Will of Joseph Lewis-1844


Will of Joseph Lewis
July 1844
Granville County, North Carolina

(Transcribed & Contributed by Sara Hale)

I, Joseph Lewis of the County of Granville and State of North Carolina, being of sound mind and memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say.

First that my Executor (herein after named), shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the Money that may first come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Nancy all my landed estate, and stock of every description household and kitchen furniture, family carriage, wheat fan, two horse waggon, ox cart, plantations tools, provisions on hand of every kind, growing crop (excepting the Tobacco crop which I wish sold to pay my just debts), with the privilege of clearing twenty thousand Tobacco hills now layed off by my son James, and privilege of using timbers for repairing plantation and the privilege of carrying all her negroes on said land to work (and if there should be more crop stock + c than my wife wants. I wish it sold to pay my just debts, and likewise I wish a five horse waggon sold, to have and to hold to her the said Nancy for and during the natural term of life in satisfaction for and in liew of her dower and thirds of and in all my real estate.

Item - After my death it is my will and wish that my property be equally divided among my children Share and Share alike upon the following plan. I have given to my son John five hundred and three dollars for which I now hold his bond and have paid to my daughters Sally, Ann and Henrietta seven hundred dollars each- now it is my will that all my children be made equal to Sally, Ann and Henrietta befor general division but do not want interest calculated on neither John's bond nor the advancements to said daughter

Item- After paying my just debts, it is my will and wish that my negroes be divided into eight lots as nearly equal as possible and drawn for by Thomas, Emily, Polly, Martha, Susan, Charles, James and Eliza so as to make them equal to Sally, Ann and Henrietta, and John who received only five hundred and three dollars as will appear in a former item of this my will.

Item- It is my will that the portion which falls to the children of my dec'd daughter Emily to my daughters Susan and Henrietta be left to their husbands to do as they please with ( to art, James Sheed, William G Thomas, and Alexander Amis.- also those portions decending to my sons Thomas, John, Charles and James left likewise to manage as they think proper for themselves

Item- It is my will that the portions of my Estate decending to my daughters Polly, Martha, Sally, Eliza and Ann be entailed on them for their benefit during their lives and at their deaths to go to their children free from the control of their husbands, and should any of them die childless the property to return to my other children.

Item- My will and wish is that at my wife's death my lands be sold and after making John equal to Sally, Ann, and Henrietta as will appear in a former item of this my will should the negro property fail to make the others equal I wish all made equal and then the balance of the procedes of my land equally divided among all the legaties in manner and form above mentioned - and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my wife Executrix and Thomas B Lewis Executor to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause therof, hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me made heretofore In witness whereof. I the said Joseph Lewis do hereunto set my hand and Seal this the 9th ninth of July eighteen hundred and forty four

Signed Sealed published and
declared by the said Joseph
Lewis to be his last will and	Joseph Lewis Seal
testament in the presence of us
who at his request in his presence
and in the presence of each other do
subscribe our names as Witnesses thereto

Joseph A. Norwood
s
Wa ' H. Thomas


North Carolina
Granville County November Court Asl 1844

The Execution of the last will and Testament of Joseph Lewis deceased is proved by Joseph A Norwood one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded At the same time came forward Thomas B Lewis named Executor in said will and duly qualified as such

Witness Jarall Wiggins, clk