In y^e name of God amen the three and twenteth? day of June one thousand six hundred Eighty & one I William GRIFFEN of Carterite presinck in y^e province of Carrolynah planter being Sick & weak of Bodye but haveing my perfect Sences & rememberance yett nott knowing how soone I may be taken out of this bodye doe make this my Last will & testament in manner & form following it making void all other wills formerly made I make this my Last will and Testement viz I Committ my bodye to y^e grond to be buried after a Christian manner at y^e discretion of my executrix here after mentioned and my soull to jesus Christ hopeing yet? by the meritoring? death and passion he hath purchased _______ all? Sallvation for the Same viz and for my worldly goods all that it hath pleased god to bestow upon me I dispose of in maner and form following viz I doe Constitute ordain and make my well beloved wife Liddia GRIFFEN my wholl and sould executrix of all my goods & Chattells there first payeing all my debts and leggecies viz I doe give unto my Sonn William GRIFFEN one Cow caulf called pye emiediatly after my deseas and it with its increas to be dilivered unto him when he Shall Come to y^e age of fifteen years as for my daughter Rachell I give one Cow caulf Called Starr Emiediatly after my deseas and to be delivered unto her both itt & itts increase when Shee Shall Come to y^e age of fifteen years and as for my Sonn Georg I doe give one Cow caulf Called Sleu? Emiediatly after my deseas and Both itt with itts Increas to be delivered unto him when he Shall Come to y^e age of fiveteen years viz as for the rest of my Estate both Reael and parsonall I give unto my beloved wife Lidia GRIFFEN after my Debts and Leggecies are payd dureing her naturall Life and att her deseas to be equally devided among my Children is if itt Shall pleas god y^e one or more of them Shall Sirvive her but if that she sirvive all of the them then Shee may dispose of my whole estate as Shee Shall think fitt butt if one of my Children dye before they Come to be posesed with their estate or dye without isue then y^e Legeasid? Estate is to be equally devided betwixt y^e other two and if two of them dye as afore Said then the sirviver to have all but if my executrix dye before they Come to age I leav itt to her discretion home [whom]  shee shall apoint to Look after my Chilldren and whatt they have and as? y^e have? Intent and meaning hereof I hereunto doe sett my hand and seall the day and year first Above written.
    /s/ William [his M hand and Seall] Griff__ [the last part of this name was either not written or is too dim to read]

Signed Sealled and dilivered before us
    Wm. BATEMAN
    Roger MACOIN?

The witnesses to this within mentioned will sworn & this will proved this 27^th day of March [no year written] before me.
    /s/ Thomas MILLER

[On the back of this will is written: The will of William Griffen - 1681]

[Source: North Carolina State Archives - MARS ID: 12.96.1.861 (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