Franklin County Wills

Early Franklin County Wills

 

COLLINS BROWN, Will 1777 Franklin County, Wills & Inventories 1785-1797 Vol. A, Pg. 50 The Last Will and Testament of COLLINS BROWN, dec'd. In the name of God Amen, I COLLINS BROWN of Bute County in the province of North Carolina being in perfect mind and memory the calling to mind the mortality of this my body and willing to dispose of what it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with, I have thought proper to dispose of it after all my just debts and funeral charges are paid I give in the following manner Imprimis I give and bequeath unto MARY BARROW daughter of JAMES BARROW of Bute County & province aforesaid one Negro Girl called SILVIA, at JOHN DUGGURS in Brunswick County, Virginia to her own proper use and behoof forever Item I give and bequeath unto MARY GREEN daughter of WILLIAM GREEN of Bute County and province aforesaid one Negro boy called BEN at ARTHUR FOSTER's in South Hampton Virgina to her own proper use and behoof forever Item I give & bequeath all my wearing apparell and what money and other effects I may be possessed of at my Death not herein before mentioned to my Executors to be Equally divided and for their own proper use forever I do constitute JAMES BARROW & WILLIAM GREEN of Bute County & province of North Carolina to be my whole & sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament ratifying and confirming the same by these presences and revoking all other will or wills heretofore by me made witness my hand and seal this 13th February 1777. COLLINS BROWN ("X" his mark) Signed Sealed published and Declared in presence of THOMAS NELMS SHADRICK ABBOTT SARAH WALL Jurat ("X" his mark) ============================================================= BATT CROWDER, Will- 1788 Franklin County, Wills & Inventories 1785-1797 Vol. A, Page 51 The Last Will and Testament of BATT CROWDER, dec'd. In the Name of God Amen, I BATT CROWDER of North Carolina Franklin County being in good health & perfect mind and memory & calling to mind the frailty and uncertainty of human life, do make ordain constitute and appoint this my last will & Testament, In manner and form as follows first I recommend my soul to the hands of God that gave it, & my body to be buried in a desent Christian manner at the discretion of my Exetrs. after named and as  touching such Worldly Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with I give in the following manner Secondly I lend unto my loving wife RUTH CROWDER during her widowhood the Land & Plantation whereon I now dwell lying on Sandy Creek containing One Hundred acres more or less also the use of Ten Negroes with their increase Namely CHARLES, FILLIS, GRACE, FRANK, MILLEY, SAL, DICK FILLIS HAMPTON & HANNAH with all my household & kitchen furniture except what I hereafter give away & all my stock of every kind. Thirdly, I give unto my Daughter ELIZABETH PARKER Twenty five pounds in gold or silver or the value thereof in paper money to be made out of my Estate when sold to her & her heirs forever. Fourthly, I give unto my Daughter NANCY CROWDER one feather bed & furniture two cows & calves, two sows & pigs two ewes lambs which she is to possess at arriving to lawfull age or mariage I also give unto my daughter Twenty five pounds gold or silver or the value thereof in paper money but in as my daughter should die without lawfull issue my will & desire is what I give to her may go into my Estate and be divided as after named but in case she has a lawfull issue I giver the same to her & her heirs forever. Fifthly. My Will and desire is that all my Estate of every kind lent my wife after her death or Mariage may be sold at publick auction giving such credits as my Executors shall think fit with the Land I now live on. Further, my desire is that all such money arriving from such sale or sales mayh be Equally divided between all my children after named except the money given to my Two daughters namely JEREMIAH BARTHOLOMEW, RICHARD, WILLIAM, ABSALOM ELIZABETH PARKER & NANCY CROWDER to them & their heirs forever Lastly I appoint my loving wife RUTH CROWDER, BARTHOLOMEW CROWDER & RICHARD CROWDER Extrs of this my Last will and Testamen denying & revoking all and every other will by me before made. In witness whereof I haver here unto set my hand & affixed my seal 20th of May in the year One Thousand seven Hundred & Eighty Eight. BATT CROWDER ("B.C." his mark) Sealed Signed & delivered in presence of us Test RICHARD FRARY    PHILIP RICKS THOS RICKS    ROBT CARR Jurat      WILL'M PARKER SENR. Jurat WILL'M PARKER JUNR.   ============================================================= JESSE MABRY - Will -1791 Franklin County, Wills & Inventories 1785-1797 Vol. A, Pgs. 62-63 In the name of God Amen. I JESSE MABRY of State of North Carolina & Franklin County being by resident very weak & infirm but otherways right do make this my last will & testament hereby revoking and disclaiming all others heretofore made. In the first place I recommend my soul to God & as to my Worldly Estate, I leave as follows, tis my will and desire that all my just debts be paid Also I will & leave my Wife the use my Estate real & personal during her life or the Marriage or coming to lawfull age of Children at either of these periods, I will that my Estate &c be then equally divided & the child so marrying or coming to age draw for his or her part the then remaining other parts to be again as if undivided untill they (my children) may come of age or marry or the death of my wife SALLEY MABRY should take place and in that case I will that my Executors should keep my Estate together that it is undivided only as my afsd. children should arrive to lawfull age or marry. I hereby constitute and appoint my friends COL. THOMAS SHERROD & WILLIAM BRICKELL my Executors to this my last Will & Testament as witness my hand & seal this 15th day of April A.D. 1791. JESSE MABRY ("Jesse" his mark) Acknowledged in Presents of us ELIZABETH LEWIS MABRY ("X" her mark) REBECCA MABRY ("X" her mark) WILLIAM RICHARDS JR. Jurat June Court 1791 A true Copy test G. HILL, CCt ============================================================= WILLIAM PACE- Will 1789 Franklin County, Wills & Inventories 1785-1797 Vol. A, Pages 48-49 Sept. Court 1789 The Last Will and Testament of WILLIAM PACE In the name of God Amen, I WILLIAM PACE of Franklin County an State of No. Carolina being in perfect Health Mind & Memory thanks be to God for it, but knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make & order this my Last will and Testament that is to say Princebly and first I recommence my soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Cristian like and just manner at the discretion of my Executors And as taking such Worldly Estates as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life I dispose of in the following manner First of all that all just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife JEMIME PACE the use of the Manner Plantation during her widowhood My bed and furniture also one gray mair branded with a hook also 20 head of hoggs one cow and calf at her disposal Item. I give and bequeath to my son GEORGE PACE part of my land begining at a branch which divides the low plantation and the lower part of that land Item. I give and bequeath to my son JOHN PACE the manner Plantation after the mariage or decease of his Mother also one Negro boy named PRIMUS one bed & furniture and mair, and the remainder of my Estate it is my will & I do desire to be sold and Equally divided betwixt six of my children (to wit) MARTHA BEDDIE EDIE JANIE(?) MARY WINNEFUR PACE In witness where I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2 Day of May 1789. WILLIAM PACE Test JAS. BATTEN JAMES BUTLER Jurat NATHAN BATTEN JAMES BATTEN Jurat JAMES PACE, Exr. N.B. JAMES BUTLER Witness this Will on Feb'y 25th Day 1790   ============================================================= SARAH RUSH - Will 1790 Franklin County, Wills & Inventories 1785-1797 Vol. A, Pages 53-54 The Last Will & Testament of SARAH RUSH, dec'd. In the name of God Amen I SARAH RUSH of Franklin County No. Carolina being in perfect mind and memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament (Viz) My soul I give into the hands of God my Body I recommend to the Earth my Worldly Estate I give Demise & Bequeath in the following manner -- First I give to my Brother JOHN BLEDSOE a Negroe boy called MOSES and a Negroe girl called LULA to him his heirs and assigns forever-- Item I lend to my loving husband BENJAMIN RUSH a Negroe boy called ABED to enjoy the full use and service of sd Negroe during my said husband's life & after his decease I give sd Negroe ABED to my Brother JACOB BLEDSOE to him his heirs and assigns forever-- Item I giver to my sister CATHERINE THORNTON a Negroe boy called CESAR to her, her heirs and assigns forever--- Item I give to my sister ELIZABETH HARRIL a Negroe boy called ELIJAH and a Negroe boy called JOE to her, her hiers and assigns forever-- Item I give to my sister in Law JANE BLEDSOE widow of GEORGE BLEDSOE deceased One Feather Bed and furniture and one Woman's saddle to her, her heirs and assigns forever-- Item I give all the remainder of my Estate of what kind soever my wearing clothes and Negroe woman RACHEL excepted, to be sold at publick sale & the money so arising I give to all the children of my brother GEORGE BLEDSOE deceased and all the children of my sister ANNE WOOTEN deceased to be divided in such a manner that my nephew GEORGE BLEDSOE son of GEORGE BLEDSOE deceased have two shares, and each other of sd children of my sd Brother & Sister have one equal share Item It is my Will that my Negro Woman RACHEL mentioned in the Interlining above, dwell with her husband ABSALOM SPEIRS during her life and that she be under the direction and management of JOEL TERRELL <FERRELL?> Lastly, I constitute and appoint my brother JACOB BLEDSOE & RUSH BLEDSOE Executors of this my Will & do disanul every former will I hereby ratify & confirm this to be my Last Will & Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this second day of December 1790. SARAH RUSH ("X" her mark) Signed Sealed published pronounced & Declared in the presents of us BENJAMIN BRAGG JOHN NORWOOD Jurat SUSANNAH BROOKS ============================================================= DAVID STOKES - Will 1789 Franklin County Wills & Inventorie, 1785-1797 Volume A, Page 42 Last Will & Testament of David Stokes June Court 1789 In the Name of God Amen. This first Day of January One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Nine I DAVID STOKES of the County of Franklin and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory praised be God for the same and calling to mind of this Life knowing that it is appointed for all man to Die do make order constitute and appoint this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following Viz} I give and bequeath unto my Daughter MARY the wife of DRURY DUNN One feather bed and furniture to be paid after my Wifes decease-- I give all the rest of my Estate my cattle only excepted unto my son ARCHIBALD STOKES and my Daughter LUCY Wife of JAMES MAMULLIN to equally divided between them both after my Wifes decease-- I give and bequeath unto my Daughter LUCY Wife of JAMES MAMULLIN all my Cattle to be paid unto her after my Wifes decease-- I leave unto my Beloved Wife SARAH during her natural life all my Lands Goods Chattles Credits and after my Wife's decease to be paid and divided as above mentioned And I hereby make and ordain my Worthy friends JAMES MAMULLEN and ARCHIBALD STOKES Executors of this my Last will and testament in witness whereof I the said DAVID STOKES have to this my Last Will and Testament set my hand and seal the Day and Year above written. DAVID STOKES Sign'd seal'd in the presence of us JN'A WILLIAMS, Jurat WILLIAM DUNN, Juratt FLOYD WILLIAMS JR. ("F" his mark) ============================================================= SARAH WOOTEN - Will 1788 Franklin County Wills & Inventories 1785-1797 Volume A, Page 44 Last Will & Testament of Sarah Wooten, dec'd. In the Name of God Amen October Seventeenth One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Eight I SARAH WOOTEN of Franklin County State of North Carolina being praised be God of sound mind and memory do make this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and form following (viz) first and principally I commence my soul to God that gave it in sure and certain hope of its resurrection at the last day and as touching such Worldly estate as please God to bestow upon me I give and Bequeath unto PINES WELDON and his heirs forever which are as followeth: One feather bed and furniture one pewter dish Four pewter plates and pewter Bason and spoon, One pitcher and jugg, one bottle, one Iron pot and Hooks and all my wearing clothes and piggon, and as for my funeral to be directed at the discretion of PINES WELDON whom I appoint Executor to this my last Will and Testament as Witness my hand and seal this day and date above mentioned. SARAH WOOTEN ("Q" her mark) Test: GIDEON GLEN Jurat PHILIP WOODLIEF =============================================================