Nancy Napper

No age was given and no appraisal was done for Nancy Napper in 1827 because Margaret Reed added a codicil in January, 1827 to her will, written in 1825. The codicil provided for Nancy’s emancipation after Reed’s death with her executors, Archibald Stuart and William Davis, directed to use their best efforts in securing permission for Nancy to remain in Virginia if she desired to do so after her emancipation. Prior to this codicil, Margaret Reed devised Nancy Napper, Robert/Bob Napper, and Sue to her niece, Margaret Cunningham (Burns) Gambill, daughter of Margaret Reed’s sister, Isabella (Cunningham) Burns and Robert Burns, and wife of Henry Gambill. They lived in Rockingham County, Virginia. In a memorandum separate from her will, Margaret Reed directed her executors to distribute specific articles of clothing, household items, furniture, and other possessions to her family and friends and to five enslaved females. Nancy received clothing and household items. Nancy was Margaret Reed’s personal maid.