have them over and above the equal portion of my Negro property.
        6th  I give to my son, George Hopson, Polly and her children Willis, Fanny, Elsie, Massthalia, Luke and Henry, Elizabeth Jenny and also old Harry at the death of my wife Eliza.
        7th  To my daughter Eliza Jane Leavell, I give my Negro woman Hannah and her five youngest children.
        8th  To my daughter Sallie Ann, I give Bill, Alda, Abram, Phil and his wife Delsey and their two children, Lewis and Wright and I also give her Nellie and Harriet at the death of her mother.  My executor may give up to Sally Ann upon her marriage any of the Negroes mentioned in this item except those given to my wife for life.
        9th To my daughter Mildred Williams I give Hecka, Peter and Sally Daniel.
        10th  To my son Howell R. Hopson, I give Frank and his wife and child.
        11th  I wish my wife Eliza and daughter Sally Ann to support and educate my granddaughter Margaret Travis Norfleet and I wish my wife at her death or sooner if she choose to give her the Negroes out of those I have willed her, say two girls and a boy.
        12th  In consideration of the valuable services which have been rendered to me by Robert McCutcheon I wish each of my legatees upon the division of my estate to give him out of their respective shares one hundred dollars and to see that he is taken care of and supported during his life time.
        13th  After the death of my wife, Eliza, I give my negro man Warrick to my son Joseph J. Hopson.
        14th  All my lands not heretofore devised I give to my executors to be sold for the payment of my just debts.
        15th Should my wife desire it, my executors are hereby directed to sell my tract of land near Port Royal and invest the proceeds or any portion thereof in the purchase of such other property as my said wife may direct to be sold in the same way and for the same uses and purposes as the land was sold.
        16th  Should any of the female slaves herein specially bequeathed have increase after the date of this will then I bequeath such increase to such of my legatees as may own the mother of such increase.
        17th  After the payments of all my debts then I wish a division of all my negroe property to take place among all my children in such way the shares of negro property to all my children may be equal except Elvira Norfleet who shall have the negroes heretofore given to her and her children over and above her equal portion of my negro property.  In making such
division regard will be had as well to the negroes before given as well as to those given in this my last will and if any of my children shall receive by this will and former gifts more than his equal portion of  negroes then such child or children having received more shall make up in money or negroes to such as have received less than their equal portion of negro
property till they are all made equal in the negro property.
        18th After the payment of all my just debts, I will to my executors all my real and personal property except negroes to be sold on such terms as they think best and out of the proceeds of which sale I give to Mildred Williams $400.00 and I give the balance in equal portions to my wife and my two children Sally Ann and George.
        19th  I also will to my executors to be sold the tract of land near Port Royal if not sooner sold and all the personal estate except negroes in Tennessee and when sold I give the proceeds to Joseph J. Hopson, Howell R. Hopson, Elvira Norfleet, Mildred Williams, and Eliza Jane Leavell.
        20th  The negroes herein given to Elvira Norfleet specifically are to be such over and above the equal portion of my estate and all property herein and hereby given to her shall be held by her during her natural life for her sole and separate use and at her death the same shall be divided amongst her daughters.
        21st Should the pressure of my debts on the guardian of my estate require it then I give to my executors power to sell each of my slaves as are not herein specifically bequeathed.
        22nd Upon a final division of my negroes, I wish my old and faithful servants Phell, Billy, Darnell, and Peter to be set at liberty and to live with such of my legatees as they may choose and I wish all my legatees to be guardians and protectors to them as long as they may live.
        23rd  If the tract of land near Port Royal should be sold by my executors and the proceeds of such sale invested in property, then at the death of my wife I wish such property as purchased to be sold by my executors and the proceeds divided as I have herein directed.
        24th My negro man Marone has been to me a valuable and faithful servants and I wish my wife at her death to set him free if he proves to her a good and faithful servant.
        25th  Such negroes as I have willed to my wife for life and have not disposed of by name in this will wish her to divide amongst our children upon her death as she thinks proper.
        26th  I do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my sons Howell R. Hopson and Joseph J. Hopson and my son-in-law Philip F. Norfleet and my relative George C. Boyd executors of this my last Will and Testament.

After the writing and  before the publication or signing of this will the word children in the word children in the 5th and 20th items have been erased, and the word daughters written in its place.  It is my further will and desire that my executors after my death pay to my friend and relative George C. Boyd the sum of $2500.00 in cash as soon as they can conveniently raise
the funds from my estate after the payment of my debts.  This device is made to George C. Boyd as a small compensation for his services heretofore rendered me as a friend and in his official capacity as my attorney.  In case George C. Boyd refuses or fails to receive this amount of money from my executors or in case he dies before I do then it is my earnest desire that
my executors pay the same to his two children now living (to wit) Mary Boyd and Millard A. Boyd and in case of the death of either of them without issue living then to the legal heirs of George C. Boyd.
The first day of September 1846.

Will was probated in Montgomery County on March 1, 1847.  George B.
Hopson
having died between September 1846 and March 1847.
 

Submitted by  Lee Snyder .
I am the descendant of the slaves that he owned.
George Boyd Hopson was very wealthy.  His family was from Halifax County, VA.  He also owned land Coahoma County, MS.

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