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Know all men by these presents that I Zachariah OWENS being of sound mind but sick in body of the County of Currituck and State of North Carolina - do publish this my last will and testament following in word following -

First - I give unto my sons Matthias and Alexander jointly my Schooner called Wildcat.

2^d  I give unto my son Nathan one negro boy named Joe and one negro girl named Nancy.

3.  I give unto my Daughter Martha Jane - one negro girl named Iona.

4.  I give unto my daughter Francis one negro girl named Mariam.

5.  I give unto my son Zachariah one negro named girl named Pish - also one negro boy named Joe (called Edelines Joe) - to have and to hold the above gifts during there lives.

6.  I give unto my sister Susan Twenty Dollars a year during her natural life - to be paid from proceeds of my estate.

7.  I will that my executor shall hire out every year [a word was inserted here but was too small to read] negroes being Dave, Sam, Demps & Mean? - for the space of Ten Years - after which period they shall be sold and the proceeds equally divided among all my children namely Matthias, Alexander - Lucinda - Julia - Frances - Ann Eliza, Nathan - Martha Jane and Zachariah.

8.  The ballance of my negroes not given away I leave to be equally divided amongst all my children before named.

9.  I also leave all my Lands to be equally divided among children above named.

10. I give unto my son Matthias I will that the ballance of my property not required for the support of my family shall be sold and the proceeds equally divided amongst my children.

11. I will that hereby make and appoint my Brother Matthias OWENS of Tyrrell County and my son Matthias OWENS Executors to this my last will and testament.

Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us this April 15 A.D. 1855.
    /s/ Zachariah [his x mark] OWENS

Isaac OWENS     Jurat
E. MORTON      Jurat
Adam [his x mark] FORBES

This will of Zachay OWENS was this day produced in open Court and proved by the othes of two of the Subscribing witnesses To wit Isaac OWENS and E. MORTON in pursuance of Law.  At the same Mathias OWENS of Tyrrell County appeared and refused to qualify wherefore Mathias OWENS of Currituck County appeared qualified and took the oath of office in due form of Law.  Let the will be registered as the Law directs.
    /s/ J.W. BAXTER    CCC

[On the back of this will is written: May Term 1855; Recorded in Book No. 4 Page 198; /s/ J.W. BAXTER C.C.C.]

[Source: Microfilm G.030.1548672 - Currituck Co., NC Wills (original) 1841-1924; Vol. Ansell-Woodhouse]

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!

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© 2006 Kay Midgett Sheppard