Return to Dare County

State of North Carolina}
        Dare County        }
I ,William S.C. Pugh being of Sound and deposing mind and memory, do hereby make and publish this as my last Will and testament, thereof revoking and making void every and all other will or wills by me at any time heretofore made.

And first I declare my Executors herein after named to pay all my just debts funeral expenses and the expense incident to the administration of my estate as soon as reasonably may be after my decease.

Item.  I give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Holland Dixie one third of all my personal property, after my just debts are paid, and a right during her life time or widowhood to my homestead and all furniture thereunto belonging.  Also the store and store fixtures, with a right to sell and convey any part or portion thereof for her own special benefit, should be necessary so ?.

Item.  I give and bequeath to my oldest Son Clarence Royden one third of all my personal property after my just debts are paid.  My store which I now occupy and all the fixtures thereunto belonging, also the lot upon which Store is erected provided however that my beloved wife Holland Dixie shall hold her lifetime or widowhood rights in same as before stated.

I also give and bequeath to my son Clarence Royden all the real Estate which I now own in the Bateman Austin tract, the Boat House and old Store house.  Also the lot or parcel of land in the Hooker field opposite C.W. Pugh’s residence.

Item.  I give and bequeath to my youngest Son Carl Selwyn, one third of all my personal property after my just debts are paid.  Also my dwelling house and out buildings and the lot on north side of public road and all the furniture therein included, it being the homestead where I now live provided however that my beloved wife Holland Dixie shall hold her life time or widow-hood right in same as before stated.

All the rest of residue and remainder of my estate Real, personal, Goods, wares and Merchandise and mixed, to be equally divided between my beloved wife Holland Dixie and my two Sons, Clarence Royden and Carl Selwyn.

I do hereby nominate my said wife Holland Dixie and my two sons Clarence and Carl to be the  Executors of this my last Will and testament

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.  This the 14^th day of February 1912.
    /s/ William S.C. Pugh    (Seal)

Signed, Sealed published and declared by the above named testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
    J. B. Smith
    C. W Pugh
    W. S. Baum

North Carolina}    In the Superior Court
  Dare County }    Before the Clerk - In the Matter of the Will of William S.C. Pugh deceased--
    The paper-writing hereunto attached and purporting to be the last will and testament of  William S.C. Pugh deceased, is Exhibited before me the undersigned Clerk of the Superior Court of Dare County, North Carolina, by C.S. Pugh the Executor therein named and then depose the following proof  thereof is taken by the oath and Examination of J. B. Smith and W. S. Baum the subscribing witnesses thereto as follows.

North Carolina-Dare County,
    J.B. Smith and W.S. Baum being duly Sworn depose and say, and each for himself deposes and says, that he is a subscribing witness to the said paper-writing now shown purporting to be the last Will and testament of William S.C. Pugh and that he saw him Execute whereon acknowledge the Execution of this writing as his last Will and testament and that affiant attested it in the presence of said William S.C. Pugh deceased: and that at the time of its Execution (or at the time its Execution was acknowledged) said William S.C. Pugh was of sound mind and disposing memory.
    J.B. Smith
    W.S. Baum

Severally, Subscribed and Sworn to before me, this 23^rd day of March 1912.
    W.R. Gray
        Clerk of Superior Court, Dare County

According to the 1900 Dare Co. census, William St. Clair Pugh was born in Nov. 1860 and his short obituary appeared in the Weekly Advance [Elizabeth City] on Friday, March 15, 1912 and stated:  Mr. St. Clair Pugh, 50 years old, died in Wanchese, N.C.  Survived by several sons & daughters.  He was a Mason.  William S.C. Pugh, son of Little John Pugh and Cynthia (Tillett) Pugh, married Holland Dixie Wescott in Dare County on June 2, 1880 and they had 2 sons: Clarence Royden Pugh (1884-1944) and Carl Selwyn Pugh (1886-1971).  They apparently had another child before 1900 because the census states Holland had 3 children but only 2 were living at that time.  That child's name is unknown.

Source: Dare Co., N.C. Record of Accts. (1899-1927); pg. 309 and pg. 370
    An inventory of the estate of William S.C. Pugh, dec'd., was taken by C.S. Pugh, executor, on November 5, 1912.  It included real estate of "about 7 acres", a store and merchandise, boats and fishing tackle.

    The final account of C.S. Pugh, executor of the estate of William S.C. Pugh, was done in July 1914.  This account mentions the following:
        1. Paid to C.R. Pugh his share                         $2650.43
        2. Paid to C.S. Pugh his share                          $3279.08
        3. Paid to Holland D. Pugh, widow, her share $2476.00