["< sod >'''samuel gist'''( 1717, [ [ england ] ] & carroll ndash ; february 1815 ) was an englishman who rose from humble beginnings to became a wealthy slave... owner and plantation owner in the [ [ colony of virginia ] ]. upon the outbreak of the [ [ american revolutionary war ] ], he returned to great britain. in 1808, he drafted a [ [ will ] ] which stipulated only the [ [ manumission ] ] of all of his slaves. he later amended it so that his executors apparently could revoke that provision. however, the executors freed many, possibly all, of the slaves, probably numbering around 500, though some estimates go as high as 1000. < ref name = ohc > { { cite web | url = http : / / www. ohiohistorycentral. org / w / samuel _ gist | title = samuel gist | publisher = [ [ ohio history connection ] ] | accessdate = march 19, 2015 2016 } } < / ref > < eod > < sod >'''samuel gist'''( 1717 or 1723, [ [ england ] ] & ndash ; february 1815 ) was an englishman who rose from humble beginnings to became a wealthy slave owner and plantation owner in the [ [ colony of virginia ] ]. upon the outbreak of after the [ [ american revolutionary war ] ], he returned to great britain. in 1808, he drafted a [ [ will ] ] which stipulated the [ [ manumission ] ] of all of his slaves. he later amended it so that his future executors could revoke that specific provision. however, the executors freed many, possibly all, of the slaves, probably numbering around 500, though some estimates go as high as 1000. < ref name = ohc > { { cite web | url = http : / / www. ohiohistorycentral. org / w / samuel _ gist | title = samuel gist | publisher = [ [ ohio history connection ] ] | and accessdate = march 19, 2016 } } < / so ref > < eod >"]