The will was found in the Richmond County Probate Court and donated to the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System, Georgia Room in the early 2000s. It is unknown why the original Cotes Last Will and Testament was in the possession of Richmond County Probate Court, as Mary Dorothy Cotes lived and died in England. The only connection to Richmond County concerned twenty-nine (29) shares of capitol stock in the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company, valued at $2,300.00 that were among Mary Dorothy Cotes assets.

Mary Dorothy Cotes was born c. 1819 in Brabant, Belgium to Peter and Jane Keld Cotes. According to the 1871 Census of England, she lived alone (never married) with one servant, Amy Curtis (figures prominently in the will), in Purton, Wiltshire, England. She died in 5 February 1874 at 54. Her will was probated on 24 March 1874. Her brother Rev. Digby Octavius Cotes was listed as one of the executors.

The will is meticulously detailed, Cotes naming what appear to be all of her worldly possessions, including bedding, pillows, liquor, furniture, etc., and bequeathing them to her servant Amy Curtis and various family members.

In June of 1872, Jacob Motte Alston petitioned the Richmond County Court of Ordinary for Letters of Administration on the estate of Mary Dorothy Cotes, likely concerning the shares of stock in the Ga Railroad and Banking Company.