Source: NC
Wills & Inventories - Grimes
Written: 1751
North Carolina, New Hanover County
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, the Last will and Testament of Roger Moore, of
the Parish of Saint Philips.
Imprimis, I doe give, Devise and Bequeath unto my Son, George Moore,
and his Heirs forever the Following Tracts or Parcells of Lands, Vizt.,
All that Part of my Plantation Called by the Name of Kendall, Bounding
to the Southward by the Creek that runs up to my Mill as far as there
is a Post to be fixt about three Hundred yards up the Creek above the
House where Gready Lately removed from; and from thence a Due west Line
to be Continued as far my Lands runs up the Neck, and Bounded to the
Northward by Mr. Allens Creek, with the Little Island of Marsh fronting
the said Plantation in the River. And all Other my Lands bounding on
the said Creek; and all Other my Lands Lying between the Thorofare and
Black river, in the Neck known by the Name of Maultby's Point, with all
my Lands on the Island Opposite; And One half of the Tract of Land in
the fork of the river known by the Name of Mount Misery; the Same to be
Divided in Such Manner as my son, George, shall think Proper to Direct;
and them my William to Take his Choyce, & that to be Done in One
year After my Decease. And five Hundred Acres on the Northwest river,
Lying Between the Lands of Mr. Job Howes and the Land that was Mr.
Dallisons, Decd.; and all that Tract of Land I bought of Mr. John
Porter, Decd., on the No. West River at or Near the Saxapahaw Old
fields, being Three Thousand & Twenty five Acres; And the Lott of
Land in the Town of Brunswick where Mr Ross at Present Dwells, being
five Poles wide & runing from the river as farr as the Street
before Doct. Fergu's House, with the Wharf and all Other Improvements
thereon.
Item, I doe give unto my Aforesaid Son, George, my Negro man Higate the
Carpenter, His wife Rose, with all her Issue & Encrease.
Item, I doe give, Devise & Bequeath unto my son, William Moore
& his Heirs for ever all that my Plantation called Orton where I
now dwell, Joyning on Kendals, as its before Bounded by this my Will,
with all my Land Bounded to the Southward on the Creek where My Mill
now is, being in all about 2500 Acres; & also, 640 Acres at Rockey
Point, bounding on Mr. Allens and the river, and the Remaining, half of
Fifty five Thousand Acres in the Neck known by the Name of Mount
Misery, and all the Tract of Land bounded by the River & Smiths
Creek; and 5000 Acres at or near the Haw or Eno old Fields.
Item, I doe Also give, Devise, and Bequeath unto my Said Son, William,
One full fifth Part of the Slaves I Shal Dye Possessed of; and its my
Will that all my Slaves Shall in One Month After my Decease be Devided
into five Equal Parts, as near as mybe, by himself and my Son George,
when so done that my son; William, take his Chance by Lott for such his
Part. And I doe Also give unto my said Son, William, all the Stock of
Horses & Cattle. & Sheep that Shall Properly belong to & be
on my Plantation Orton, at my Decease, with all my Plate &
Household furniture, Hee, my son William, Paying to my son George, in
Two years After my Decease, the Sum of One Hundred Pounds, Proclamation
Money or the Value thereof.
Item, I doe give unto my Daughter, Sarah Smith, the Sum of five Pounds,
being in full for her Fortune; She having Already recd. from me, with
the Legacy Left her by Her Grand Mother, by my Computation, at Least
£1600 Sterling.
Item, I doe give unto my Daughter, Mary Moore, the Sum of Eighteen
Hundred Pounds, Proclamation Money, or the Value thereof, to be Paid
Her, or sure'd to be paid Her, in Two years after my Decease; but on
the Condition Only my Exors. then Taking a Release for the Legacy left
her by Her Grand Mother, Mrs. Sarah Trott, and Also, that she Doe not
Marry but with the Consent of my Exors. & her Aunt, Mrs. Sarah
Allen, or the Majority of them.
Item. I doe give unto my Daughter, Anne Moore, the Sum of Eighteen
Hundred Pounds, Proclamation Money, or the Value thereof, to be Paid
her, or sured to be paid Her, in Two years after my Decease; But on the
Same Terms & Conditions as Her Sister Mary before Mentioned.
Item, I doe give unto my son in Law, Mr Thomas Smith, & his Heirs
for ever, all that Lott of Land in the Town of Brunswick where Mr.
William Lord at Present resides, Besides with the Building thereon.
Item, I doe give, Devise & Bequeath unto my sons, George &
William Moore, and their Heirs forever, all the rest & Residue of
my real & Personal Estate, to be Equally Divided Between them,
After the Payment of all my just Debts & Legacys, but on these
Conditions, that they, at the expence of my Estate, Maintain their Said
Sisters, Mary & Anne aforesaid, untill their Legacy become Due,
unless they shall Marry before, but Nevertheless, if my Two Sons Shall
Choose to pay their Legacy Out of my Principal Estate, they shall be at
their Liberty so to doe soe as not more then One third of the same be
Paid to Each in Land; & the Lands & slaves to be Vallued to
them by Indifferent Persons, to be Choose by each Party, & they on
Oaths, there being Twenty Odd Thousand Acres of Land & Near Two
Hundred & fifty Slaves, with the Stock of Horses, Cattle, &c.,
& besides the Debts Due To me not before Bequeathed in this my Will.
Item, I doe Devise & Bequeath unto my Dear beloved Wife, Mary
Moore, all the Estate that was her own at the Time of Her Marriage, be
it of any Nature and Kind Whatsoever, with the Profits arising Since
Such her Marriage; as also the Saw Mill I entend to Build on Brices
Creek, with the Slaves & all Utensils that shall Properly Belong to
them. And if it shal soe Happen that I shal Dye Before the said Mill
shall be Compleatly finished, that She, my said Wife, is to have the
work of my four Carpinters now at Nuce, until they be Compleatly
Finished; and the aforesaid Land & Mill I doe give unto my said
Wife, Hurs forever, & in full Consideration of her Dower & any
Claim She may have by Law to any Part of my real & Personal Estate.
Item, it is my Will that each of my Daughters, Mary & Anne, Doe at
their Marriage, take Each their Choyce of any
One of the House Slaves, Except the Negro wench Bess, who I leave to
Her Liberty to make Choyce of any One of my Children for her Master or
Mistress.
Lastly, I doe Nominate and appoint my Two Sons, George & William
Moore, Exors. to this my Last will & Testament, Revoaking all Other
Wills herefore made by me.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal, this 7th.
Day of March 1747/8.
ROG. MOORE (seal)
Signed, Sealed, Published & Declared to be my Last Will &
Testament in the Presence of:
WM FORBES
RICHD QUINCE
GEO LOGAN
A Codicil to this my Last will & Testament: Whereas, it is Apparent
from the Late Storm, that the Legacy I have Bequeathed unto my Loving
Wife, Mary, The giving her my saw Mill and the Appurtenancys thereunto
Belonging, may, Instead of being a Yearly Profit to her, Prove rather
an Expence, therefore I doe Absolute Declare that Part of my will soe
much as relates to the Saw Mills and appurtenancys thereunto Belonging
to be Void and of none Effect; &, in Lieu of the Same, do give unto
my said Loving Wife, Mary, One Hundred Pounds, Sterling Money, or the
full Vallue thereof, to be Paid her Yearly by my Exors. During the Time
she Does remain my Widdoe, and noe Longer, and the same to be in full
for her right of Dower, & in full for any Claim or Demand of any
kind Whatsoever She may have Legully to any Part of my Estate.
In Testimony Whereof I have here unto Set my Hand & Seal, the 30th.
Day of June, 1750.
R. MOORE. (seal)
Signed, Sealed & Published inthe Presence off us:
WM ROSS
REBECCA COKE
GEO LOGAN
Att a Court held at Wilmington, On the Last Tuesday in May, in the Year
of Our Lord, One Thousand, Seven Hundred and fifty One. On Motion the
Last Will & Testarnt. of Roger Moore, late of the Province of North
Carolina, Esqr., Deceased, was Proved in Due form of Law By the Oath of
George Logan, One of the Subscribing Witnesses to the said Will and
Codicil, by which Will George Moore and William Moore are Appointed
Exors. of the Last Will and Testament of the said Roger Moore, Decd.,
which said William Moore and George, Appeared in Court and Took the
Oath of an Executor According to Law.
Therefore it is Ordered that Letters Testamentary do issue to the said
George Moore and William Moore, to Impower them to Take upon themselves
the Execution of the said, of the said Roger Moore, Decd.
By the Court.
ISAAC FARIES, C. C.
Mr Rice's Ex'or, Dr for this, 16 Cash.
Copied from the Original Will, Filed in the Office of the Secretary of
State.
