1842 - LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF RANDAL CURRIE
Robeson County (later became Hoke County)
Thanks to Jean Crowder for sharing this will. Anyone who would like to submit additional wills is encouraged to contact me here. Your help is appreciated. Posted November 4, 2001
In the Name of God Amen I Randal Currie of the State of North Carolina and County of Robeson Being of Sound and Perfect mind and Memory Blessed be God for it do this the ninth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two make publish declare and ordain this my last will and testament annulling all former wills by me made and this one only to be taken as my last will and testament in manner following. That is to say I commit my Soul to God who gave it and my Body to the Earth from whence it was formed to be decently buried in a Christian like manner the expenditure to be at the discretion of my after named Executors.
Item 1st —I leave and bequeath to my beloved wife Nelly Currie as her dower of my land her lifetime. Beginning at the end of the cross lane next to Stewart thence through said lane to the main road lane at the house then with a cross fence from the house to the swamp. All part South and East of the above boundary to be the dowry. I also leave one hundred and fifty acres the oldest tract of land I own to the dower for convenience of wood and timber to my wife during her lifetime. I also leave to her her lifetime my two Negro women Phebe and Fanny. I also leave to her her choice one of my horses and my mule Jenny. Also one third of stock of cattle and one half of my stock of hogs and one half of my stock of sheep and all my kitchen furniture and one third of the household furniture and I also leave to her one half of all my farming utensils and one of my carts. It is my will also and I ordain it to be done as my will that after my wifes death that my son Adam Currie should he survive his mother would possess and inherit the dowry land and the Negroes with their issue should there be any for him and his heirs for ever to possess and inherit them.
Item 2nd— I leave and bequeath to my daughter Mary Conoly, alias Mary McMillan, alias Mary Currie one dollar and no more to her and her heirs to be given to her or her legal representatives forever by my Executors after my decease.
Item 3rd — I give and bequeath to my daughter Flora Baxter my Negro girl named Hailey to her and her heirs forever.
Item 4th — I give and bequeath to my daughter Nelly McMillan alias Nelly Currie my Negro girl named Jude to her and her heirs forever.
Item 5th — I give and bequeath to my son Archibald J. Currie my Negro girl named Mary and my Negro named Jim to him and his heirs Forever.
Item 6th — I give and bequeath to my son John J. Currie my Negro girl Eliza and my Negro boy named John to him and his heirs forever and also my Negro girl Effy to John J. Currie to him and his heirs forever.
Item 7th — I give and bequeath to my son Alexander H. Currie my Negro girl Cate and my Negro boy Billy to him and his heirs forever.
Item 8th — I give and bequeath to Luther Currie son of Daniel J. Currie in the state of Georgia my Negro girl Amanda to him and his heirs forever if he shall live to have heirs of his body. If not it is my will that my male heirs shall be his heirs as far as respects the Negro girl and her issue should there be any and as said Luther Currie is an orphan and only about seven or eight years old I nominate my son Adam Currie to be his guardian as far as respects the Negro girl and deliver said Amanda if she lives with her issue if any to said Luther when he will arrive at the age of twenty-one years and not before.
Item 9th — I give and bequeath to my son Adam Currie my Negroes viz. Anne, Dick, Rachel, Flora Margret Anthony to him and his heirs forever and also give and bequeath my Negro woman Cloe to him forever for discharging some charge that I left with him to satisfy. Also I give and bequeath to my son Adam Currie all my lands supposed to contain about four hundred acres exclusive of his Mother's dower and also the dower land after his Mother's death. It is my will that he shall inherit possess and own it he and his heirs forever. It is also my will that my son A. Currie would own and possess all the issue and offspring of those Negroes that I willed to him from the date of this my will to be his and his heirs forever. I also bequeath to him Phebe and Fanny and their issue if any there be after his Mother's death to him and his heirs forever. I also leave and bequeath to him my son Adam Currie the one half of all my farming utensils previously referred and also my blacksmith shop and all its contents and my tools of all description and one third of the household furniture and one third of my stock of cattle and one half of my stock of hogs and one fourth of my stock of sheep and my books and should there be more than three horses left after my legal debts are paid my will is that Adam Currie should have them he and his heirs forever. But if the case should be that Adam Currie should die without lawful heirs of his body it is my will that my male heirs viz. Archibald J. Currie, John J. Currie and Alexander H. Currie be his legal heirs as far as I bequeathed to him in this my last will and testament. And should the case be that Adam Currie should die before his Mother it is my will that Archibald J. Currie, John J. Currie, and Alexander H. Currie be heirs entirely to all bequeathed to him and his Mother after her death.
Item 10th — I leave and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Currie my Negro Betsey and her daughter Lessie and all her issue from the date of this my last will and testament and my Negro boy Jack to her and the heirs of her body forever and also one horse and one third of my stock of cattle, one fourth of my stock of sheep, one third of my household furniture to be hers and the heirs of her body forever. It is my will and I ordain it as my will that that if Sarah dies without legitimate heirs of her body then male heirs viz. Archibald J. Currie, John J. Currie, Alexander H. Currie and Adam Currie and their heirs shall be the sole heirs of Sarah Currie as far as what I bequeath to her. But as I consider Sarah Currie not altogether sufficient to transact or manage the property herein bequeathed to a sufficient advantage it is my will and I ordain it to be done that Adam Currie shall have the whole management of her property as her guardian and that the hire of the said Negroes herein bequeathed shall at all times be appropriated to her life and support as necessary will occur until she have issue if ever she will and then she and her issue only to possess and enjoy the said bequeathed Negroes and their issue forever.
Item 11th — I leave and bequeath to Adam Currie my cart and gigg and harness.
Item 12th — I desire request that all my legal debts be paid. I leave for that purpose three bales cotton and one of my horses or mules to be sold for that purpose.
And I hereby make and ordain my loving sons viz. Archibald Currie, John J. Currie, Alexander H. Currie and Adam Currie and my most worthy friend Archibald Smith Executors of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof the said Randal Currie have to this my last will and testament set my hand and affixed my seal the day and year above written. (June the 9th 1842)
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Randal Currie the Testator as his last will and Testament In the presence of us who were present at the time of signing and sealing thereof attest. Signed: Randal Currie
P McEachin
Daniel McPhaul
Archibald McNeill Currie
November Term 1843
Then was the due and legal Execution of the within will proven in open court by the oaths of Peter McEachin and Archibald McNeill Currie two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded in the Book of Wills. Law Howell clk.
Adam Currie & Alexander H. Currie two of the Executors therein named qualified as such.
Recorded in Will Book A of Robeson County Page 425
LaW Howell, clk.
