Nancy Bird Will

Transcription of Will of Nancy Bird, Alamance County, NC,
June Term 1858.

Transcribed by Jack London, 14 Floret Ct., The Woodlands, TX 77382, 26 August 2004 from will copy provided by Faye Conyer.

I, Nancy BIRD of the State of North Carolina and County of Alamance do this 5th day of April 1858 make and publish this my last will & testament hereby revoking & making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

And first I direct my body be decently interred in the burying ground at the Cross Road Church.

And as to such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to intrust me with I dispose of the same as follows

First, I give to Martha McCADAM, wife of Eli McCADAM two negro girls one by the name of Nancy the other by the name Patience
And my Executor sell the balance of my negroes at probate sale but not to negro traders and all the balance of my property at probate sale on a reasonable credit

And my desire is that my Executor purchase Tomb Stones & set up at the graves of my sisters Jane HAMILTON, Elizabeth WALKER, Margaret McOLLOCH & my dead husband Thos. BIRD & to pay for them out of the proceeds of my property & also to my ______ I give to the following persons & their heirs the following legacies (?)
     To David BRADFORD three hundred dollars
     To Empson BIRD one hundred & fifty dollars
     To Thomas BIRD one hundred & fifty dollars
     To Thomas B WHITHEAD (?) one hundred dollars
To give to my niece Elizabeth PICKET four hundred dollars and should Elizabeth Douglas be living at my death I give to her one hundred & fifty dollars, and to each of my slaves I give the sum of five dollars and should there be a balance remaining after paying as directed above and the payments of my debts and also paying my Executor five per centum on all sums collected and five per centum all sums paid out as _____ or distribution shares and ______ & debts that the remaining balance be equally divided between the following persons or their heirs (Viz.)
        David BRADFORD, Empson BIRD & Thomas BIRD
And I hereby make and ordain my friend Thomas LINCH Executor of this my last will and testament. In witness thereof, I the said Nancy BIRD have to this my last will and testament set my hand & seal the day & year above written

Signed & sealed by the said Nancy BIRD as her last will & testament in the presence of

Beaford B WALKER                                                  Nancy BIRD {Seal}
Wm. B VINCENT