THE THAMES WILLS
Susan Usher Eggert has submitted several Thames Wills. Thank-you Susan, Myrtle Bridges. Posted April 30, 2000
Will of James Plummer — Bladen County NCI James Plummer of the county and state aforesaid being in good health and sound mind and memory but knowing the uncertainty of life do in the name of Almighty God make and ordain this to be my last will and testament at the same time utterly revoking all wills heretofore made by me.
1st I give to my sister's husband and daughter Will Beard and Sophia Downing one dollar each.
2nd I give to my brother Skinkin M Plumber one dollar.
3rd I give and bequeath to my dear wife Lucy all my lands, my negroes that I now possess and also the negroes and land given to me by my father at the death of my Mother together with all that was left to me in his will also my stock of cattle and hogs my horses and farming utincils and everything I possess unless she should in the space of eight months after my death be delivered of a child and said child live to be grown or married it is my will and desire that it should have one half of the negroes also at the death of my dear wife the lands whereon I live, the balance to remain my dear wife's and her heirs forever. Should the child die before my wife it is my will and desire the property continue my wifes and her heirs forever. In testamony of which I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal this 11th day of May eighteen thirty-eight. James Plummer
April 30th 1841. I further will and bequeath unto my brother in law Joseph Thames the land given by my Father in his last will and testament lying on the east side of Cape Fear River it being the place where my father last lived, after the death of my Mother, she having a life estate in th same.
I further hereby ordain and appoint my most esteemed friends Jonathan Evans and John Smith as executors of this my last will and testament. In testamony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal the day and date as above written. James Plummer
Done in presence of Jas Robeson and A J Rogers(?)
Martha Thames Will — 11 Feb 1814I MARTHA THAMES of the County of cumberland State of North Carolina being of perfect mind & memory do make & ordain this my last will & testament. 1st After the payment of all my just debts & funeral charges I give & bequeath all my lands to be equally divided between my four sons viz JOSEPH THAMES, THOMAS THAMES, JOHN THAMES & SAMUEL THAMES, to them & their heirs forever.
2 I do hereby revoke & set aside all wills heretfore made by me.
3 I do apoint & ordain my beloved sons JOSEPH THAMES & JOHN THAMES Executors to this my last Will & Testament. Martha Thames (X her mark)(Seal)
Signed Sealed & Published this Eleventh day of February in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & fourteen in the presence of Charles McAllester and Elizabeth McAllester
NOTE: Martha Thames is widow of Joseph thames, daughter of John & Elizabeth Newberry. Her son William Thames died 1813 and so is not named in will. Joseph Thames was a son of Thomas Thames.
Will of James Preston Thames — 1912 North Carolina Cumberland County. I James Preston Thames of the aforesaid County and State, being of sound mind but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last will and testament. First My executors hereinafter named and provided for, shall give my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my friends and relatives and pay all fees and expenses, together with all my just debts out of the first moneys which may come into their hands belonging to my estate:
Second: It is my will and desire that my wife and children shall use and occupy jointly all my real estate during the lifetime of my wife, Flora Thames the benefits and uses to any child to cease until the death of my said wife, whenever such child shall cease to live with her. All my real estate wheresoever found shall go to my children in fee upon the death of my said wife.
Third It is my will and desire that my wife and children shall use jointly all my other property, personal and mixed during the life time of my said wife, the benefits and uses to any child to cease until the death of my said wife whenever such child shall cease to live with my said wife, and all my personal and mixed property shall be divided equally among my children upon the death of my said wife.
Fourth: I hereby constitute and appoint my wife Flora Thames and my oldest child living at the time of my death, my lawful executors to all interests and purposes to execute this my last will and testament, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and every part and clause thereof, & hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made.
My executors shall not be required to give bond. In witness whereof, I, the said James Preston Thames, do hereunto set my hand and seal, this 30 day of Jul 1912. James Preston Thames (Seal) Signed, Sealed, published and declared by the said James Preston Thames, to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his requet and in his presence (and in the presence of each other) do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto. D. W. Carter and R. W. Herring
Will of James Thames — 1905 Cumberland Co NCI James Thames being in my right mind and knowing the uncertainty of life do make the following my last will and devise. Item first. Should my wife Mary E. Thames live longer than I do then in that event I give to her her lifetime everything I may have and own at my death then at the death of my wife Mary E. Thames my will and desire is that my two sons Wm Gaston Thames and James P. Thames shall have and own as their own all my said land and all tools and household and kitchen furniture that may be on the place at the time of her death.
Item two. Should I James Thames live longer than my wife Mary E. Thames, then in that case at my death my will is Wm Gaston and James Preston Thames have and hold as their own everything as described above. James Thames
Signed in the presence of L. J. Freeman, Alice Freeman and Will Freeman this July 10th 1905
Will probated 10 Jul 1905 Superior Court, Cumberland Co NC.
Will of Joseph Thames - 1819 1881In the name of God Amen. I Joseph Thames of the County of Cumberland and the State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertanty of this frail and transitory life do therefore make ordain publish and declare this to be my last will and testament. That is to say First I do will and bequeath to my Executors my land on Buckler Swamp in Bladen County N Carolina about three hundred and fifty acres to be sold by them and the proceeds to be used in the payment of any lawful debts and the remainder if any to be divided equally between my wife and children.
Secondly I do will and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary B Thames all of my land in Cumberland County N Carolina the same as where I am now living containing about one hundred and fifty acres to have and to hold to her own use and behoof during her natural life and at her death to be equally divided between my children share and share alike.
Thirdly I do will and bequeath to my wife all of my household and kitchen furniture absolutely and all of the remainder of my property of whatever kind or nature to my Executors to be used in the payment of my debts and the residue if any to be divided equally between my wife and children. And in the event that my childrn should die without leaving any natural issue then it is my will that all of the property that they leave that was received by them from my estate by virtue of this my last will and testiment shall be given to my step daughter Margaret F. Moore, the daughter of my wife Mary B Thames.
Likewise I make and constitute and appoint my wife Mary B Thames and my friend Thomas W Devane to be Executors of this my last will and testament. Without liability hereby revoking all former wills by me made. I do hereby give my Executors full power and authority to dispose of the aforesaid property either by public or private sale as they in their judgement may deem proper for the purpose of executing my will as expressed above.
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the 23rd day of August 1881. Joseph Thames (SEAL)
The above will and instrument were subscribed by the said Joseph Thames in our presence and acknowledged by him to ask of us and he at the same time published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last will and testament and we at the testators request and in his presence have signed our names as witnesses hereunto and written apposite our own names our respective places of residence.
Daniel Smith Cumberland County
E. O. Carver Cumberland County
W. G. Thames Cumberland County
Probate Court State of North Carolina Cumberland County
A paper proporting to be the last will and
testament
of Joseph Thames deceased is exhibited before me the undersigned Judge
of
Probate for said County by Mary B Thames one of the executors therein
named and the
due executrix there of by the said Joseph Thames by the oath and
Examination of
Daniel Smith and W. G. Thames two of the subscribing witnesses thereto
who
being duly sworn doth depose and and each for himself deposeth and saith
that he
is a subscribing witness to the paper writing which is now shown him
proporting
to be the last will and testament of Joseph Thames that the said Joseph
Thames in
the presence of said deponent subscribed his name at the end of said
paper
writing which is now shown as aforesaid and which bears date of the 23d
day of
August 1881 and the deponent further saith that he the said Joseph
Thames the
testator aforesaid did at the time of subscribing his name as aforesaid
declare the
said paper writing so subscribed by him and exhibited to be his last
will and
testament and this deponent did thereupon subscribe his name at the end
of
said will as an attesting witness thereto and at the request and in the
presence
of the said testator and this deponent further saith that at the said
time when
the said testator subscribed his name to the said last will as aforesaid
and at
the time of the deponents subscribing his name as an attesting witness
thereto
as aforesaid the said Joseph Thames was of sound mind and memory of full
age to
execute a will and was not under any restraint to the knowledge
information
or belief of this deponent and further these deponents say not. Daniel Smith
and W. G. Thames
JOSEPH THAMES WILL — 28 Feb 1818Be it known by these presents that I Joseph Thames of the County of Cumberland & State of North Carolina being of a sound mind & perfect memory do make & ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
1 I will & devise that out of my personal estate my funeral expenses and just debts be paid.
2 I give& bequeath to my wife Hannah Thames for & during the term of her natural life the following property, Viz old Primas, old Peggy Nan, old Bellon & Cato, Jacob Vilot, Jaco & Judy & her four children also Rachel, Jame, Joe & Eliza, Amey & her children Viz. Prymas & Cuffe, Old Prince, Little Pomppy, old Peter, Jenney & her children Viz Joe, Becky, Tom & John, also Wooden Pompy except so much of his time as may be necessary in making of shoes for the rest of the negroes until a division takes place of them, also the one half of my blacksmith Jack with the one half of the blacksmith tools, the other half of the blacksmith Jack & tools to be kept as the other part of my estate for the use of the plantation & mills, also the one half of all my plantation tools with all my house & kitchen furniture with the one half of my crop that is on hand at my death, with the with the one half of all kind of provisions, with the one half of my stock of cattle, sheep, hoggs, oxen & horses, also that part of my plantation that I bought of Wm Beard containing five hundred & twenty five acres of land including my buildings, with the one half of my two sawmills & Gristmill with the privilege of one half of all the sawmill timber that I now possess, with the one half of my cotton wagons, also Riding chair & my Sorrell mare. Further I will that all that estate left my beloved wife during her natural life be Kept on the plantation where I now live to be disposed of as herein after directed. I further will that my wife pay the one half of all the expenses that may be incurred in working & carrying on the mills. *See the codicil of his will (*Note: written small probably added when codicil was made).
Item 3 I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Hannah Thames all my right to that estate left her by her first husband, Mr. Needham Gause; consisting of negrows, cattle, household furniture which estate is in the Note: rest of this line was in the fold of will & couldn't be read
Item 4 I give & bequeath my affectionate daughter Elizabeth McAllister the following Negrows Viz. Lucy, Nellie, Peter, Ben, Lydia, Betty, Aley, Harry & Dicey to her& her heirs forever,
Item 5 I give & bequeath to my son in law Stephen Gilmore ten dollars to be paid to him by my Executors likewise all that furniture which my daughter Molsey carried home with her, on her marriage with Mr. Stephen Gilmore, to him & his heirs forever.
Item 6 I give & bequeath to my son in law Steven Gilmore all the Negrows that his Mother Moley Gilmore carried home with her on her marriage with said Steven Gilmore his father, Viz. Tina, Sam, Dorre, Feebe, Betton, Harry, & Lilly with their increase said Negrows is now in possession of Mr Stephen Gilmore his father) to him and his heirs forever.
Item 7 Should my grandson John T. Gilmore live to the age of twenty one years, Then I give and bequeath to him my negro boys Daniel my watch & my bay mare, coach, But should John T Gilmore die before he attains the age of twenty one years, then said boy Daniel, Watch & coach is to be returned to my estates general stock.
Item 8 I will & devise that all my estate both real & personal not already devised shall be kept by my executors on the land & plantation, (I mean that part not left to my wife) to tend and carry on, the other half of my Sawmills, gristmill & lands. I further will that should my daughter Elizabeth McAllister breed and raise children that the neat (net?) proceeds of my estate be equally divided between my grandson John T. Gilmore, my Daughter Elizabeth McAllisters said children, my Daughter Elizabeth McAllister and her children to receive their part of the proceeds of this will & lands annually & that my grandson John T. Gilmore receives his proportional part of said proceeds when he shall have arrived at the age of twenty one years & not before.
Item 9 I will & devise that shall my grandson John T. Gilmore die before he attains the age of twenty one years then I give & bequeath Daughter Elizabeth McAllister all my estate both real & personal to her & her heirs forever.
Item 10 I will further that should my Daughter Elizabeth McAllister die without children before my grandson John T. Gilmore reaches the age of twenty one years, then I give and bequeath to my grandson John T. Gilmore all my estate real & personal which has not been already divised, should my grandson John T. Gilmore die after that he may have arrived to the age of twenty one years without children begotten in wedlock, then and in that case I give & bequeath all that part of my estate left to him to be equally divided between my Brother Williams children viz David Thames, Cornelius Thames, William Thames, James Thames, Ann Wiggins, Martha Cooper, & Lucy Newberry to them & their heirs forever.
Item 11 Should my grandson John T. Gilmore attain the age of twenty one years & Daughter Elizabeth McAllister & her children, or either of them, at that period, then I will & devise that all my estate both real & personal be equally divided between my grandson John T. Gilmore, my Daughter Elizabeth McAllister & her children, consisting of the following negroes & lands viz. Soloman, Davie, Salley, Hancy, Bill, Sam, Lucy, Betty,m Jim, little Peter, Philemon, Young Peggy, Eliza, Allen, Moriah, Sarah, Sophona, olde Grace, Mary Ann, Peggy Ann, Frank, with their increase. With the following tracts of land viz. one tract lying on the north east side of Cape Fear river bought of Mr. Jonathan Smith containing two hundred and forty acres chiefly in Bladen County, likewise the Council tract adjoining, containing three hundred & twenty acres, likewise the Lock Lands containing one hundred & sixty acres, all in the County of Bladen, likewise one tract of forty one acres, one tract of Fifty one acres, one other tract of one hundred acres, all joining my river Survey including the place where Grace lives, one other tract lying back of the same containing one hundred and seventy acres, one other tract of fifty acres joining the Old Town lands, one other tract of forty & a quarter acres part of the old — joining the same, one other tract of one hundred & seventy acres patented in partnership with Mr. James Smith, one other tract of five hundred acres on Harisons Creek joining Byrn Marsh, one other tract of one hundred & fifty acres joining the same part of Moores survey, one other tract of seven hundred acres above the mouth of the Horse Run Branch in Harisons Branch mostly in Cumberland County, one other tract of seventy three acres lying on the south west side of the Cape Fear River on the Gaulberry in Cumberland County, one tract of land — near the mouth of Willises Creek, with a mill seat which was excepted out of the lands now belonging to Mr. James Moore, likewise the road leading from my ferry through the lands of Mr. James Moore excepted Viz. the other, together with one half of my Cattle, Horses, Hoggs, Oxen, Plantation tools, carts, chains, Waggons & etc.
Item 12 I further will that at the death of my wife Hannah Thames that all that estate left her during her natural life, both real and personal, be equally divided between my Daughter Elizabeth McAllester & her children and my grandson John T. Gilmore provided he shall attained the age of twenty one years by then and their heirs forever
Item 13 I further will that the houses & lot heretofore occupied by my overseer Phillip Ellis be reserved for the use of my wife's overseer should she think it best to continue him there for the term of her life
Item 14 I make and ordain my worthy friends William Robison, Jonathan Evans & Charles McAllister Executors to this my last will & testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannull all & every other former testament, will or legacy & ratify, conform this & no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this the twenty eighth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & eighteen. Joseph Thames (Seal)
Signed, Sealed, pronounced & declared by the said Joseph Thames in the presence of us, Neil Beard Sr. and Phillip Ellis X his mark Charles McAllister andWm Robinson,Judges Admitted to probate September term 1819
(Supplement to will)
I do make and ordain this as part of my will to be annexed to my last will & testament as follows:
And bequeath to my beloved wife Hannah Thames one note of Ezekel Allen and others for five hundred fifty nine dollars 79 cents. and four beds and furniture to be at her own disposal forever. Whereas unto I set my hand and seal this 28th day of July the year of our Lord 1818. Jos Thames (Seal)
This above supplement is added to the copy of the will Colen Mc —(McRew/McRae/McNae?) [Colin McRae] J. D.— Jonah Evans and James Atkins
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