Richard Etheridge
Feb. 12, 1739/40 - April Court 1750

In the Name of God, Amen.

I Richard ETHERIDGE of Currituck Banks & Bay of Kitty Hawk Bay In the province of North Carolina planter being of perfect Health & of Sound Memmory Blessed Be God for it; & Calling to mind the uncertainty of human affaire Do make this as my Last will & testament--

First:  I Commit my Soul to God who Gave it & my body And my body to Be Decently & privately Buried.

Secondly:  I Give & Bequeath to my wife Sarah ETHERIDGE My plantation were on I now Live Commonly known By the Name of the whale House; together with all the Buildings & Improvements thereon; & Sixty acres of Land thereunto Belonging ; & after her Decease or Marriage or Removeing of, I Give & Bequeath the said plantation & all the above name premises to my Son Adam ETHERIDGE to him & his heirs for his & there own proper Use & Behoof for Ever; & if he my said Son Adam ETHERIDGE should By means? turn my said Wife Sarah of the Plantation Before her Death Marriage or Removeing, my will is that so Much out of my personall Estate be Given her & he? will purchase her an other Plantation of Equal Quantity & Quality of that she is turned off from.

Thirdly:  I Give & Bequeath to my said wife Sarah ETHERIDGE The Bedd whereon I now Lye with Bedstead Bolster & All other furniture thereunto Belonging & all the Chests Boxes Cases Chairs & all other Wooden ware unto me Belonging with all the axes & hoes to me Belonging & two pewter Dishes one Bason & Six plates & two Porringer's & one Iron Pott & one Earthen Pott the Bowfett & Glasses with the other furniture thereunto Belonging & one Iron Dripping pan & Spites & also the Hand mill wereon I now Grind with all the utensils to it Belonging & also a third part of my Cattle to make use of her own & to kill out of them for food & to [next several words too dim to read] what Horses I leave? at my Death my said wife Sarah to have the use thereof for her own During her Natural life or Marriage & if she dies or Marries my will is that all the above mentioned premises Be Equally Divided Between my two son's Sampson & Adam ETHERIDGE.

Fourthly:  I Give & Bequeath to my said wife Sarah ETHERIDGE all my stock of Hogs & Sheep that I shall Die possessed of with there Increase to her & her heirs To her & there own proper use & behoof for Ever and also all the small Canoes I shall Leave at my Decease to her & her heirs to her & there own proper use & behoof for Ever; as also Liberty to my Great Cannoe Yearly to Carry up two Loads of Oysters; During her Natural Life or as Long as the Cannoe Lasts.

Fiftly:  I Give & Bequeath my Great Canoe to be Equally made use of Between my two Sons Sampson & Adam ETHERIDGE as Long as She shall last they all owing my said wife Sarah the Liberty above Mentioned.

Sixthly:  I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Dianah DOWE one Shilling Sterling to my Daughter Hellena DOWDY one Shilling Like Money to my Daughter Elizabeth DOWDY one Shilling Like Money, To my Grandson Robert TUCKER one shilling like Money to my GrandDaughter Prissillia ETHERIDGE one Shilling Like Money, To my Granddaughter Deborhe FEILDS one Shilling Like Money.

Seventhly:  & Lastly I Give & Bequeath to my said two sons Sampson & Adam ETHERIDGE all the Rest of my Eastate both Real & personall to be Equally Divided Between my said two sons Sampson and Adam ETHERIDGE them there heirs to there own proper use & Behoof for Ever & further more I Do appoint my said two sons Sampson and Adam ETHERIDGE & my wife Sarah ETHERIDGE to be Executors of this my Last will & testament In Witness whereof I have here unto sett my hand & Seal this twelfth Day of February Anno Dom. 1739/40.
    /s/ Rich. ETHERIDGE        In terlined Before Signed these words my wife Sarah ETHERIDGE the 3^d Exeto^r

Signed Sealed & published In  presence of us
    Thomas [his M mark] MAYO
    Charity [her mark] SAVELL [Charity Sivels in probate record]
    Leuisa? [her mark] MAYO

  North Carolina  }    April County Court Anno Dom 1750
Currituck County }

Present His Majestys Justices
    These may Certifie That Thomas MAYO and Charity SIVILS two of the Subscribing Evidences to the within Will appeared in open Court & made oath on the Holy Evangelist that Richard ETHERIDGE (the Testator being in perfect Health) Desired them to Evidence an Instrument of Writing but did not tell them what it was but Declare this is that to which they Subscribed Their mark then, But it appearing by other writings (to this Court produced) that the said Richard Signed his hand writing to the Instrument by Comparing of this with their? Instruments produced, Admitted of the proff [proof].  Then also appeared Sampson ETHERIDGE Adam ETHERIDGE and Sarah ETHERIDGE the Executors (on y^e s^d will Mentioned) in open Court and took the Executors Oath in due form of Law.
    Ordered that the Hon^ble Nath^l RICE Secretary of the said Province have Notice thereof that Letters Testamentory issue thereon as the Law Directs.
    Test: Rich^d McCLURE  Clk Cur^t

[On the back of this will is written: Letters Iss^d 11^th June 1750.  10 Copy Sheets]

[Source: North Carolina State Archives - MARS ID: 12.96.1.666 (folder)]

This will was contributed by Kay Midgett Sheppard. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research. If you find anything in these records that pertains to your families, it is strongly suggested that you look at the original record on your own to check for errors or possibly other additional and helpful information. Thank you!

© 2006 Kay Midgett Sheppard