Return to Dare County

I, Thomas H. Respess of the County of Dare and State of North Carolina, being of Sound mind and memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly Existence, do make and declare this my last will and testament.

1^st That my Executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial, suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends and pay all my funeral Expenses together with all of my just debts out of the money that may first come into his hands as part or parcel of my Estate.

1^st [sic] I give and (bequeath) devise to my niece Caroline Cenate? resident of Washington County NC all of my real Estate lying in Tyrell County NC of any description.  I also request my Executor to take charge of and Sell all of my personal and chattel property to pay said debts Except one bed with stead and outfits which I give and bequeath to G.W. Creef Jr.

And lastly I do hereby appoint and empower my trusty friend B. F. Sykes my lawful Executor to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and hereby revoke and declare utterly void all other wills and testaments heretofore made.

In witness whereof I Thomas H. Respess do hereunto set my hand and seal this 6^th day of September 1887.

Thomas H. [his x mark] Respess

Signed sealed published & declared  by the said Thomas H. Respess to be his last will & Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto.

George B. Bliven
Ann M. Creef

State of North Carolina}    SS: In the Superior Court
         Dare County       }
    A paper writing purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of Thomas H. Respess deceased is Exhibited before me, the undersigned Clerk of the Court for said county by B.F. Sykes, the Executor therein mentioned and the due Execution thereof by the said Thomas H. Respess by the oath and Examination of G. B. Bliven and Ann M. Creef the subscribing witnesses thereto who being duly sworn doth depose and say and each for himself deposeth and saith that he is a subscribing witness to the paper writing now shown him purporting to be the last will and testament of Thomas H. Respess. That the said Thomas H. Respess in the presence of the deponent subscribed his name at the end of the said paper writing which now shown as aforesaid and which bears date of the 6^th day of September 1887.
    And deponent further saith that the said Thomas H. Respess 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 as aforesaid. The said Thomas H. Respess was of sound mind and memory of full age to execute a will and was not under any restraint to the knowledge information and belief of these deponennts saith not.

G. B. Bliven     (Seal)
Ann M. Crief   (Seal)

Severally sworn and subscribed this 26^th day of November 1887 before me.

John W. Evans Clerk Superior Court