James, The introduction to George's will (at least, in the form I have it, which I presume is correct) simply says by way of introduction "Will of George marchbanks of the Parish of Raleigh in the County of Amelia, being very sick, weak in body, dated 27 Oct. 1740." He leaves everything to his wife for her lifetime & the total of some 1200 acres to be divided between his children. It is not quite clear whether the children get their inheritances immediately or only on their mother's death. So there is no direct indication of George's age. As you suggest, the phrase at the beginning could be a sort of set formula; I have always tended to assume that it implied that George was elderly, but I suppose that he may merely have been attacked by some disease - common enough, I guess, in those days. Although there are plenty of records of George indulging in lawsuits with his neighbours I don't recall that any of them give an indication of age. Thank you for making me look back at the original form of the will - it was too long since I'd checked! Roger